Soon after I moved to Newhaven from London in 1953, myself and the boy who lived next door to us in Northdown Road were diagnosed with Scarlet Fever. They took us to the Isolation Hospital in Lewes Road. Because we happened to be the only two with an infectious disease at the time, they had to open the hospital up. I remember it well even though I was only 7 years old. We were not really ill with it, but we had to stay in the hospital for 3 weeks with no visitors. My mum used to send in parcels for me and once my dad was severely reprimanded for coming into the grounds and tapping on the window of the ward so that I could see him. I also remember that one particular nurse was doing a round jigsaw puzzle with me which was a picture of the Queen. She went off duty and said that I wasn't to do any of the puzzle while she was away. I put some pieces in and when she came back she smacked my hand!! Funny the things you remember!!

Touching story. Does the hospital still exist?
Thank you

No Andy the hospital is not there now, it is a housing complex.

I would have been living in Northdown Road at that time Marilyn. Not sure but think it was number 21.

I was living at number 54 then Bill.

Hi Bill, my grandfather Frank Sexton lived in Northdown Road, 25 or 26, for many years. Do you remember him?

Hi,
I was a patient there in 1950 as I caught polio and was put in there in isolation for about 6 months. I was told by my mother that they could only see me through the window.
Neill Jupp.

The Isolation Hospital was administered from Newhaven Downs Hospital. From 1950 I used to cross Brighton Road and walk across fields to the hospital taking the wages to Miss Martin, the Matron, who greeted me with a cup of tea and a cigarette. Later, as hospital secretary, I was responsible for the now renamed Newhaven Infectious Diseases Hospital and later became a preconvalescent orthopaedic hospital for ladies with fractured femurs from the Royal Sussex County Hospital. After some local opposition it was eventually closed and the unit was transferred to L Block at Brighton General.