Library Books To Your Armchair.
The above link is a great way to help pass a few hours whilst we are all cooped up. If you’re a member of a library, download the app and log into your library account. Then you can borrow either electronic books to read on your device, or audio books to listen too. I’m currently drifting down the Ganges in a leaky boat with Eric Newby. A bit nicer than sitting in a semi in Maghull you’ll agree. Next week I intend to cross the Kalahari with Thesiger, then walk the Appalachian trail with Bill Bryson. An escape of sorts. Maybe you can make use of it and catch up with your favourite authors.
Thank you Iain for your helpful suggestion.
John
I don’t know if my full reply appeared, but I found details of the escape and subsequent search on the British newspaper archive and I copied the url but it only links to the home page. The incident was around 11 November 1964 reported in the Liverpool Echo and they were recaptured the following day. It names them too. You can get a couple of free searches without joining.
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19641111/451/0020
It was November 1964 and there are reports of progress of the escape in the Liverpool Echo. I thought the link I posted would have given you access to the pages.
The British Newspaper Archive allows 3 free searches if my memory serves me.
Good afternoon from the Channel Islands,
I just wonder if you or anyone in your group could help me with information I am looking for.
It is about an incident which occurred at Moss Side Hospital, Maghull at some time during the winter of either 1964 or 1965. I have a personal interest as I was a very inexperienced trainee member of staff on duty during the evening in question. The reason I am slightly unsure of the year is that after a career of 42 years in health services, memory for dates is slightly blurred. I have a feeling it was a November evening when at least four high security patients broke out of the ward on which I and two much more senior members of staff were on duty. I cannot recall if any were caught, I do remember it caused uproar at the hospital and in the area at the time.
My one regret is that I never kept a local paper from the time reporting the incident, of course there was none of the mass media which we have today.
I do recall having to attend a high pressure inquiry conducted by staff from the Home Office in London. The Home Office at the time was responsible for the three top security hospitals in England i.e. Moss Side, Broadmoor and Rampton As I was very junior I was not held responsible for what happened I am pleased to say, otherwise I may have had to pursue a different career path.
As a further point of interest, a distant relative of my mother was a very senior member of nursing staff at the hospital, his name was Bill Mason. Sadly he died on duty in 1963 the year before I started there, he had previously worked at Rampton Hospital after leaving the forces in 1945. He lived at Parkbourne in what were then the hospital staff houses, I visited his wife and daughter Stella several times during my one year at Moss Side before I moved on to Winwick Hospital, Warrington. Stella was then in her early twenties and worked in the Path Lab at Liverpool Womens’ Hospital.
Sorry that my brief question has developed into a sermon !
I would be very grateful if you or your contacts can provide me with any relevant information.
KInd regards
John Mulhern
Thanks Jane , check out The Marsh Arabs again with Thesiger.
Thanks Jane for sharing that