MEMORIES OF NEWHAVEN DOWNS HOSPITAL

Life after the workhouse

By Harry Gaston

Newhaven Downs Hospital began life as Newhaven Workhouse in 1835 and the story of the Downs is told in my book Out of the Shadows - A history of the Downs, 1836-1996, published in 1997 to mark its closure. These photos show life there in the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

Photo:Notice to Visitors, 1914

Notice to Visitors, 1914

Harry Gaston

Photo:Official opening of the Nurses' Home, April 1938

Official opening of the Nurses' Home, April 1938

Southern Editorial archive.

Photo:Nurses in 1945

Nurses in 1945

Southern Editorial archive.

Photo:Men and women enjoy Christmas dinner in one of the House Blick day rooms, c. 1962

Men and women enjoy Christmas dinner in one of the House Blick day rooms, c. 1962

Harry Gaston

Photo:Some of the audience in a Boxing Night staff concert on one of the wards, c.1952

Some of the audience in a Boxing Night staff concert on one of the wards, c.1952

Harry Gaston

Photo:Serving Christmas dinner, c. 1952

Serving Christmas dinner, c. 1952

Harry Gaston

This page was added by Harry Gaston on 09/05/2009.
Comments about this page

In the group picture of the nurses, far right standing is my Mother - Pat Iles as she was in 1945, later to become Pat Hall when she married my Father and Pat Dean when she married my Step-Father in the mid 1950s.

By Doug Hall
On 25/08/2010

My husband is working on the old workhouse, and would love a copy of Harry Gaston's book. Any ideas where we can get hold of it?

By Melanie morgan
On 27/12/2013
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