Stannington Sanatorium

Killer in the community – the County Council’s approach to Tuberculosis

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When the PCHA created Stannington Sanatorium in a bid to combat Tuberculosis (TB) they were not alone in the fight against the disease. In 1906, the year before Stannington Sanatorium opened, the National Association for the Prevention of Consumption highlighted to local authorities that deaths from the disease of 60,000 people each year in England and Wales were preventable if they acted.

Northumberland County Council acted by urging district councils to notify them of cases of disease, punish spitting, appoint health visitors for sufferers and their families, and place strict controls on dairies. However they put great emphasis on the district councils to improve the major problem of sub-standard housing. As one County Medical Officer put it ‘Tuberculosis is a housing disease’.

A pamphlet from 1849 titled Report to the General Board of Health on a Preliminary Inquiry into the sewerage, drainage [etc…] of the borough of Morpeth and the village of Bedlington by Robert Rawlinson (NRO 2164) shows just how bad this could be. Rawlinson described the collier’s cottages of the area, where a flagstoned 14ft square room served as living room and bedroom for a large family, with a small bedroom in the roof space ‘open to the slates’. Other houses like the above in Morpeth, had a 16ft by 15ft bedroom in which 8 people slept. Worse however were the overcrowded lodging houses. He quotes the Town Clerk’s account of them, where beds were occupied by ‘as many as can possibly lie upon them’. When these were full others would sleep on the floor in rows. The Town Clerk added ‘nothing but an actual visit can convey anything like a just impression of the state of the atmosphere… what then must it be like for those who sleep there for hours?’ This description shows an atmosphere in which TB could easily spread, where the occupants of the lodging houses (often labourers moving between work) could then spread it at the next lodging house they came to.

However if you think this only happened in the mid-nineteenth century, think again. Dr Allison, who worked for many years at Stannington, described the inside of a house he had visited in 1905:

Dr. Allison’s story from the Yorkshire Post, 14th September 1905

In the five years leading up to 1914 it was calculated 92 people for every 100,000 in the county died of consumption. This was more than Scarlet fever, Diphtheria, Enteric fever, Measles, and Whooping cough combined, as these diseases together killed 70 people in every 100,000 (NRO 3897/4, 1914, p.26). Notification of cases became compulsory, and the County Medical Officer was under a lot of pressure when asked to assist TB sufferers, and so a full time post was created for a Tuberculosis officer from January 1914. Tuberculosis dispensaries with the TB officer and nurse were established in densely populated areas (NRO 3897/4, 1914, p.25). During the 1920s one in every ten deaths in Northumberland was caused by TB, and the County Council used around 75% of their health expenditure to tackle the disease.

Tables from NRO 3897 showing the condition in 1922 of adults and children treated in 1914 for different stages of TB.

The Council felt provision of sanatoria was vital, providing uninsured patients with 10 beds at the private Barrasford Sanatorium, 9 at Stannington Sanatorium, and housed insured patients at other sanatoria as well. However many patients shortened their stay and returned to work to keep a wage. Likewise many tried to avoid going to see doctors in the early stages of TB as they feared taking time off work. The Medical Officer’s report for 1922 noted that many were coming to see the Tuberculosis Officer at the dispensary in the late stages of the disease. Above are tables showing what condition patients who applied for treatment for TB in 1914 were by 1922, and many had worsened or relapsed.

 The Medical Officer also feared that once the patients had left the sanatorium, without further help the disease would return. The Stannington Sanatorium patient files echo this reluctance to return their patients to poor living accommodation. The majority of files give us some idea of the living arrangements in each child’s home, who the family members were and whether they had had TB. Below is part of a letter written in 1953 between Dr Miller and the Whickham Chest Clinic, in which he describes a patient’s home conditions:

The patient was kept at Stannington longer than medically necessary because of this. Another patient was only discharged when their family moved into a council house. Though the longer treatment received by the children at Stannington Sanatorium gave patients a much better recovery rate, improved home conditions were seen as essential to their long term improvement.

