Fairthorn children's home at Dore

[lindilu]

Fairthorne was at Dore, I did not stay there myself but my sister Christine did in thr early 50s. Agirl called Sonia Wood was there at the same time as Chris and I remember visiting, Sonias dad gave us a lift home

[MysticPam]

Hi only just caught hold of this thread. I was at Fairthorn at Dore in the mid 1950's for about a month. I suffered badly with asthma and was very underweight. I was always gasping for breath and DianeN I remember Mr and Mrs Chumbley very well . We used to play ping pong table tennis) in the main room which was also used for the dining/come play room. I had previously been to Bents Green Open Air School for Delicate Children and that was a nightmare. But Fairthorn was lovely only a great pity that I was to ill to appreciate it at the time.

[GJ2004]

I went to fairthorn I think it was in about 60/61, it was great, yes they did have different coloured dorms etc, it was oct when I was there, I remember this because they did a bonfire for us as we wouldn't be there for the nov one, it was a couple that looked after us with the help of a few staff, we were all allocated a job we had to do each day mine was to clean the dorm & make the beds with hospital corners (they checked to see it was done right) they had competions to see which colour group got the most points, they also had a black labrador dog called nelson, there was also swings & a big slide etc in the field at the back (which we used to ask for the greased proof paper from the bread to polish the slide so we could go down faster) one time when we had done this they told us we were having a visit from some blind children, which after they had done their reading etc we had to take then to play on the swings etc, even though I was so young I was really concerned that we had polished the slide & they might shoot of the end because they couldn't see it, but it was ok in the end, I also remember one of the girls in our colour group had a false leg & when she took it off she used to wave her stump around which scared us, I could go on for ages about the time I spent there because I really did enjoy my time there & I did learn A lot. hope someone replies that might have been there at the same time to share good memories

[allthegearno]

i love this thread it takes me back in time and each new post rings more memory bells of great times i was their in the 60s and remember the fox hunt someone mentioned in an earlier post and getting a 10 bob postal order from home and cashing it at the post office felt like a millionaire for a few days i was in the green room and one of my jobs

was pollishing the cutlery anyone remember the concert we used to do the day your parents came to pick you up to take you home ?

[DianeN]

Yes, I remember the hospital corners (can still do them), and the concert. I recall dancing and singing "The soldiers of the Queen" and reciting 2 poems, "Two Ducks on a Pond" and "Crusty Bread" by E V Lucas. I still recite these poems (when I have had enough to drink), my children tend to think I am bonkers. I recall receiving stamps from my grandma, so that I could write back to her, don't know if it ever got as far as a postal order. The whole experience was a little bit like something out of an Enid Blyton Book. We played cricket for hours on end and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, a great adventure. I remember being responsible for dry mopping under the beds in the gold room. The blankets created fluff. Don't recall bedspreads or anything so modern as duvets, but then it was probably better than the army blankets we had at home. Although I must have missed home, I came away feeling that I had been thoroughly spoiled.

[hillsbro]

I showed this thread to my brother Roy; he spent two weeks at Fairthorn in 1956 when he was getting over the measles and was also underweight, "run down" etc. He also remembers the hospital corners, and the "coloured" dormitories - he was in the Pink Room. He says there were four dormitories, each with about six beds. A new intake of children arrived every two weeks; as far as Roy remembers they were all boys while he was there. One or two of the kids did nothing but cry the first couple of days and they went home. Roy found it a bit strange at first, but he soon got used to the routine and he enjoyed the programme of sports, playing cricket with the locals etc. They also went for walks over the moors and generally had a good time - he didn't want to go home at the end of his "holiday"!

[DianeN]

Yes, I recall all girls when I was there. I wonder how boy's felt in those days about being in the 'Pink' room. I can imagine my grandsons going ballistic now, but did they mind then?

[Fougasse]

Does anyone remember what the basement (not really a cellar) at Fairthorn was like?

 

My brother had to peel potatoes there for days/ages, he wasn't very happy about that either!

 

He said it was painted blue or something.

[Pat L]

I was at Fairthorne at Dore around 1947/48. Everyone was very good, but I was a very shy and frightened child, and could not understand why I had been sent there. I did eventually make some friends but the six weeks I was there seemed a lifetime. I do remember that it was very near the moors, and that we used to go for walks, and also to the shop in Dore.

[brian1941]

I went to fairthorn I think it was in about 60/61, it was great, yes they did have different coloured dorms etc, it was oct when I was there, I remember this because they did a bonfire for us as we wouldn't be there for the nov one, it was a couple that looked after us with the help of a few staff, we were all allocated a job we had to do each day mine was to clean the dorm & make the beds with hospital corners (they checked to see it was done right) they had competions to see which colour group got the most points, they also had a black labrador dog called nelson, there was also swings & a big slide etc in the field at the back (which we used to ask for the greased proof paper from the bread to polish the slide so we could go down faster) one time when we had done this they told us we were having a visit from some blind children, which after they had done their reading etc we had to take then to play on the swings etc, even though I was so young I was really concerned that we had polished the slide & they might shoot of the end because they couldn't see it, but it was ok in the end, I also remember one of the girls in our colour group had a false leg & when she took it off she used to wave her stump around which scared us, I could go on for ages about the time I spent there because I really did enjoy my time there & I did learn A lot. hope someone replies that might have been there at the same time to share good memories

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29th sept-08----

hi gl2004, although i did`nt go to fairthorn myself, i was in an

or`phanage with brothers/sisters, and listerning to your happy times.

we did just the same duties like you and others.

peeling spuds( potatoes) by the bucket-gouging out the eyes-and

making the beds and the hospital corners, many many jobs.

i am so glad to have noticed this site and reading up on the stories,

you all sounnded so happy and i do feel for all.

you said when you left, you felt spoiled and so did i but that was 1940/54.

good on you and for all others.

i have a little history of fairthorn you might to read, i will write it in

messages--could be long.