Friends of St Francis Hospital

Friends of St Francis Hospital St Francis Psychiatric Hospital, Haywards Heath, West Sussex opened its doors in 1859. The site is now known as Southdowns Park.

After 136 years treating and caring for psychiatric patients it closed in 1995 to facilitate new Community Care legislation.

THE PADDED ROOMIt always filled me with fear. The bareness, the bedless mattress, the high-up window, the spy hole in th...
06/06/2026

THE PADDED ROOM

It always filled me with fear. The bareness, the bedless mattress, the high-up window, the spy hole in the door, the urine jar - all things the disturbed patient should never have been subjected to. It makes me shudder and we had to have physically strong male staff nurses to handle the mentally disturbed men who presented as ill !
The late Bill Golunski once told me that the hospital had as many as 12 'pads' when he first joined in the 50s but, on reflection, they were of their time when psychiatric practice was more primitive.

Joe Hughes
Site Admin

BADGESThis is a selection of badges mostly associated with St Francis Hospital awarded to nursing staff only.L to R : Th...
29/05/2026

BADGES

This is a selection of badges mostly associated with St Francis Hospital awarded to nursing staff only.
L to R : The original St Francis and Hurstwood Park Hopital badge. Later badges omitted Hurstwood Park when it no longer had its association with St Francis.

Next is the original Brighton General Hospital badge where many St Francis nurses undertook general training.

The blue and silver (GNC) General Nursing Council badge was awarded to RMN - Registered Mental Nurse - when they registered nationally having passed their state registration final paper. The GNC later became the NMC (Nurses and Midwives Council). Enrolled Nurse qualifiers had a green version of the same badge making them SEN (State Enrolled Nurses) on passing their State Final exam.

The Mid Downs School of Nursing badge later replaced the St Francis and Brighton badges but I might need correcting there.

Finally the Cadet Nursing badge was given to new entrants to the cadet nursing scheme which, from what I'm told, introduced entrants to the services within the hospital and was a taster for those interested in progressing further.

Please let me know in comments if any of my facts are incorrect.

Joe Hughes
Site Admin

The Winding Up of the proposed St Francis Hospital Heritage Centre at Haywards Heath.For your information I attach the f...
23/05/2026

The Winding Up of the proposed St Francis Hospital Heritage Centre at Haywards Heath.

For your information I attach the full Email to all the parties involved in the above matter.

Thanks to those who replied to me in appreciation of the work completed. Much appreciated.⁷

Joe Hughes
Site Admin

PROPOSED ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL HERITAGE CENTREFollowing invites on here and with no one willing to co-own the founding of ...
21/05/2026

PROPOSED ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL HERITAGE CENTRE

Following invites on here and with no one willing to co-own the founding of the proposed heritage centre I have decided that the project, which needs long term inherited support, is a non starter.

The project is, therefore, sadly at an end and will be replaced by a virtual heritage centre.

I will append a fuller explanation in due course.

Joe Hughes
Site Editor

HAYWARDS HEATH POP-UP MUSEUM 25/26th April 2026 AT HAYWARDS HEATH TOWN HALLA truly wonderful 2 day event packed out thro...
26/04/2026

HAYWARDS HEATH POP-UP MUSEUM 25/26th April 2026 AT HAYWARDS HEATH TOWN HALL

A truly wonderful 2 day event packed out throughout each day. Exhibitors included those from the Railway history group, Library, St Wilfred's Church, The Mid Sussex Times, the Horticulture group, the Scouts, the Red Cross, Charles Tucker with his Haywards Heath in photos and postcards, Sue Burgess with Cuckfield Museum and many more too numerous to mention.
I put together - with the kind help of Kelly Lewis - publicity officer for the Town Council - a very short history, a set of restaints, keys, badges, cutlery and an early recruitment booklet together with an original RMPA (Royal Medico Psychological Association) cerificate - a predecessor to our RMN.

Great interest and a big argument for a Haywards Heath museum in the future.

