John Howard’s Convalescent Home

The RHN Archives also includes archive collections from affiliated organisations such as the John Howard’s Convalescent Home. This convalescent home based on 162 Marine Parade, Brighton, and was created in 1914 by Sir John Howard (c.1830-1917), entrepreneur and railway owner. The home operated from 1914 to 1947 before being nationalised as part of the new National Health Service. Not much is known about the subsequent twenty years but in 1974 it was taken over by the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. The Hospital renovated the premises and the hospital acted as a holiday home and a place for long-term residents. In March 1996, the Hospital closed the Home citing that it had become uneconomical to run and required costly renovation to meet suitable modern standards.

The archive holds records from its creation in 1914 up to its closure in 1996. Researchers may be interested to view the registers of residents, 1914-1940, alongside the medical reports and other financial and administrative records from this period. The RHN also holds records of when they took over the hospital in 1974 including architectural plans and drawings for the new home, along with photographs, leaflets and appeals.