Roecliffe Manor

A Memory of Woodhouse Eaves.

All I ever wanted was to be a nurse but not having the exam results to do this our family Doctor suggested to my mother I go to a Children's Convalescence Unit in Woodhouse Eaves and work voluntary; at first I thought this was would be a great adventure. I arrived on a Sunday ready to start work on the Monday, I was given a uniform that looked as near as damn it, to a nurse's uniform. I woke on the Monday full of enthusiasm and gratitude to Matron for giving me this chance, I loved my job it was very hard work but I didn't mind. In my free time I would take the children for walks and play hide and seek and sometimes we would take a picnic of jam sandwiches and water in milk bottles... great times where had by all. I made some good friends and even met my first love who lived in Oakham and had the shiniest motorbike I had ever seen. All the fun and happiness was short lived, I started noticing things happening that made me start asking questions; children being refused food and being sat with their backs to the table. Older children being put in high chairs, others not being allowed to sit at the table at all. When I asked one of the other girls why these things were happening she said they where Matron's rules. I was still wondering why when I got the biggest shock; I woke in the night for a drink and went down to the kitchen to get one, as I passed the children's dining room I saw a little duel heritage boy tied onto a chair. He had wet pyjamas on so I went into the room to help him and was confronted by Matron who yelled at me to leave him there, he had been wetting the bed and this was his punishment. I couldn't control my anger and told Matron what I thought of her cruel punishments and that they were unacceptable. She told me I was in no position to question her rules and told me to get back to my room or she would find a suitable punishment to cure my insolence. The next morning she came to my room and told me to ring my parents to come and collect me that I was no longer allowed to converse with staff or children and was to be picked up at the gates. I had to wait for my dad to finish work before he could come and to make things worse my mum didn't have any sympathy - told me I should have kept my opinions to myself. All I can say thank goodness times have changed.