Hove in the Past: Aldrington House (Lady Chichester Hospital) New Church Road.

Judy Middleton (2002 revised 2019)

Original Occupants

Aldrington House does not make an appearance in the Street Directories until 1889, But it is clear the house was already in existence before then. Mr and Mrs Hammond were the original occupants, and in 1891 Mr Hammond was one of those Aldrington residents chosen to be on the committee to sort out the pros and cons of an amalgamation between Hove and Aldrington: in 1893 Mr Hammond was among the select few to be elected as a councillor for Aldrington

The Hammonds were members of the congregation of St Leonard’s Church, Aldrington and are both buried in the churchyard. Their memorial is a rose-marble cross, and bears the following details:

William Hammond of Aldrington House born 2 September 1831 died 11 March 1894

Mary Hammond, his widow, born 30 November 1834 died 24 May 1912

Mrs Hammond continued to live in Aldrington House after her husband’s death. In 1898 there was some excitement when workmen on her land unearthed a small-socketed bronze celt with a loop. Instead of keeping the discovery as an interesting souvenir, she presented it to the Sussex Archaeological Museum at Lewes.

The House becomes a Hospital

Dr Helen Boyle photographed at

her home in The Drive Hove.

In 1920 Aldrington House became a hospital and the name was changed. The origins of this unique hospital are to be found in a group of remarkable women, and in particular, Dr Helen Boyle (1869-1957), one of the first women doctors to practise in Hove. Her pioneering work has been recognised in recent times by the placing of a blue plaque on the hospital wall, which was unveiled on 7 September 2015.

Dr Boyle, drawing on her medical experiences in the East End of London, came up with the idea of creating a place where ordinary women might be treated for early-stage mental ill-health, which was so often exacerbated by poverty. She believed that such prompt treatment might result in the woman being able to return home and lead a normal life. In former days an unfortunate woman suffering from a mental ‘wobble’ was not treated with sympathy – after all the word ‘hysteria’ derives directly from the Greek word for a womb – hystera – and so by definition women were expected to be mentally fragile. The solution was often incarceration in a mental asylum, which just made matters worse.

Dr Boyle managed to persuade the Countess of Chichester to become the patron of the new venture – this was important because of the stigma attached to mental illness but with an important lady as a patron the enterprise gained an aura of respectability. The original committee was composed of eight members with Mrs Eliza Martindale being president and Mrs C. S. Ashton acting as honorary secretary. The sum of £200 was raised, which was enough to take on 101 Roundhill Crescent, Brighton, and provide accommodation for ten patients – the first one arriving on 25 April 1905.

Just a few years later in 1911, an anonymous donation of £200 encouraged the committee to seek larger premises, and the enterprise moved to 70 Brunswick Place, Hove, which was spacious enough to house 38 patients. Not surprisingly, the hospital was especially busy during the First World War; indeed by 1918 there was a waiting list of 80 prospective patients.

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
Brighton Herald 2 December 1916 report for a 'sales of work'
in aid of the Lady Chichester Hospital at 70 Brunswick Place

However, the lease on the Brunswick house was coming to an end and the committee decided to purchase the freehold property Aldrington House for the sum of £4,900. This was by no means the end of expenditure because alterations and equipment required £900 – the plans for alterations being provided by W. H. Overton.

In September 1919 Dr Boyle wrote to Hove Council stating that the Lady Chichester Hospital was moving into Aldrington House but there was not enough space for everything, and so she asked if a temporary hut might be erected behind the house. The council told her to submit plans: G. Crump & Son dully supplied the plans, which were for a corrugated-iron building to be in use for approximately ten years. Hove Council agreed that the proposals were eligible because of the government’s temporary relaxation of building bye-laws.

In 1920 the Lady Chichester Hospital moved into Aldrington House

Expansion

Later on, an out-patients department was added. There was a valuable windfall when a grateful former patient bequeathed to the Lady Chichester Hospital a villa called Falconhurst that stood opposite; this provided space for six more patients as well as staff accommodation.

copyright © Brighton & Hove Libraries
Sir John Howard (1830-1917)
Civil Engineer & Philanthropist
'the man who built the Palace Pier'

By 1926 there was also a convalescent home at Walton-on-Thames. By then it was time to start on a campaign to raise more funds because two new wards were planned to accommodate between 20 and 24 patients, plus a solarium for sun treatment in memory of Dr Mabel Jones. Dr Jones was an old friend and colleague of Dr Boyle, and in 1897 the two women had moved to Hove where they ran a practice at what is today 37 Church Road, Hove.

