Comments on: Leybourne Grange Hospital – Kent

By: jenny

jenny — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:42:21 +0000

How would i go about finding an Uncle of mine PAUL DALE whom was here from a very early age, and never spoken about by the family. Thanks for any help

By: charlie

charlie — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:08:14 +0000

hello, i find all this stuff very interesting and am trying to find out more about the site, why are you glad its shut down ? thank you

By: Steve O'Connell

Steve O'Connell — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 01:52:48 +0000

Yo Kerry. Well done for retrieving some of the old documentation. My sister (now deseased) was a resident of Rose Villa (F10) for quite a few years before the hospital was deemed too expensive to run and was earmarked for closure. There are many reports stating financial reasons were not a consideration for the closure, however, during a protracted interview with Dr Gray in the Mansion when my sister was to be removed and placed in a “Staffed House” in the community, the said doctor actually admitted to me that the site was worth a considerable amount of money and was not running economically – so, no financial considerations there then!
“Mystic Spirit” also seem to have rescued some documentation from F10 and from the Ward Sisters Duty report book I recognise a name that was mentioned by my sister quite a few times, that of Maureen Upton.
I am very interested in any information you may have concerning F10, and in particular my sister Angela. Also, any information you may have concerning the hospital (newspaper articles, maps etc) as I am wanting to find out as much as possible about the hospital. Despite feeling angry at the closure I feel a sense of urgency to find out as much as possible on the 4th anniversary of my sister’s passing. I hope your information can be emailed as I am now living in Australia.
If there is any information I can share with interested parties about life at LGH I would be very happy to do so. My memories of the place start at about 1964 until my sister was “evicted” around 1986.

By: becky

becky — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:56:55 +0000

if i remember she was on cc4 which is where i worked and her name was melanie and was adopted by a nurse called jenny and her family …

By: BlueRoom

BlueRoom — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:07:45 +0000

All of the Villas, Outbuildings, Nurses Accomodation Block etc at Leybourne Grange have been demolished. All that remains is the Manor House, which is boarded up. There is also a Security Guard stationed right outside the front of the house, so if you do go up to take a look, be careful.

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:47:09 +0000

Hi, i’m wondering if anyone knows if anything is still standing and still accessible? Also if anyone has gone up there lately what is the security like, is it too late to visit?? Please post back ASAP as would love to visit.
Thanks

By: Sally Scott

Sally Scott — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:51:29 +0000

Hi I worked at Leybourne, started as a cadet nurse in 1976, we had Borstal boys and police cadets there at that time. yes i also remember the young blond girl on CC4 so very sad, i think she was fostered by one of the nursing assistants who worked there. The lady in charge of the police cadets was Mrs Calcarry who drove a mini. nursing cadets had sister Lots of sad memories from that place, and also memories of cockroaches in the hospital block, always remember the sound of them crunching under your feet when you walked down the wards at night, such a scarry place even then.

By: Sam N

Sam N — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:54:31 +0000

Hey Mike,

ive been trying to find the research project so i can use it as reference for an assignment for my nursing course. im currently in year 3 of becoming a RLDN and am studying institutional behaviour, and mental health hospitals. i would like to read your research as i am interested in reading how you developed the sensory concept in the uk as it is a complete turn around from the abuse patients were used too.
please can you email me a direct link to your research or email me relevent information you may have that i would be able to use, samantha.newman@hotmail.co.uk.

thank you for your time
sam

By: Sam N

Sam N — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:36:24 +0000

hello Gill. I am a 3rd year learning disability nursing student and am currently doing an assignment on institutions, institutional behaviour and mental health hospitals. Having a detailed account of what it was like for someone who atually worked there would be fantastic to add and extremely intresting. If you get the time i would really appreciate it if you could email me what you can remember, please don’t worry about names as I will not be able to use them due to data protection. If you remember dates or times of the day that would be great. my email is samantha.newman@hotmail.co.uk

thank you for your time and i hope to hear from you soon.

sam

By: lulu

lulu — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 22:12:27 +0000

High Tony,
i remember the little deaf dumb and blind girl – she used to wear a yellow all-in-one bed suit. i was told her mother had had german measles whilst pregnant with her.I think she was a little blond girl – yes, she broke one’s heart….so beautiful.