Metropolitan Convalescent Home, Broadstairs
This was opened on Lanthorne Road, Broadstairs in 1895 by the Metropolitan Convalescent Institution. Please see below for more on this Institution and its convalescent homes.
As a home founded by the Metropolitan Convalescent Insitution, this home was intended for poor children living in London. It was hoped that the healthy air of Broadstairs would be benefcial for their convalesence.
It closed during the Second World War and was renamed the Lanthorne Home for Children when it reopened in 1948. It continued as a convalsecent home until 1970.
1911
The 1911 census return gives us a great deal of detail about this convalescent home.
The home had 35 rooms (including kitchens, dining rooms, staff room etc.).
Residential staff
The Metropolitan Convalescent Home had a large number of staff headed up by a matron, Louisa Pepper from Lincolnshire. She was aided by two staff nurses, two assistant nurses and fove probation nurses. There was also a cook, house parlour maid, housemaid, two ward maids, a kitchen maid, scullery maid and a sanatorium maid. All of these staff were female with the only male member of staff being the porter who lived in the home with his wife and thirteen year old son.
In total, there were 19 members of staff in residence.
The children
In total, there were 107 children in residence.53 of the children were from London, with a further four from areas which fall within what is London now. 41 of the children were listed as having an unknown birthplace.
71 of the children were boys, 36 girls. They aged from two to fourteen with the majority being aged between nine and twelve.
Age | Boys | Girls |
2 | 0 | 1 |
3 | 0 | 0 |
4 | 5 | 3 |
5 | 1 | 1 |
6 | 5 | 5 |
7 | 8 | 1 |
8 | 4 | 2 |
9 | 11 | 4 |
10 | 8 | 6 |
11 | 8 | 6 |
12 | 12 | 1 |
13 | 6 | 3 |
14 | 0 | 2 |
Total | 71 | 36 |
The Metropolitan Convalescent Institution
I am extremely grateful for Lost Hospitals of London for providing much of the initial information needed to put together this section.
The Metrpolitan Convalescent Institution was set up in 1841 by Theordore Munro, a medical student appalled at the plight of a woman being discharged from St Bart's Hospital to her unsuitable and unhealthy home in the slums. At first Theodore, with other medical students, arranged for poor people needing convalescent care to stay with families in Harrow Weald where his brother was vicar.
The institution gained support, funding and the Royal Patronage of Queen Victoria. As a result, several convalescent homes were set up. I am still working on this, but these are the MCI homes I have located so far...
Temporary convalescent home
Carshalton, Surrey convalsecent home - set up in the former workhouse in 1842 (for adults).
The Metropolitan Convalescent Institution, Walton on Thames
The first purpose-built convalescent home in the UK. Opened 1854. Accommodated adults.
Came unde the NHS in 1948, renamed Metropolitan Convalescent Home. In the 1960s, it lost its purpose as a convalescent home.
The Metropolitan Convalescent Institution, Bexhill on Sea, Sussex.
The men's home was in Cooden Sea Road and opened in 1851 as a convalescent home for men. The building was demolished in 1988. The women's section was in Upper Sea Road.
The men's home was in Cooden, Sea Road and the women's was in Upper Sea Road. It seems that the men's section closed in around 1980, and the women's about ten years earlier.
Metropolitan Children's Convalescent Home, Kingston upon Thames aka Metropolitan Convalescent Institution, Children's Branch
To explore other convalescent homes in Kent, have a look at our Directory
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