Bushby House

[eaton]

Can anyone give me any information on "The Bushby Home" in Hastings?
I found a postcard from a relative dated 1912. I have no idea what the home was or anything??

Any info will be greatly appreciated......
Thanks

[Gerry Glyde]

Nothing immediately in my knowledge, but will do a bit of work on it, but not much.
From an initial look I have found a couple of things.

1 Depending on your photo it might be worth a handful of pounds. There is a photocard of a group of adults and a few children entitled Bushby Homes 1909, on ebay for sale at £9.50p

2. There was a discussion on a site in 2009 in which no one could come up with any information about the Homes

3 Any chance of putting it on this site so we can look for any clues

[Richard]

there is also one on Flickr, not the same one - dated 1910:

[eaton]

I will scan the postcard but it is very similar to the e-bay one with a lot of people but dated 1912!
It is so strange that it exsisted and that we can't find any info on it - I thought maybe it was a convalescence home or something??!!! Must keep trying 'cos it really is quite exciting to know what it was!!!!

[Richard]

If it were indeed a nursing or convalescence 'Home' it may have been near to a hospital in a similar manner that 'Beau Site' was to 'White Rock', but there is no obvious evidence of any injury in terms of those pictured.
Unless blindness or similar was the reason?


There is a Bushby Home dining room postcard, dated 1907, now on eBay:

and the writing on the back:

[whiffler]

Woolwich postmark.

[Gerry Glyde]

Photo analysis
If it was a convalescent home I would have expected more women than men, given that women would comprise the nursing/care staff and domestic workers for cleaning and catering. Perhaps a couple of men for odd jobs and garden.

It seems unlikely that the patients would want to pose for a photo, partly because the grouping would probably change each week, depending on how long the recuperation for each person was to last. Photos would never end. Again if it was staff and management over 70 shown seems a high number. I make an assumption not based on knowledge, but I perhaps a convalescent home of both children and adults might be unlikely. Children might have had a separate home because of their different needs.

If you look at the dining room the set table indicates a more formal setting than that of an institution. On the back wall there is a photo/painting perhaps of a small family group (Couple and baby?) that might be likely in a place where there was a relationship between proprietor/guest.

The postcard from "loving nephew Bob" to his uncle,(quaint language of times gone by) may have been purchased in Hastings and posted from home in London.

Enough of speculation; I have found something factual from Hastings Observer 16 Dec 1905 of a job advertisement for a young woman for Bushby Home seemingly located at 32 Holmesdale Gdns. Anyone local look and see if there is a part of the property that is as shown in the photo. Local directory may give some info. There are some large properties there. Photo anyone?

I suggest that the property may be a holiday place associated with an organisation or perhaps a religious community.

[Gerry Glyde]

Unusual job requirement of wanting a "tall"young woman.

Number 32 does not appear on the 1901 census. There are properties up to 26, and several by name, not number so the numbers may have been missed off

[Richard]

Purely out of 'background' interest:

The leading builder at the time, a period of massive expansion in Hastings, (also one of the largest employers of labour) was John Howell.
His biggest endeavour was carrying out large-scale development of the Cornwallis Estate, in 1873, including Cambridge Gardens, Cornwallis Gardens and Holmesdale Gardens. where he was to live in a large house at no. 7.
The road bridge that was to go over the railway, becoming Linton Road, and opening up that area for development, was still not built.

Most of the buildings along Holmesdale Gardens were 'stuccoed' but some were 'unfinished' just as in the side view of the photo shown originally.

The new 'University School', at Step Meadow (junction Holmesdale Gardens and Redmayne Drive) was opened in 1874. It was designed by the Architect Thomas Elsworthy of St Leonards. It was a large building, with a square tower on its north-east corner.
In 1932 it was demolished.

There are several new developments of blocks of flats interspersed amongst the older houses in Holmesdale Gardens, but the likely candidate for no. 32 (numbers 26/28 being at the Redmayne Drive junction) appears to be on the bend as HG turns downhill, however there appears to be no suitable building matching that number.

A look at street dirs may help, as Gerry suggests, or a walk on foot to get a better idea.
I am away currently 'Up North' and unable to help.
'Google Maps' is not conclusive evidence of anything as far as I can see.

[whiffler]

Might this be 32 Holmesdale ? from 1920 aerial shot - road bridge lower right is going to Linton Rd - railway cutting to tunnel runs perpendicular to it.

General angle to the house/paths is OK, tree line and building set into slope OK. Trees conceal railway cutting and tunnel entrance.

Whole photo (small scale unless to register for free) courtesy of http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/imag ... ngs&ref=16

My guess also along lines of a sea-side retreat for holidaying company/church groups. Quite a large building.