Cold Ash near Newbury

[treetop]

please help in the 1950s my sister was sent to a ?sanatorium?childrens hospital at cold ash .to get to cold ash i remember walking up a long lane called lawrence lane.my parents made friends with a very special lady who sadly has now died and lived in south end cold ash.even though my sister and i were apart my parents and i spenr many happy years with our special friends insouth end and are always in our thoughts i am from barnsley in south yorks and would be grateful for any help.the hospital was for children wth respirtory diseases and chest problems thankyou please help

[newburychap]

I'm not really sure what you are asking for?

Cold Ash is a village/parish that used to be part of Thatcham Parish.

The Children's Hospital was opened in 1886 in Agnes Bowditch's house on the Hermitage Road as a hospital for crippled children. In 1891 a new hospital was built in the grounds of the house to treat children with respiratory complaints. It closed in 1964. I have no idea if any records have survived. There is a sketch of the Hospital in the book Thatcham over 2000 Years the caption to which suggests that there is probably a photograph in Thatcham in Old Picture Postcards.

Lawrence's Lane is not the obvious route from Southend to Cold Ash proper and doesn't seem to have been a good route to the hospital which was on the Hermitage Rd. It would make more sense if you were going to St Mary's Children's Home out on the Ridge (the road towards Bucklebury). The more direct route was/is straight up Cold Ash Hill.

[treetop]

 :)hello,newburychap, sincere and grateful thanks for you helpand reply lawrences lane was where we walked as we were staying with a lady who worked at the hospital and she lived at south end. many many happy hours of fun and also sadness we had .please i aks for your help again .how do i obtain the book Thatcham over 2000Years i would dearly love a photograph  once again special thanks for you kindness  thankyou thankyou take care

[newburychap]

Books on Berkshire places can often be obtained from Berks FHS (www.berksfhs.org.uk).

For West Berkshire places the West Berkshire Museum is a good source. If they don't have the book they may well have photographs in their collection.

Of course you can always try online bookshops like Amazon and secondhand sites like www.bookfinder.com

Books like this are rarely reprinted so once the main sources have sold out you have to revert to the secondhand market.

The picture in Thatcham over 2000 Years is not a photograph - it is a line drawing taken from a photograph that is probably in Thatcham in Old Picture Postcards.

I also suspect that the Berkshire Family Historian may have an article on the Hospital in the next issue or two (having come across the editor researching the subject in Newbury Library a few weeks back).

[newburychap]

:)lawrences lane was where we walked as we were staying with a lady who worked at the hospital and she lived at south end.

Are you sure she worked at the Children's Hospital (Hermitage Rd) and not the Childen's Home (The Ridge)?  Lawrence's Lane is a circuitous route to the Hospital but a good route to the Home.

[treetop]

hi.newbury chap. me again what is the berkshire family historian and how do i obtain a copy or make myself a member as ever grateful thanks take care

[newburychap]

The Berkshire Family Historian is the quarterly journal of the Berkshire Family History Society - sent to all members.

[Hermitage6]

I was at the childrens hospital in the 50's & I believe the hospital closed in 1960/61. I don't remember very much, but the sister in charge was called Sister Kesler. If you have any other info I would be interested.

[ruthrussell]

Hello, I lived in Cold Ash all my life - from 1956 to 1978. I remember the Children's Hospital, and I think it was probably the one on The Ridge. If you remember walking up Lawrences Lane (which is near Southend), this ends up on the Ridge. You then turn left and just before a crossroads, the hospital was on the right. When I was a small girl I used to remember seeing lines of prams in the garden, with babies in them. I believe it could have been an orphanage then. Hope this may help.