Judy Middleton 2003 (revised 2019)
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| copyright © J.Middleton This postcard dates from 1906 and already the sea view is lost to residents of the Home. |
The official name was rather a mouthful – the Convalescent Police Seaside Home. But it has its name in history because it was the first such establishment in the entire kingdom.
Three Ladies and Clarendon Villas
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Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove Countess of Chichester Patron of the Police Seaside Home |
Two other women helped the idea come to fruition: May
Griffin found the original house to rent and Miss Bell provided £500 to pay the
rent for three years.
The first home was at 51 Clarendon Villas and the Countess
of Chichester opened it in 1890. Also living at the Home were three orphans of
police constables who attended Holy Trinity church every Sunday and were said
to be making satisfactory progress at school.
After two years it was realised the house was too small
for the Home’s needs. There were sixteen police officers sleeping in the Home
with a further sixteen boarded out.
A New Home
It was decided that a purpose-built Home was the answer
but it was a real leap of faith to undertake such a project and trust the money
would roll in. Catherine Gurney, May Griffin and Miss Bell were all staunch
Christians and believed that if the need for such a Home were genuine then the money
would follow. For instance, they had no hesitation in dismissing a scheme put
forward by a local dignitary to cash in on the fact that H.R.H. Princess
Christian had agreed to lay a memorial stone at the Home. The dignitary wanted
an important banquet to take place at Hove Town Hall afterwards but the three
ladies deemed it unsuitable.
Miss Bell provided £2,025 for the building fund and there
were many small donations including one shilling from a policeman’s daughter,
sent because ‘father got well at the Home’.
Just when the situation seemed desperate, out of the blue
a scented pink envelope arrived. It was from Henry Whiting of Lavender Hill and
he enclosed a cheque for £3,000.
The architect was J.G. Gibbens and councillors approved
his plans in 1892. The structure was a huge red brick building with gables and
tall chimneys and an imposing entrance. The well-known and philanthropic
builder William Willett put it up at cost price, thus foregoing any profit,
because it was for a good cause. The landowner also had the decency to knock
£70 off the original asking price.
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| copyright © D. Sharp 'THIS STONE WAS LAID BY H. R. H. PRINCESS CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, OCTOBER 29, 1892.' Princess Christian (Helena) was the fifth child of Queen Victoria & Prince Albert |
Princess Christian laid the foundation stone on 29 October 1892 and the Countess of Chichester opened the Home on 21 July 1893. The Countess was a patron of the Home and there was a steady flow of goods from Stanmer Park. The fruit included grapes, peaches and strawberries while other produce included eggs, hares, rabbits and even a duck or two.
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| copyright © J.Middleton The Duke & Duchess of York, later to become King George & Queen Mary, visited the Police Seaside Home on 10 April 1896 as part of their two day official tour of Brighton & Hove |
The general public were also generous and every Annual Report featured a detailed list of money donations as well as a whole range of gifts. The latter included such items as a patchwork quilt, a hand-painted improving text for the hall, one whatnot, four rose bushes, two brass door-plates (engraved) and a quantity of books and periodicals. In 1903 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle donated a book. At Christmas time local traders sent gifts of provisions.
The final cost of establishing the Home came to £9,210-7s-9d and the total included the making-up and lighting of the adjacent length of road. It seems astonishing that in the Annual Report 1894-1895 the Building Fund debt only came to £300. But even that amount was a cause for concern and there was an earnest appeal for it to be wiped out speedily because it was costing the management 4½% interest. Then the Home could be declared free of debt ‘to the glory of God and the good of the Police Forces’. Collecting boxes were distributed throughout the country. There was a scheme for policeman willing to pay one shilling a year called the Visitor’s Voluntary Fund.
At the time the Home was built it was claimed to be in a charming position ‘at present open to the sea’. The fresh air and sea breezes were thought to do wonders for the convalescents. When you consider the majority of patients came from the Metropolitan Police who had to endure the notorious London fogs, it was probably true. Not surprisingly there were many cases of bronchitis and a severe influenza epidemic in 1895 led to between 50 and 60 men being at the Home at one time.
The final cost of establishing the Home came to £9,210-7s-9d and the total included the making-up and lighting of the adjacent length of road. It seems astonishing that in the Annual Report 1894-1895 the Building Fund debt only came to £300. But even that amount was a cause for concern and there was an earnest appeal for it to be wiped out speedily because it was costing the management 4½% interest. Then the Home could be declared free of debt ‘to the glory of God and the good of the Police Forces’. Collecting boxes were distributed throughout the country. There was a scheme for policeman willing to pay one shilling a year called the Visitor’s Voluntary Fund.
