Kelling Children's Sanatorium

Workplace

Kelling Children's Sanatorium

Mel Baker 11/06/2004, 7:56 AM
I am looking for anybody that worked at Kelling Childrens Sanatorium, mainly between 1953 and 1956, maybe dealing with the chest infection diseases, like pleurisy. But all stories and pictures welcome. All I know is that is was open from 1903 to 1960. I am looking for as much information as I can get. Even if you think it's the tiniest thing that you think may not be relevant, any information anyone has will really help.

Thank you in advance

Mel

RE: Kelling Children's Sanatorium

Bridget Hitcham 06/09/2004, 8:16 AM

Dear Mel,

I read your piece with interest, i was a patient in Kelling Hospital in 1963, i was 14 at the time. I had Pluresy and had to have a lung removed.I can remember being so scared,but all the Doctors & Nurses were great. I can see it all now .What i really looked forward to was visits from my Mum & Dad who could only come and see me twice a week as we had no car then,and we lived in Hopton on sea Nr Gt Yarmouth I can remember when i was there,there were little rooms far away from us which used to have TB Patients in them. I believe the Hospital closed down a few years ago now .I would like to send my best wishes to anyone, Doctors, Nurses or anyone who remembers me i was Bridget Smith then.Take Care Mel.

RE: Kelling Children's Sanatorium

Doug Baker 16/09/2004, 8:08 AM

Hello Mel,

If it's of any interest I was a patient at Kelling Childrens Hospital from June 1953 until Feb 1954. I remember the names of a lot of the children and nurses.

We had a little school there also, I can recall the teachers names after all these years. They had a Mens and Womens Sanatorium further down the road towards Holt. Did you see the TV programme 'The Way We Were' last year. It featured Kelling Childrens Hospital on it, and showed a film taken in 1953 and I recognised myself on it !!

I can tell you lots more from my time there if you are interested !

Sincerely, Doug

Re: RE: Kelling Children's Sanatorium

Dawn Dorrington 11/02/2006, 12:02 AM

Hi Doug, I was wondering if there was a childrens nurse named Margaret Rose, at Kelling Childrens Hospital, at the time you were there, I found on my mums, marriage certificate, that she was a Childrens Nurse, in 1953-1954, Kind Regards, Dawn.

Re: RE: Kelling Children's Sanatorium

Doug Baker 11/02/2006, 11:49 PM

Hello Dawn,

Thanks for your reply. Was your Mum actually at Kelling Childrens Hospital as a nurse at the time I was there ( June'53 to Feb '54) ? I can't recall a Margaret Rose by name, but when you're a 13 year old, names don't mean as much as they would now don't you think !. I can remember one nurse who was Hungarian, and several others who were very kind to us children. I remember one particular nurse took me and my mate in to Cromer on the bus for a birthday treat!! but names evade me as it was over 50 years ago now but I have some fond memories of that hospital. Thank you for your interest.

Kind Regards, Doug

Re: RE: Kelling Children's Sanatorium

Dawn Dorrington 16/02/2006, 9:37 AM
Hi Doug, Thank you for replying to my message, on my mums marriage certificate it said she was a childrens nurse, in 1955 not sure where she done her nursing, I will keep looking though Doug, Thanks again, Take Care, Regards Dawn.

Re: RE: Kelling Children's Sanatorium

Ian Duffy 13/11/2006, 1:27 PM

Hi Doug

I ought to remember you as I was at Kelling from March to December 1953. How old were you then? I was 12 that August.

I also remember the school and the scout troop. We had scout camps in the woods.

I didn't see the programme but I am looking into getting a copy if possible.

Regards

Ian

Re: Kelling Children's Sanatorium

Sheila Smith 05/09/2008, 3:15 PM

Hi Mel

sorry this may be late - only just Googled the site out of curiosity.

i was a patient at Kelling in 1959 - I was just turned 8 (in Peterborough memorial hospital) then transferred to Kelling in June - i remember there being talk about how lovely it would be at Christmas but I did not want to find out and luckily I was discharged mid-December.

I am now 57 but remember it so well. I was in the young girls TB ward (downstairs) - the older girls were upstairs and then along the corridor (after sister's station) was the young boys downstairs and older boys upstairs.

I remember going go school there each day and on Saturday we went to Cromer and sat on the shingle beach near to the boats and there was a small shop on a corner where we could spend some money - I always bought some rock and a postcard to send home. On Sunday we went to chapel and were given stamps to show our attendance.

I remember bath nights when we had to take it in turns to get into the bath - using the same bath water! oh what joy, and i still remember getting a slap on the bottom from the nurse for being cheeky.

And for meal times we had this gruel like porridge which I hated - I was quite a small child when I went in to Kelling but after having many doses of 'Minadex' to encourage me to eat i came out a bit overweight and had to be given a diet sheet!

We used to play cricket with the boys some days but i remember having lots of boils and was wrapped up in this very large bandage after having a hot grey sludge smeared on to my leg.

I can remember clearly that visiting was only on a Sunday afternoon then and my parents had to travel from Peterborough, sometimes picking up other parents on the way. We used to sit on the grass outside the building and there was an large summer house with lots of toys in - and I remember riding a horse which galloped along when you stood on the stirrups.

Looking at old photos that my parents had I came across us all playing on the grass.

It was very much like home there and all the nurses and other children were lovely.

Best wishes to all staff and patients who were at Kelling - I always wanted to visit again just to see if the old place was still there - maybe one day.

Sheila