In 1927 the Bishop of Chichester dedicated the new west wing of the hospital. The tablet above the doorway read, ‘This west wing was erected in 1927 to the memory of Sir John Howard, Knight, late of Preston Park, Brighton, with money provided from the Trustees of his will out of a legacy bequeathed for hospital purposes.’

On the same day the Bishop of Chichester also dedicated a memorial to Bishop Russell Wakefield CBE, DD, in memory of his unfailing love and kindness.’ At the ceremony the Countess of Chichester, president of the hospital, said that those who knew Bishop Wakefield would always remember his connection with the hospital because he cared very deeply about the work being done there.

By 1935 the hospital provided a men’s department as well as a children’s ward.

Fundraising

Raising enough funds to enable the Lady Chichester Hospital to continue with its valuable work was a continuous campaign. For example, in 1935, after the improvements just itemised, the overdraft at the bank had risen to a regrettable £7,000.

Funds were raised by social events including fetes, fairs and dances. In December 1928 Annie, Viscountess Cowdray, opened the annual autumn fayre.

On 26 June 1935 a fete was held in the grounds of the hospital. A big draw was the presence of two celebrities – Sir Harry Preston and Frances Day.

Sir Harry Preston was a man of many interests who moved to Brighton in 1901. He renovated and returned to popularity the somewhat run-down Royal York Hotel and Royal Albion Hotel. He was also a sportsman and in his time was a keen boxer, rower, swimmer, and owner of his own motor yacht My Lady Molly. At his instigation, tarmac was laid in Madeira Drive so that speed trials could be held during Motor Week. He was much involved in raising funds for local hospitals such as the Royal Sussex County Hospital, the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children, and the Lady Chichester Hospital. Indeed his knighthood, conferred upon him in 1933, was for services to charities. However, he rather blotted his popularity copy-book by taking part in what became known as the Battle of Lewes Road during the General Strike of 1926 – and he was not on the side of the workers. He was one of the mounted special constables – said to have charged against a crowd of people that included women and children.

Frances Day (1907-1933) learned to ride a horse at the Royal Riding Stables in Wilbury Mews, Hove. She was a popular film star who was cast in seventeen films, twelve of them being shot in the 1930s.

In December 1935 the Countess of Limerick, who was also a member of the board, opened the autumn fayre at Hove Town Hall. The boys from St Christopher’s School – near neighbours of the hospital – formed a guard of honour outside.

On 2 March 1940 the annual Lady Chichester Dance was held at the Grand Hotel, Brighton, and it was organised by the Junior Fifty Club. The Press reported that Mrs Paul Creswick was resplendent in a black, velvet gown. Mrs Warren Pearl was also attired in a black gown, but hers was made of silk, she wore a fur stole, and came with a large party of friends. Dr Helen Boyle was present, together with the matron Mrs Taylor. It is fascinating to note that the occasion was a precursor of the popular television show Strictly because there was an old-fashioned waltz competition that attracted many entries.

Will Fyffe (1885-1947) the popular Scottish comedian made a personal appearance at the Dance, which added ‘to the jollity of the function’. Although Fyffe had trod the boards since childhood, it seems he became a comedian by chance. He wrote some character sketches especially for Harry Lauder but when the great man expressed no interest in them, Fyffe decided he would perform them himself. It was a good decision because he went on to top the bill at the Palladian, besides appearing in four Royal Variety Performances. I Belong to Glasgow was his most popular song, and he appeared in 20 films too.

