fallodon nursing home

[lilypearl]

chameleon wrote: In those early days (when I came into existence anyway!) it was a privately owned and run establishment. Mum refused to go into hospital to be delivered and this was the only place her then GP would consider. A very pleasant and friendly place with staff equally amicable - speaking from later experience as a young visitor when my sister arrived on the scene later in the fifty's and I do recall that the account for Mum's week's stay and care amounted to a little over £22.00 which I supose was a sizable amount back then.I'm sure somewhere in deep memory I should recall the proprietor's name but for now that eludes me.As things, including the financial climate changed, the Fallodon was taken over by at least one large commercial care provider and again as attitudes and the law changed, it moved to providing a related type of service.It was certainly a beautiful big old place in large grounds. Thanks for your comments and memories.Comments about Fallodon from mum's who delivered there and people who discovered they were adopted when babies from there, indicate some women were treated less kindly than others, their perception seems to be it was because of their marital status.It still seems quite hard to find info about who established it in the 40s/50s and since there are records of childbirth there in 1968/69, I can't see how it appears to have been nursing until death one elderly person.Planning to check archive at Sheepscar or deed registry. I think it is important to seperate the changing services with time - clearly the place became a more commercial concern as time went on and changed its client group accordingly. The facilities for unmarried mothers in the 50s/early 60s would not have been provided in costly private facilities. I recall there was a mother and baby unit for unmarried ladies on Chapeltown Road with the considerable stigma attached to being in that situation being all too clear. How attitudes have changed

[uncle mick]

Imfo from British Phone BooksListed as Falloden in 1950Cannot find it in previous phone book entries before 1950    

[lilypearl]

lilypearl wrote: chameleon wrote: In those early days (when I came into existence anyway!) it was a privately owned and run establishment. Mum refused to go into hospital to be delivered and this was the only place her then GP would consider. A very pleasant and friendly place with staff equally amicable - speaking from later experience as a young visitor when my sister arrived on the scene later in the fifty's and I do recall that the account for Mum's week's stay and care amounted to a little over £22.00 which I supose was a sizable amount back then.I'm sure somewhere in deep memory I should recall the proprietor's name but for now that eludes me.As things, including the financial climate changed, the Fallodon was taken over by at least one large commercial care provider and again as attitudes and the law changed, it moved to providing a related type of service.It was certainly a beautiful big old place in large grounds. Thanks for your comments and memories.Comments about Fallodon from mum's who delivered there and people who discovered they were adopted when babies from there, indicate some women were treated less kindly than others, their perception seems to be it was because of their marital status.It still seems quite hard to find info about who established it in the 40s/50s and since there are records of childbirth there in 1968/69, I can't see how it appears to have been nursing until death one elderly person.Planning to check archive at Sheepscar or deed registry. I think it is important to seperate the changing services with time - clearly the place became a more commercial concern as time went on and changed its client group accordingly. The facilities for unmarried mothers in the 50s/early 60s would not have been provided in costly private facilities. I recall there was a mother and baby unit for unmarried ladies on Chapeltown Road with the considerable stigma attached to being in that situation being all too clear. How attitudes have changed Point taken about changing times and adaptation to the needs of its services, however as a 'private' concern it appears commerce was central to it's survival, later concerns expressed in House of Commons Hansard suggest NHS consultant involvement.It can not be assumed that unmarried mums who report being there in the 50's/60s did not have recourse to their own financal support or that they were young, a cursory glance at other links indicates they and their babies were treated differently to the married mums alongside them.It is the connection between it's owners and statutory services (adoption agencies) which interests me particularly since it seems so hard to find much about that anywhere.

[mark91162]

I was born here in November 1962 and I am trying with very little success to trace information about my birth Mother. If anyone in this forum worked there at this time, I would be very interested to chat to them.Mark -

[compton]

If this is of any interest to anyone I used to work at Benham laundry Potternewton in 1960 and we did the laundry for Fallodon. I was only 15 at the time but listening to the talk of the female staff at Benham I got the impression that the daughters of the better off people of Leeds and district who had got themselves 'in trouble' as was said in those days, were packed off to Fallodon to have their sprogs, these in many cases were then adopted. I remember it as quite a 'posh' establishment on visiting it with deliveries. I was working in the laundry one day and found a piece of human tissue about the size of my little finger with a piece of thick thread tied around it, this was in a load of freshly washed Fallodon nappies. I showed this to my middle aged female co-worker, who informed me it was part of an umbilical cord, such larks

[susiesae]

Sadly I had an abortion here in March 1975 I still have the bill and a few years ago I cut a piece out a magazine which featured a story about the place closing due to negligence. I was 15 at the time and my room mate was also 15 she had been raped so sad. Most women at the home were Irish ladies who were having secret abortions. I went on to marry the father of the aborted baby we had 2 further children and divorced in 1985.

[chameleon]

Of the time I write, the name Sister Mac has come to mind. Sad to read that it changed the way it clearly did into quite a different place.

[SteveWalsh]

Hello Lillypearl, and other posters about the Falloden nursing home. I'm also trying to find information about the Falloden in its days as a maternity/nursing home. I wondered if you had made any progress? I'm keen to get in touch and share information. Please could you email me directly? [email protected]. I hope to hear from you. Many thanks. Steve Walsh

[gillsiwillsi]

Hi! I appreciate the original post is now years old, but I have only just found it. I worked there, for a while in the 1980s, when it was a private abortion clinic. In fact, I actually had a termination there myself!

Wasn't surprised to discover it had been closed down due to medical negligence, since I was aware of several surgical mistakes during my employment as a clerical assistant.

I found this forum whilst googling, out of curiosity, one of the staff members. Apparently the managing director - Dr (non-medical) Godfrey Lightning (referred to as God by the staff, because of his notable megalomania) was convicted on child pornography charges in 2012.

Happy to try and answer any more questions.

[Herdy]

I too had a termination in May 1981 at 21 weeks, they told me it was a boy. The whole procedure was horrendous and no aftercare or counselling from here. They did not tell me I would likely leak milk which I did and had to go to my own GP as they did not want to know when I phoned them, just said to go to my own Dr. I had problem smears for many years afterwards resulting in a colcoscopy and loop diathermy. Sadly never had any children and often wonder if it was due to the termination.
Would there be any records from that time and if so do you know where they may be held? many thanks