Do take a look at the web site for Kewstoke Village Local History. At an exhibition about the history of Kewstoke put on last year there was a display about this Convalescent Home. If you contact Sue Ryall I'm sure that she will be able to help with more information.
Submitted by Tony Horry on Wed, 23/05/2012 - 15:26
We do hold files, recording the history of the Convalescent Home, together with many photograghs of residents and events. Unfortunately, most of the photos do not give the names of residents. Please contact Sue or me, if you wish to view the records held in the Village Hall by mutual arrangement.
As an amateur archivist I am so surprised (possibly alarmed) at learning that 'an historic archive' re Kewstoke Convalescent Home is kept in a Village Hall.
Given all known archive circumstances concerning degradation of such an archive through innocent insensitive ‘acidic’ handling, possible inadequacy of preservation because of humidity, mouse, moth and worm contamination and much more that might see the archive of Kewstone Convalescent Home mould and, literally, see the archive 'fall to dust'.
The story of Convalescent Homes is chock full of fascinating history - none more so than that many Convalescent Homes were purpose built or had purposeful veranda and French Window additions added to existing built house and mansion structures that engaged breathless patients with healing and the breathing of uncontaminated fresh air far away from smoke-ridden industrial and domestic conurbations, decades before our prized NHS came into being, to facilitate the healing and convalescence of those suffering age-old diseases of Consumption or Pneumonia.
Please - let’s not be consumptive again with our treasured archives, perhaps, hold-up in dusty attics or, dare one say, a well-meaning village hall?
But, what’s to do with said Convalescent Home archives that will see them preserved in a professional environment where those involved and intimately interested or relevant to content of said archive might see the archive ‘breath’ again in hands-on shared get-to-gethers to see their archive thrive?
Whilst admiring your concern for the correct storage of archives I feel that in this instance it is misplaced. As far as I know the records concerning the Convalescent Home kept by the admirable group who research the history of Kewstoke are a collection of secondary resources, reported memories and photographs, and are not in any danger.
As you presumably know, this convalescent home was built in Kewstoke by the Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund and any primary records will be with them. You can download a PDF about the history of the BHSF from here .
Many thanks. That's reassuring. It was the phrase "...records held in the Village Hall..." which, as someone concerned about preservation of old records, set alarm bells ringing. There was no indication that I read signifying Keystoke Convalescent Home records kept in village hall were not original primary records.
I had a great aunt who died there in the late 1930s. I am not sure of her married name ?Fido, her maiden name was Harris. I am unable to visit Kewstoke to look at any records.
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