In 1944 the TB After-care Sub-committee was formed from the Public Health and Housing Committee. The central committee met quarterly, and worked with local sub-committees and an almoner to look after patients discharged from the sanatoria and new patients in the community. The county was divided up into 12 of these sub-comittees based on the then existing dispensary areas: Wallsend; Gosforth and Longbenton; Whitley and Monkseaton; Seaton Valley; Blyth; Ashington; Morpeth; Bedlington; Newburn; Hexham; Alnwick; and Berwick (CC/CMS/PROPTBA/1). Cases were referred to sub-committees by the Tuberculosis officer through the dispensary or local health visitor. Patients’ needs were assessed after a visit by the committee members, who would provide additional medical treatment such as nursing, free milk, extra food, training for employment, and financial assistance such as with rent. They also helped families move to better accommodation, provided travel expenses for patients and their families, clothing, shoes, and importantly, bedding ‘to enable patients and contacts to sleep apart and thus prevent the spread of infection’ (CC/CMS/PROPTBA/1). They provided equipment, from beds to back supports and bedpans, sputum mugs and even deckchairs. Gifts of drinking chocolate, tinned fruit, and magazines also went through the sub-committees. As at Stannington occupational therapy was important (see our previous blog post) with after-care patients crafting everything from embroidery to fishing flies, leatherwork, and even cabinets.

An important function was to refer patients for help with different organisations too, such as the British Legion, Ministry of labour, and the Poor Children’s Holiday Association. A patient assisted by the committee to become a shorthand typist was provided with holiday travel expenses by the ‘BBC Children’s fund for Cripples’, likely describing a forerunner of BBC Children in Need. The County Council paid the PCHA to board out children from homes with a Tuberculosis case, and many of these children likely went to Stannington.

There are several references to individual cases, including one lady:

During the Second World War mobile mass radiography became a huge boon to diagnosing the disease, with factories and workplaces often used as bases, and later mobile vans with their own generator operated in the community. They were used across the world and even reached Alaska by dog-sled. The County Council paid a shilling to the Newcastle local authority for each Northumberland case x-rayed with their machine. The County Council knew they would require an adaptable and economic mobile unit, but first used Newcastle Corporation’s unit at Ashington Colliery, where radiographs were taken from the 30th April 1947 (CC/CMS/PROPTB/2). By September that year 3,642 had attended in Ashington, with 23 referred to the Dispensary, and 1,780 attended the unit at Blyth, with 25 referred for treatment. Though the disease is by no means eradicated, improved housing conditions, the TB Vaccination, and early diagnosis with mass radiography made such a dramatic impact on the disease that sanatoria like Stannington were converted to other uses.

References:

Bynum, H., (2012) Spitting Blood: a history of Tuberculosis. Oxford: OUP

Taylor, J., (1988) England’s border county: a history of Northumberland county Council.

 

 

Medicine, school and games; daily life at Stannington Children’s Hospital

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Daily life at Stannington didn’t just revolve around patients recovering from illness.

The daily schedule for patients in 1966. (click to enlarge)
The daily schedule for patients in 1966. (click to enlarge)

Education and time for recreational activities were also included in the daily lives of children staying in the hospital. As patients often stayed for many months or years at a time continuing education was considered so important the hospital had its own school. For part of its history the hospital also had a member of staff whose sole job was to look after the patient’s welfare and recreation needs.

In one of our patient files from 1966 we have found a daily schedule of activities. This illustrates how structured daily life was at the hospital.

As the daily timetable shows, the day started with postural drainage, breathing exercises or the taking of medicine, the exact nature of this varied with the patients and their complaint.  After breakfast the school day began at 9.15. During a long lunch break children were again allocated time for treatment and a short period of free time. In addition, in the middle of the day, 45 minutes of bed rest was scheduled before the children returned to school for afternoon lessons.

A Stannington Sanatorium classroom pictured in the 1930s (ref: HOSP-STAN 11/1/13)
A Stannington Sanatorium classroom pictured in the 1930s (ref: HOSP-STAN 11/1/13)

At the end of the school day time was again allocated for treatments before tea time at 4:30. Visiting by relatives was allowed between 5.00 and 6.30pm. We know that this element of the child’s day did change over time. Until the mid-1950s visiting was only allowed on the 1st Saturday of each month meaning that children went long periods without seeing their parents; and other children including siblings and friends were not allowed to visit at all. Even in the 1960s its unlikely parents visited regularly during the evening due to the hospitals rural location and the wide geographical area from which patients were admitted. Bath time was between 6.30 and 7.30pm and bed time was set at 9.00pm.

During weekends and holidays without school to attend the children had much more free time but much of the other daily structure remained. On Sundays church services took place between 9.00 and 9.45 am, we know the hospital had its own chapel where these could take place.

