In 1932 Marjorie Morley from Kirkby in Ashfield was aged 18 when she went into Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital for an operation on her back. She was a patient there for three years and spent a great deal of the time laying on her stomach. As was the norm in those days patient’s beds were often pushed outside in all kinds of weather, ‘fresh air’ was believed to be a good cure. There was also protection from the sun, note some patients have parasols.
Visiting was only one day a week and it was quite normal to take photos of patients and their surroundings at that time. These taken by one of Marjorie’s brothers give an insight into hospital life in the 1930’s and how different treatment was in those days to what it is today. The photos have been treasured by Marjorie’s family and it is thanks to her brother Derek that I can now reproduce them. Unfortunately most of the people on the photographs are not named.
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