EAW013523 ENGLAND (1948). Rushden House Sanatorium, Wymington Road and environs, Rushden, 1948

Rushden was a town of shoe makers. Tuberculosis was widespread.



Rushden House Sanatorium - Wymington Road, Rushden

Was a TB (tuberculosis) sanatorium. The property was purchased and converted about 1920.



Later in 1960 (with a decline in TB) this became Rushden Hospital catering for patients suffering from other chest diseases such as lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, asthma, spontaneous pneumothorax.

In 1975 an out patients department was opened, and in 1980 became Rushden House Day Centre (a Psychogeriatric Day Hospital).

The sanatorium was demolished in 2014, old Rushden House to become flats.



Before the sanatorium days- Rushden House- built about 1871,for the Currie family, sold in 1901 to Mr Browning who lived there until 1914. In 1915 the area became a POW camp for German prisoners ("Ploughmans Camp").



Following purchase and conversion, acutely ill patients were cared for in the house, whilst ex-army huts were erected for the less ill to recuperate in. After 1934 the wooden huts began to be replaced by brick buildings.



In 1957–58 a Dermatological Unit was opened in the large house

In 1968 one ward became used for "children with Mental Handicap".





"Open air", rest and nutrition were the basic requirement, although the British climate and the large numbers of TB sufferers delayed the opening of sanataria until after other European countries. Open air treatment could be found in Cromer as early as 1895 with the first purpose built sanatorium opening in nearby Mundesley in 1899.



Treatment could be from 6 months to two years at a sanatorium. Patients could wake in winter to find snow on their beds.



In 1949 it was reported that one of the oldest wards at Rushden, with seven beds, which had opened in 1922, had to close due to a shortage of nurses (presumably a short term closure).



The light comedy film Twice Round the Daffodils (1962) provides a glance at life in a tb sanatorium.