The dining room at Stannington Sanatorium during the 1930s. (Ref: HOSP-STAN 11/1/11)
The dining room at Stannington Sanatorium during the 1930s. (Ref: HOSP-STAN 11/1/11)

To manage this time in its earlier days the hospital employed a Welfare and Recreation Officer who arranged activities for the children. In this role he reported to the Hospital House Committee which oversaw the daily workings of the hospital. Activities organised included handicrafts, walks around the grounds, billiards, table tennis and film shows.

In addition to regular film shows which took place during the winter months the hospital also had television in the wards, it is often noted in a patient’s care summary card when they were judged well enough to be allowed out of bed and watch television. These televisions were installed early in the 1950s, 5 were purchased by the hospital’s Coronation Celebrations Committee which was formed to arrange the celebrations to mark the queen’s coronation in 1953. The Stannington Scout and Guide Group Committee contributed £40 to this.

For the January 1954 meeting of the Hospital House Committee the Welfare and Recreation Officer reported on the range of activities in progress: ­­

“Handicrafts The following handicrafts are still being done, rug making, stool making and seating, some plaster cast work, lampshade covering, leatherwork and embroidery.

Indoor Games Two billiard tables are always in full use and also the table tennis table, a new set of table tennis bats and a set of billiard and snooker balls have been purchased from a money allowance from the Sanatorium Scout and Guide Fund.

Film Shows Two film shows were held this month and the following films were shown – “Rock River Renegades”, “Thunder River Feud”, “No Indians Please” also a good selection of cartoons.” (HOSP/STAN/1/2/6)

In addition to the regular activities on occasions the hospital played host to touring Gang Shows and local pantomimes. The hospital’s League of Friends arranged day trips for the children and each year the hospital held a sports day and fancy dress parade. (You can read more about Sports day and the special event to mark the hospital’s golden jubilee here).

Outdoor activities for the children included going on walks around the grounds led by the Welfare and Recreation Officer, playing sports such as cricket and football on the hospital sports field and using the swings and roundabouts which the hospital also had. For a short time in the 1950s and 60s the hospital also had its own Scout, Guide, Cub and Brownie groups.

Part of the hospital Scout Troop on a trip to Alnmouth (NRO 10510/3/2)
Part of the hospital Scout Troop on a trip to Alnmouth (NRO 10510/3/2)

The children clearly made use of the facilities as now and again we see reports of accidents in patient files where children have been injured during these activities. For example in 1946 one child was hit in the right eye with a cricket bat (we presume accidentally!) and suffered bruising. Whilst practising on the morning of Sports Day in 1958 a child fell, put her arm through a plate glass window and suffered lacerations. On occasions accidents whilst playing resulted in broken bones and children had to be referred to general hospitals in Newcastle for orthopaedic treatment.

The daily activity timetable mentions that children were able to play with toys, games and jigsaws. These were often donated to the hospital by local groups, businesses and the hospital’s League of Friends and were listed by the Matron at the end of her monthly reports to the Hospital House Committee along with other gifts to the hospital.

Whilst this post has looked at what daily life was like in the 1950s and 60s children would have been occupied in many of the same ways throughout the hospital’s existence. Education always formed an important part of the daily routine for patients around which other activities were organised. You can read an earlier blog post about Mary Ann Fulcher who was headmistress of the Sanatorium for 30 years until her retirement in 1951 here.

First World War Stannington – John Atkin’s story

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During the First World War Stannington Sanatorium continued to run, but there is no doubt the lives of those there were affected by it. We can gain an excellent insight into that time through the lives of a family closely connected with it, the Atkin family. Here we will look at the Philipson Farm Colony manager John Atkin’s wartime farm, and will follow this with another post that will look at his son Robert’s war and a project exploring the men of Stannington village in WWI, and unveil sanatorium nurse Hilda Currie’s (Robert’s wife) album of photographs.

 

John Atkin from Hilda Currie's photograph album (NRO 10361/1/286).
John Atkin from Hilda Currie’s photograph album (NRO 10361/1/286).