At the time the Home was built it was claimed to be in a charming position ‘at present open to the sea’. The fresh air and sea breezes were thought to do wonders for the convalescents. When you consider the majority of patients came from the Metropolitan Police who had to endure the notorious London fogs, it was probably true. Not surprisingly there were many cases of bronchitis and a severe influenza epidemic in 1895 led to between 50 and 60 men being at the Home at one time.
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| copyright © J.Middleton It seems probable that most of the decorative items in the visitors’ sitting room would have been donations. Note the gramophone with its horn like a giant bindweed convolvulus flower. |
Some reasons for arriving at the Home were more dramatic.
For instance, over the years several officers came to recover from injuries
received by trying to stop runaway horses. In 1892 one young constable arrived
after he had contracted a severe chill brought on by rescuing two children from
drowning, for which he received a Humane Society Medal.
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| copyright © J.Middleton The dining room at the Home might well be thought a boring postcard but this would have been elegant dining for some constables from deprived backgrounds. The view was posted on 27 August 1908 with the briefest of messages ‘Arrived safe and well, Dad’ but no doubt his daughter living in Lambeth Walk was happy to receive it. |
There were many cases of assault during the performance of duty. Perhaps the saddest case was that of a detective officer, mentioned in the 1902 report, who was blinded in one eye by a woman’s hat-pin at an anarchist meeting. This man spent several weeks at Hove to the benefit of his general health but due to the beating-up he was subject to after the stabbing, his other eye was virtually useless too.
An additional cause of stress was mentioned in the 1913 report. ‘The enormous number of motors of every description in the streets, increase the heavy burden of responsibility upon the Police.’
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| copyright © J.Middleton At first glance these two postcards look identical but they were not taken at the same time (note the slight difference in the open windows) and there are different people. The first one was posted in 1908 from Jack Flynn to his parents at Newport Dwellings, Shaftesbury Avenue ‘Just a line or two to let you know that I am getting along alright’. The second postcard was sent by Ezra Hill to Willie King at Abbey Wood, Kent ‘I am pleased to tell I am doing first rate’. |
In those days a policeman had to work for a stretch of
fourteen days without a break, either on day duty or night duty. During the
summer policemen were allowed to spend their annual leave at the Home, provided
there was not a heavy demand for beds. But whether visitors or convalescents,
the men still had to abide by the rules, number 5 of which stated: ‘It is
earnestly hoped that no visitor enter a public house during his stay at the
Home.’ This wording dates from 1891; later on the ‘earnestly hoped’ was dropped
for the sterner ‘it is expected’. There was also a curfew but in the summer during
annual leave visitors were granted an extra hour and did not have to return
until 10 p.m.
A Personal Record
In September 2019 a batch of six postcards
featuring photographs of the home with handwritten messages on the
reverse side came up for auction. Five of them were addressed to Mrs
G. A. Viner of 32 Cumberland Road, Somers Road, Southsea, Portsmouth,
between 1908 and 1910. The sender was George (Viner?). The sixth
postcard was written in pencil and has faded badly. There was a
different address too – 30 Parkfield Road, London. From the
information in the postcards, George was also a prolific letter
writer, but whereas they may have disappeared, the postcards
survived.
Three of the postcards are duplicates of those
already on this page.
Posted at Brighton at 10 p.m. December 17 1908
Arrived OK, had tea as soon as I got here … This
seems a very nice place, the lady supt tell me I shall feel the
difference by this time. I am sending this so as you shall have my
address. Kind regards to all at home and plenty of love, it is now 6.
30, Prayers at 9. 30 xxxxxxxxxx George
Posted at Brighton 10 p.m. December 18 1908
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| copyright © J.Middleton |
Posted at Brighton 10 p.m. December 18 1908
Received your card OK this morning, sorry to hear
your cold is so queer. I feel easy, so much better today. I been
right along the seafront this afternoon… Plenty of people down here
and the weather lovely, this is a splendid place. I shall come back
fatter than ever! But sorry to say no chance of studying, too many
games under way and so much music … This is one of the bedrooms,
plenty of good food here and everything for your comfort. Hope little
Jack is going on OK and your cold well, Regards George
Posted at Brighton December 21 1908
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| copyright © J.Middleton |
Dear Etty & Jack Received your letter and
cards OK this morning but it has been a nice day & I am making
the best of it. I am pleased to say I feel better than I have for a
long long while. I been to Brighton twice today I was fagged out but
it has been a nice day & I am making the most of it. I got extra
cards now excepting for Annie, Bessie, Daisy & Lizzie but I will
buy some for them unless you got 4 nice ones, but just as you like. I
shall write a letter if wet day but I am making the best of it while
it is fine. We are to have a great time of it this Xmas so I hear,
hope you and Jack are keeping lively, George
Posted at Paddington January 8 1910
Dear E & J A card to say I am safely landed.
