Hi Gwenan, I was a patient in Aston Hall from June 1948 to June1950. I was 3 at the time and to this day I can still recall being left at the War Memorial Hospital in Wrexham and taken to the main hospital in Gobowen. I have a faint recollection of a fire at Gobowen and the children being taken to Aston Hall. Not sure of the timing but I think it was only days as the first visit from my mother was at Aston Hall.
I had Perthes in the left hip and as a consequence was on a steel frame until a month before going home. All my memories of Aston Hall are fun ones, I think there were about 20 children at the time and I know that I was the youngest(my mum told me that and also I was the one who got into the most trouble). To this day I keep clear of geese after many a time spent outside doing “solitary “ for being naughty.
I think Sister Johnson was the fun sister and Sister Powell the boss, they did a fantastic job.
I was one of the lucky ones, I made a full recovery and have led a very active life and have never forgotten Aston Hall. I was brought up in Pentre Broughton a small village outside Wrexham which was only three bus rides and a walk down the driveway for visitors, some of the children in the ward came from the south of England, I had visitors at least twice a week.
I have lived in Sydney Australia since 1973 but have visited home many times and since retiring in 2005 have managed almost one visit each year. In 2018 I went back to Aston Hall and was allowed to walk around the grounds, it was just as I remembered it.
Unfortunately I don’t have any photos of my time there, I think my mum had a big cleanup one day but I still have my happy memories.
I hope this will trigger some of yours, keep safe from COVID-19,
Regards Mike Roberts