John Atkin

John was born on the 28th March 1858 in Rothbury. On the 1861 census we find him living with parents Robert and Joanna in Corbridge. Robert was a Blacksmith from Corbridge, and Joanna was from Rothbury. John had a sister, Isabella, and his 11-year-old uncle Adam lived with the family. This would be a big and busy household as Robert and Joanna would go on to have another six daughters and five sons, and apprentices and visitors also shown on the census. John followed his father into the Blacksmithing trade, and married Margaret. The couple are found on the 1881 census living in Stargate, near Ryton, with John working as a colliery Blacksmith. Their son Robert was born there in 1882, though the family had moved to Scotswood-on-Tyne by the birth of daughter Minnie two years later.

However the family were divided on the 1891 census. John was living at Newburn Hall, Lemington, the sole occupant of a house, and was working as a Blacksmith. Margaret is harder to locate, but it is likely she was a patient in the Royal Infirmary in Newcastle at the time. During her stay there Robert and Minnie had gone to stay with their grandparents Robert and Joanna in Corbridge, the house still busy with aunts and uncles Joanna, Minnie, Matthew, James and Jane, and three visitors.

A 1910 photograph of the Atkin family of Corbridge kindly sent to us by John's Great-granddaughter. John and Margaret are 4th and 5th from left at the back, with Robert on the far right.
A 1910 photograph of the Atkin family of Corbridge kindly sent to us by John’s Great-granddaughter. John and Margaret are 4th and 5th from left at the back, with Robert on the far right.

John became the farmer at Whitehouse Farm in 1900, and on the 1901 census Margaret, Robert and Minnie are all present at Whitehouse, with Robert employed as a farmer’s son. However John was not there. He was boarding with the Nylander family at Newburn Hall, and working as a Blacksmith. Perhaps this was a transition, or he was supporting the family while the farm was still being set up. Five years later the Philipson Farm Colony was established by the PCHA, and John was asked to remain and train the boys in agricultural skills. John grew crops, raised livestock, and he and Minnie kept hundreds of chickens, with the eggs sold to the sanatorium. They also supplied the sanatorium with milk, and sewerage from the sanatorium was used as manure on the fields.

John gave a talk to the Newcastle branch of the Rotary Club, published as an article in the August 1918 volume of the Rotary Wheel magazine, in which he described his endeavour to maximise yield from the farm. At the end of the First World War this was vital as the country became affected by food shortages. John argued these were caused by the farmers’ preference for producing only sheep or cattle, though he felt “they could hardly be blamed for adopting a system that pays them best”. A reliance on imported wheat meant:

“The doctrine of the cheap loaf has carried the day, and we are now paying for it in millions – the neglect of this most important industry has brought us almost within measureable distance of defeat.”

He then described how he had taken on and run Whitehouse farm. The first year’s profits were entirely used in rates, taxes etc., perhaps suggesting why John had found work Blacksmithing again. He turned over more fields to hay, and made a 100% profit on poultry farming. The fields, once drained, produced better crops, and in eight years the yearly value of the farm’s produce rose from £400 to £1200. This was with the help of the boys from the farm colony, and they took the ideas learned from John with them into their adult careers, and even overseas.

John felt that “Well-cultivated land is a national asset, and at any time like the present is equal in value to many Dreadnoughts”. He felt the war would revolutionise farming, and though it did not bring many ‘back to the land’ as he suggested it did bring about greater use of machinery: “In many farm operations the motor will supersede the horse”. However his most important argument for farming to help the war effort lay in the diversity of stock and crops he had introduced in his own farm:

“We scour the world for eggs that might be produced at home … Organisation, co-operation and modern appliances will, I am convinced, make the farming of the future an industry such as it has never been in the past in our country”.

This seems to have worked, as the National Farmers’ Union statistics show that only 50% of eggs and 19% of wheat consumed in Britain originated here in 1914, compared to 87% and 83% in 2013.

John beside an apple tree from Hilda Currie's photograph album (NRO 10361/1/233).
John beside an apple tree from Hilda Currie’s photograph album (NRO 10361/1/233).

The family moved to The Birches in Tranwell Woods, and John built the family a home there in 1910, named White House after the farm. The family lived there for many years. Robert’s granddaughter recalls her father’s memories of following John around his different pursuits, such as beekeeping (never wearing a hat) and growing apples for shows. He also won trophies for shooting with the Hexham Volunteers. His huge greenhouse in which he grew tomatoes and chrysanthemums was destroyed during the Second World War.

We will continue the story with Robert, Helen and Helen’s photograph album in a future post.

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