The staff made me tea as soon as I got here & the nurse was
making enquiries to know if I had arrived, she has had a nice long
chat with me. Let me know if J was OK the rest of the journey. Will
write tomorrow. Love to all George x
Posted at Hove 3 p.m. January 8 1910
Posted at Hove 3 p.m. January 8 1910
Received your card OK this morning, glad you got
home safe. I went as far as the seafront this morning but taking it
easy this afternoon. I feel awfully tired and aches all over but had
a good night’s sleep. I got a room to myself at present. They are a
nice lot of chaps here, 21 all told. I will write a nice long letter
tomorrow or Monday for you. They had a good laugh at G’s postcard,
thank him for me. I have found my appetite OK and a splendid
breakfast, also dinner & now waiting for my tea. I hope little
Jack is none the worse for his journey yesterday. I went to bed last
night as soon as I had had my supper. Love to all George.
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| copyright © J.Middleton It seems likely that the photograph was specially taken from this angle to display the new additions on the east side of the building – namely two verandas and a glass-enclosed space where patients could enjoy sunshine and clean air. |
Posted at
Brighton February 25 1910
Thanks for card, I am getting on first rate down here, The weather has been lovely so far & I certainly feel much better than I did when I left Drs.
Thanks for card, I am getting on first rate down here, The weather has been lovely so far & I certainly feel much better than I did when I left Drs.
Am pleased to hear everything is OK with the F.
Will write later. Yours
xx George
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| copyright © J.Middleton This was the Henry Whiting Ward at the Home with a rather stern-looking nurse. The postcard was sent on 3 June 1913 to Dolly Algar in Rochester, Kent from her Dad. He said ‘This is where I have to go to get my throat painted. You would like to see this place, it is lovely in fine weather like we are getting now.’ |
The Great War
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| copyright © J.Middleton This view of the Police Seaside Home was posted on 25 July 1914. The message ran as follows: ‘I was sorry to hear it was wet for the school treat, very disappointing for the children… Am pleased to say that I am going on all right.’ |
In 1925 the Home’s committee decided to place 25 beds at
the disposal of the War Office for the sick, wounded or convalescent, with
preference for police reservists or volunteers from police forces.
But by 1916 military authorities said it was becoming too
difficult to sort out men returning from the front into different categories.
The committee therefore decided to set twenty beds aside for any wounded men.
They came from Canada, South Africa and Australia, as well as from all parts of
the United Kingdom.
In 1919 the Auxiliary Military Hospital part of the Home
closed down.
All together some 544 military and Naval patients had been
admitted to the Home during the war, 40 of them free of charge. Out of theses,
there were 67 cases of shellshock plus malaria, trench fever and various
wounds.
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| copyright © J.Middleton The postcard was captioned ‘A corner of the Surgery, Convalescent Police Home’ and looks forbidding enough to send anybody’s blood pressure soaring. |
Post War
The 1921 report stated that since the Home’s inception,
23,914 men had been received.
The Metropolitan Police provided extra amusements for men
at the Home, including a billiard table. In 1925 they donated a wireless set,
together with nine headphones for use in the dayroom and more headphones for
each bed in the sick-room.
A Move from Hove
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| copyright © J.Middleton This photograph dates from 2009 and shows what a remarkable builder William Willett was because the building looks as though it is in a robust health. Today it goes under the name of Middleton Grove. |
The Home in Portland Road continued in active use by the
police until the 1960s. Then it was decided to construct a new Home at 205
Kingsway, Hove. Of course by then the sea view from Portland Road had long been
blocked by housing while the new home was right on the seafront. Queen
Elizabeth, the Queen Mother officially opened the new Police Seaside Home in
1966.
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| copyright © D. Sharp The former Police Seaside Home in Portland Road is now the 'Middleton Grove' residential care home |
Meanwhile, in December 1966 East Sussex County Council
purchased the old one in Portland Road and social services used it for the care
of the elderly.
The new Home at Kingsway had 44 beds and it was in
operation for 22 years. By 1987 some 759 officers had been treated there with
the average length of stay being twelve days.
The Kingsway Home closed on 18 June 1988 because a new
Home had been opened at Goring-on-Thames, Berkshire. It cost £735,000 with £3
million spent on refurbishment. The Queen Mother officially opened it earlier
on in June 1988.
Thus a link with Hove extending over a period of 98 years
was broken. Peter Wood was superintendent of the Kingsway Home for the last
eight years of its life but neither he nor any of the other 27 staff moved to
Berkshire.
The Kingsway Home re-opened a year later as the Excelsior
Hotel.
Sources
Middleton Judy, Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade
Middleton, Judy A History of Hove (1979)
Copyright © J.Middleton 2016