Meal Times in De Vitre Hall
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Record Number: 6.111
Record Type: Text/Image
Caption:
This is a photograph of De Vitre Hall taken in July 2006 on a visit by former nurses to the site of what was the Royal Albert. The view is looking away eastwards from the Main Corridor entrance. To the right of the door you can see (which led to the hospital kitchens) there is a serving hatch for the food.
(Ref No. 0543; Courtesy of John West)
Summary:
Renee Garth worked at the hospital as a nurse from the late 1950s/early 1960s to the 1990s. She has extremely fond memories of her time there, although disliking asoects of the regime. This is one of her early memories of mealtimes for female residents in De Vitre Hall at the Royal Albert:
‘I remember when I first went there (Royal Albert) in the sixties the girls would all get together have their meals – well Henderson Ward would all go there – in De Vitre… Well that would be all dining tables and the bacon sometimes it was so raw – ooooh it was horrible. It was awful and some of the staff used to take it back to the wards and fry it up again, you see. Probably for themselves… I think (De Vitre) was just used for the women. I think it was just used for the Henderson girls from what I can think, what I can remember. Because Douglas had their own dining room. And Shuttleworth did. I think it was just for Henderson Ward. And Siviour had their own dining room…'
Regarding comments from residents about the food as far as Renee was aware: 'Nobody complained.'
(Ref. No. 29.0042)
‘I remember when I first went there (Royal Albert) in the sixties the girls would all get together have their meals – well Henderson Ward would all go there – in De Vitre… Well that would be all dining tables and the bacon sometimes it was so raw – ooooh it was horrible. It was awful and some of the staff used to take it back to the wards and fry it up again, you see. Probably for themselves… I think (De Vitre) was just used for the women. I think it was just used for the Henderson girls from what I can think, what I can remember. Because Douglas had their own dining room. And Shuttleworth did. I think it was just for Henderson Ward. And Siviour had their own dining room…'
Regarding comments from residents about the food as far as Renee was aware: 'Nobody complained.'
(Ref. No. 29.0042)
Notes:
Please see Records 6.105. 6.106. 6.107, 6.112 for other references to mealtimes in De Vitre Hall.
Keywords:
1950s 1960s Female Residents Food De Vitre Hall Photograph
Female Staff Compliance