Report on our meeting on 30th January 2017

This week it was the turn of the Prior himself, Bro Rick Hudson, to give a presentation to members. This year’s talk was about more of Bridlington’s lost buildings, this time with the theme of hospitality in its widest sense.

The first building discussed was Sands Cottage which later became Baker’s Sands Cafe and later still the Cottage Grill. Bro Rick showed photographs and paintings of the original farm house and building standing close to the eroding cliffs. When a wooden sea wall was constructed the cliff path became more popular and the entrepreneurial owners began offering “Ices with Cream Teas”.  The original buildings were demolished in the 1920’s and new buildings parallel with the sea shore continued the cafe business, later becoming the dinner dance venue “The Cottage Grill”. It was replaced by the Marine Point apartments in 1995.

Bro Rick then told the story of two lost hospitals, Lloyd’s and Bempton Lane, and their expansion over the years. Lloyd’s hospital was founded by Miss Alicia Lloyd, a member of the Sewerby Lloyd Greame family. He also described the fund raising necessary to keep and expand the hospital before the National Health Service takeover in 1947. How many people know that Arthur Thornton, headmaster at Bridlington School, was one of the country’s experts in X-rays publishing a book on the subject in 1896. He set up the first X-ray equipment at the Lloyd’s Hospital. Thornton Ward in today’s hospital is named for him.  Lloyds was demolished in 1994 and replaced by the Mormon church.

Bempton Lane hospital was opened in 1904 by the Borough Council to house those with infectious diseases. Bro Rick showed an early picture. He described how it too expanded over the years.  By 1969 it was primarily used for long term geriatric care and was eventually closed in 1988. The area is now the Lawns housing estate.

Both the Lloyd’s and Bempton Lane hospitals became redundant when the new Bridlington and District hospital opened its doors in the mid 1880’s.

Bro Rick then moved on to St Annes Convalescent Home and Chapel. Work began in 1875 on this the biggest building to be erected in Bridlington since the medieval priory was begun in 1113. The speaker’s researches shed some light on the motivations and character of the founder Captain Edward Barnes. With the help of photographs, plans of the building, and the Annual Report of 1907 Bro Rick was able to give details of the work of the home. In 1939 all patients were sent home with the intention of using the home as a hospital for war casualties. However it housed evacuated elderly and infirm people when in 1940 it was badly damaged by a bomb which demolished the chapel.  It remained derelict until the 1960’s when the St Anne’s Homes Charity Trustees built 20 almshouses on the site, which they continue to administer.

The vote of thanks was given by Sal Cooke.  She thanked Bro Rick for a well researched and nostalgic look at Bridlington’s past.