On 21 June 1945 Arthur Askey (1900-1982) was the celebrity at the summer fete. Although he was small, being 5-ft 2-in tall, he was popularly known as Big-hearted Arthur because of his ebullient character. He was often to be found during the summer months performing at various seaside resorts. His catchphrase was ‘I thank you’.

copyright © Brighton & Hove City Libraries
In 1947 Evelyn Laye appeared at the hospital summer fete. Boys from St Christopher’s School stand behind her

In 1947 it was the popular star Evelyn Laye (1900-1996) who graced the fete. She was famous for her performances in musical revues and operetta in both London and Broadway, and her trademark song was I’ll see you again. But she also had local connections because her father managed the Palace Pier Theatre, Brighton, and that is where she started out on her stage career

Retirements

Miss M. A Taylor had been the matron at Lady Chichester Hospital for thirteen years when she retired in November 1945.

In 1948 Dr Helen Boyle also retired. Although she retired from the hospital, she continued with her own medical practice, and its seems likely she left because of the introduction of the National Health Service. Dr Boyle desperately wanted to keep the hospital as an independent unit: the medical staff agreed with her and there was a petition against it being subsumed into the NHS signed by 9,600 people. But it was all to no avail. Another aspect of the situation that Dr Boyle did not like was that Lady Chichester Hospital was grouped together with mental hospitals, whereas she would have liked it to remain as part of the general health service.

Dr C. L. Hingston

Dr Boyle’s successor was Dr C. Lamorna Hingston MBE – the award being for her services during the First World War. She first came to Lady Chichester Hospital to work as a secretary to Dr Boyle, but she was so inspired by the work carried out at the hospital that she determined to qualify as a doctor herself, which she achieved in 1930. At Lady Chichester Hospital she became the senior psychiatrist.

The first Child Guidance Clinic in Sussex was established at Lady Chichester Hospital by Dr Hingston in association with Dr James Flind.

The 1970s

During the 1970s the hospital was part of the St Francis and Lady Chichester Hospital Group, which also included the White House, where people received treatment while still living at home, in hospital or in lodgings. It was one of 200 such centres scattered around the country. Originally, the centre at Hove was going to be in Brighton, but there were so many objections from residents that the matter was dropped.

In 1978 it was suggested that a two-storey day centre should be built in the grounds fronting Sackville Gardens to cater for 40 people and there would be a ten-strong staff.

The 1980s

In 1986 new plans were unveiled for mental health care. This meant that the day centre in Rutland Gardens would be closed, and the centre would move to the ground floor of Lady Chichester Hospital. The number of in-patients would be cut from 35 to 22.

Meanwhile, the Rutland Gardens premises would be converted into a half-way house for people between home and hospital, and would cater for twelve people.

In 1986 Tim Sainsbury, MP, opened the new Aldrington Day Hospital, which had been built in the grounds of Lady Chichester Hospital at a cost of £113,000.

It seems odd after this expensive addition, but in 1987 there were fears that the Lady Chichester might close for good. Instead, there was a change in its role and it would become an out-patient’s centre. All acute patients would be transferred to the New Sussex Hospital in Windlesham Road, Brighton.

In 1988 it was announced that ten ‘beds’ would be moved permanently to Brighton General Hospital, while elderly patients would go to Falconhurst.

Builders moved in during September 1988. It was stated that when the hospital re-opened it would no longer be known as the Lady Chichester Hospital but would revert to its original name of Aldrington House. Perhaps it was just as well that the name plates were still on the entrance pillars and had never been removed.

The 1990s

By 1997 renovations were complete, and the cost amounted to some £156,000. But it was essential work because floors had begun to tilt, and rotting timbers were replaced by steel girders and reinforced concrete. It is pleasant to note that some original features of the Victorian house were restored to their former splendour. For example, when hardboard at ceiling level was removed, the old cornices once more saw the light of day. Also, plaster rosettes and other decorative motifs were renovated.

It was stated that Aldrington House was now a day-support unit run by the South Downs NHS Trust, and in 1997 up to one hundred people used it daily. The unit offered various activities for them ranging from sport to art, and there was a shop and launderette.

Sources

Argus
Brighton Season Magazine

Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade

Hove Council Minute Books
National Portrait Gallery, London

Twenty-one Years of Pioneer Work. The Lady Chichester Hospital (1926)

30 October 2019

Aldrington House (Lady Chichester Hospital) New Church Road.