Woodford Bridge, Claybury Asylum 1908

Photo ref: 60271A

My mum worked as a secretary at Claybury, first for one of the consultant doctors at the Tower and then down in Claybury Hall with the School of Nursing headed at the time by Christine Hancock, who was also the leader of one of the two nursing unions. Mum got me a summer job during my first year at college in the laundry. That was an experience. Those corridors were very long and echoing and there ...see more

I was intrigued and interested to read Valerie Sims, (nee Stow) memories of some residents in Waltham Road, as I grew up there, and lived at no. 123 until 1969. I married a Cornish girl, and we moved to Cornwall then, where I have lived ever since. I also had a younger brother called John who lived in Woodford Bridge for some while after I left, until he also moved away to Norfolk. I ...see more

I remember these playing fields being flooded by the Roding on a fairly regular basis. From the main road there was the clinic where mums used to go to get free orange juice and I think milk for their babies. Also, they could get baby's health checked, weight etc. Does anyone else remember this?

I think this is the date or so, I was fairly young, about 13 at the time. My granny was in this place, it really disturbed me having to go through all the wards with the locks and the keys, as a child it really affected me! I remember all the people running to me as I entered each ward and the nurses locking the door behind me! But I had to go through so many locked doors to see my granny.