So many vibrant and interested history organisers and attenders in Haywards Heath and environs. So refreshing to see in these troubled times.

Thank you for your support. I hope those who attended enjoyed it.

Joe Hughes
Sute Admin

FRIENDS OF ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL SECTION andTHE PROPOSED HERITAGE CENTREPaddy Henry and I set up the FOSFH Section of the ...
24/04/2026

FRIENDS OF ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL SECTION and
THE PROPOSED HERITAGE CENTRE

Paddy Henry and I set up the FOSFH Section of the St Francis Social and Sports Club shortly after hospital closure in 1995. In its own way it has been very successful given its limited goals i.e., regular reunions, maintaining a database of former staff for tracing possible colleague contacts, as a launch pad for my walks and talks and as a general focal point for news and views particularly in connection with our Friends website which I administer and which is quite popular.

Our original committee of 8 has now decreased to 5 and all of us are on the other side of 70 years of age and several are less able than they were.

The long term existance of the Section - limited anyway by a diminishing number of surviving staff - comes to mind as does the committee's planning for a proposed heritage centre.

We need 4/5 new younger committe members in order to keep the history and future alive.

Duties are minimal and will increase slightly if those newcomers can commit to the future of the proposed heritage centre during and after my time in serving.

Naturally these matters will wither on the vine without fresh, young interest and input with the possible exception of the heritage centre for which an alternative, non SFH base, may be possible.

Those interested in joining the committee might Email me on [email protected]

I will keep you all informed of any possible developments.

Thank you.

Joe Hughes
Site Admin

Pop-up Haywards Heath Museum this weekend. The Friends of St Francis have a display there so make sure to put in an appe...
23/04/2026

Pop-up Haywards Heath Museum this weekend. The Friends of St Francis have a display there so make sure to put in an appearance.

Joe Hughes
Site Admin

REUNION SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST @ 7PM. ST FRANCIS SOCIAL AND SPORTS CLUB.Everyone on the FOSFH Club Section database has no...
07/04/2026

REUNION SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST @ 7PM.
ST FRANCIS SOCIAL AND SPORTS CLUB.

Everyone on the FOSFH Club Section database has now been sent an invitation.
We have been busy on your behalf.
You should all receive these within the next 7/10 days.
Those who do not for any reason please send your LAND ADDRESS to [email protected]
requesting one which will be forwarded to you.

PLEASE SPREAD THE NEWS AND SEE YOU IN AUGUST!

Joe Hughes
Site Admin

REUNION SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST AT 7PMInvites are going out shortly to ALL staff who worked at St Francis Hospital and in i...
28/03/2026

REUNION SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST AT 7PM

Invites are going out shortly to ALL staff who worked at St Francis Hospital and in its community, voluntary and support services over the years and currently.

THOSE NOT ON OUR DATABASE - FEATURING OVER 400 EX-STAFF - OR THOSE WHO HAVE CHANGED THEIR LAND ADDRESS SHOULD ADVISE OUR DATABASE SECRETARY WITH THEIR LAND ADDRESS:

[email protected]

Please keep an eye on here for notice of when invites have been sent.

Joe Hughes
Site Admin

A BLAST FROM THE PASTI've received a lovely note today from Stephanie Swaysland who has recently visited Barbados and me...
28/03/2026

A BLAST FROM THE PAST

I've received a lovely note today from Stephanie Swaysland who has recently visited Barbados and met up with some of her friends from her association with St Francis whilst working at Hurstwood Park's ECG department back in the 60s and onwards.
At a time when I lived in the nurses' home I got to know Stephanie and many of our Caribbean friends and colleagues back then.
We were an eclectic group from many countries growing up and enjoying the first fruits of adulthood and independent life.
Stephanie is pictured with friends and colleagues from back then.
L to R : Leila and Sam Sinnen, Stephanie, Fred Greaves, Lennis Sergeant.

Thank you Stephanie for your item which will prompt a few memories.

Joe Hughes
Site Admin

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St Francis Social And Sports Club
Haywards Heath
RH164EX

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