Regular readers will know I’ve been researching and clawing through my autobiography for years and occasionally come across a little gem which either clarifies something or sends me up an entirely different road.
Durham County Council have been helping me piece together my early years (which I’ve been writing about here on my website) and at some point found my registration card which I had stored away but turned up again as I was packing some papers.
When I read the card again I felt dreadfully sad although not so much for me; I already know what happened to me though I didn’t know the kids home I was in was somehow connected to the North East Workhouse. No, I felt really sad for my birth Mother who, although I rejected her later in life for putting me in care, had been accommodated in Crossley Sanitorium and only she could have known what that experience was like.
As I’m left with my thoughts I am at least thankful to Durham County Council for giving me another piece of my jigsaw.
It’s probably wise to wait until after you’ve settled into your new abode. Hope the move goes smoothly.
Yes, I think so Brian…meanwhile…back to the rubbish dump! 🙂
Absolutely fascinating. There’s a photo-gallery of Crossley Sanatorium at http://crossley.daniel-clark.co.uk/gallery.html It looks a really foreboding place. Also a a pic of St Mary’s Hostel, Papworth Everard where your dad was at http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/1944-pu-cambridgeshire-pc-st-marys-hostel-papworth-125624328.htm#pic and to be honest, it doesn’t look much better.
Hi Brian and thank you so much for those links – ever my savior with my research.
I think since I’m up to the neck in packing and doing dump trips I’m not going to have time to look at the links until I’m in Wales (the way things are going). That’s probably no bad thing because the information really disturbed me although on the other hand I’m glad I have it. I guess when I come to study it more closely I need to feel safe in a home of my one rather than in transit which is where I am at the moment.
When I get settled in Wales I intend to build a study and move on rapidly with my memoirs although I can’t decide whether (when new information comes to light) to amend the original text or add another appendix. Perhaps divine intervention will help me decide 🙂
Very warm regards Brian
Alan