Memories of Symonds House (1)
In the early 1920's Symonds House was known to be a workhouse. Some local residents at this time recall memories of travelers coming from surrounding villages, stopping at the house for soup and bread, also a bed for the night, working in the house and grounds for their keep. They kept pigs and had large vegetable gardens. The grounds of the house included part of Crabtree Croft and Back Road as it's known today, and Symonds Lane was called The Union, and nicknamed 'The Spike'.
At this time unmarried mothers to be were sent here to have their babies and worked in the house, life was very hard for everyone.
The house then became a Hospital and some of the Day centre clients recall that evacuees were sent there for a place of safety during the War.
As years have passed, Mrs. Jenny Wren, now a Resident of 'Symonds House', recalls what working life was like in her younger days when she was employed as a cleaner and bed maker at the Hospital.
Jenny's normal working day started at 7am and finished at 12 noon. Her tasks involved scrubbing floors on her bare hands and knees with a bucket of hot soap water and a scrubbing brush, every nook and cranny had to be cleaned. The Matron was very strict and particular and checked for dirt and dust. Jenny made up the beds, if these were not done up to standard, they were stripped by the Matron and Jenny had to remake them. She recalls also that there were approximately 20 patients to a ward. Staff had to take turns in taking meals round to the wards. Her other tasks were to wash commodes and sluicing off the linen.
She recalls the work was very hard.
After working her shift at the Hospital, she then walked to Linton Village College to do an afternoon shift as a cleaner.
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