Welcome to RootsChat Jayarrscott! Perhaps you will beat most people with your connections as you have the addition of being able to say that you now live on the former site.
I was born there and so was my son and a number of people in my family were born/died there, and were patients at one time or another.
As I recall the maternity was at the back on the left side (down from the side where the shops are situated).
There was definitely an atmosphere about the place. I am not surprised that an air of lingering sadness clung when you think of all heartbreak of those who entered there when it had been a workhouse.
I remember that there was a rumour of a 'Grey Lady' and it was said that if you saw her a death would be imminent.
My now deceased Father and Sister (there was a 22 year gap between us) both claimed to have seen this apparition at the same time!😱
The family story is that they were going to visit my Mother who was expecting the baby before me. They were waiting in an old corridor and apparently an apparition in a long dress whooshed past them both and disappeared through a wall. Sadly, shortly after this my Mother lost the baby she had been carrying.
Some family historians might be interested to know that Tyne and Wear Archives hold the death register entries between 2 Jan 1896 - 5 Jan 1949. These include info such as address and cause of death.
