Indeed there was three in Morpeth. Hillbrow Assessment and Observation Centre. (To give it its full title) on Bullers Green & Deneview and Overdale at Pottery Bank.
I lived in Hillbrow from 1982 to 1984 when the decision was made by NCC to close on cost grounds. As Derek had stated it was tough and yes/no sir regime. God help you if you were caught talking after lights out as you would be made to stand in a freezing cold bathroom.
Hillbrow when first built was a Millers Home. It was also a home for unmarried mother's. After the children's assessment center closed it became an old folks home for 5yrs before closing and being sold and converted into 2 homes to sell.
I was moved in 1984 to a home in Ponteland for 6 months and then when that closed transferred to Deneview. The overdale name was dropped and the place made into one big home. I remained there till I was 17 and then moved out to the big wide world.
There was abuses in both homes sexual and physical. It was covered up by the county council. You only need to Google operation rose and you will see what I mean. I do recall reading about it as it was in all the papers back in the early nineties.
Hope that helps.
Hi owlet 101. Glad to share thoughts with some that was as unfortunate as myself to be in there. What is your name as sounds like you were in there the same periods as me Jan 1981- June 1981 then Sept 1982- June 1983. As you stated, i also had many a long stand in the cold bathroom along with my partner in crime,
(*). It was always Big nasty
(*) who,d stand you there for god knows how long as i didnt have a watch. Do you often think about what happened to the others that were in there as i do, ive tried to trace a few of the kids through face book with no success, but hope they all turned out ok, after all it was no fault of our own that we ended up there, we were kids, just unlucky, not bad kids or evil kids, just unlucky and had a raw deal in early life. Who can you remember there. Heres my memory of some.
(*)(*) Moderator Comment:
Edited in accordance with RootsChat policy of not publishing details of living people here, or details of people who may still be living. This is to protect all concerned from spam, identity abuse, internet abuse, etc.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data. Regards. Derek