BLACK FELL SANATORIUM

( A HISTORY IN PRESS CUTTINGS )

[ Press Cuttings:  Courtesy of Washington History Society ]

BLACK FELL SANATORIUM

( Later, Blackfell Caravan Park )

The above Maps show the Sanatorium location in 1921.
By 1952 the grounds had become a Caravan Park and the Sewage Works had gone.

Looking at the British Newspaper Archive,  Maps and Census Records,  the CLS DC Sanatorium opened in 1909.
Taken over by Durham County Council in 1916, it had 11 staff and 25 patients in 1921.  It closed by 1930.
The council's request for it to be reopened was rejected,  so it was privately rented out in 1936.
It does not appear in the 1939 register.  By 1952 it had become a residential Caravan
Park with a Social Club.  Local people could be signed in for their events.

BLACK FELL RESIDENTIAL CARAVAN PARK

( aka NEW YORK CARAVAN PARK )

[ Map Extracts, Aerial Photograph & Information:  Courtesy of Washington History Society ]

Caravan Park Residents

RALPH BONNY

Mr Bonny was a PE & Form Teacher who taught English and Mathematics at Usworth Colliery Senior School.
He lived for sometime at Black Fell Caravan Park and travelled to School on his Motor Scooter.

( Recollection from an Authoritative Source )

ROBERT YOUNG

While discussing the Blackfell Caravan Site Article in a telephone conversation with my Brother Bob, who now lives in Gold River,
Vancouver Island, Canada, he passed on some old memories.  Bob lived on the Site for sometime.  Having served his apprenticeship
with NEEB, he went on to work for Vibroplant (Birtley) and later Cleveland Bridge Co.  Bob recalls that the Caravan Site had no
mains power and relied on generators; there were at least two.  The Club House and the Owner’s House had their own generators.

( Thanks to Bob's Brother and regular contributor to this Website, Malcolm Young. )

BRIAN TIVENAN
(Washington Glebe Miner)

The Park Residents and other Locals referred to this Caravan Park as New York Caravan Park, rather than Blackfell.  I remember
the 'Infectious Diseases' Hospital was turned into the Caravan Site Club House and Shows were held some nights.  I helped to run the
Entertainment.  The Owner's House was a lovely green building with a red roof.  New York Caravan Site was a beautiful place to live;
it was full of Poplar Trees.  I'd love to walk there again but sadly the landscape has changed so much, I wouldn't recognise it.  I used
to work at The Glebe Pit and received 'free coal' which wasn't needed while living in the Park.  I offered it to relatives and friends.

( Photographs & Comments:  Thanks to Brian, and to Larissa Dalhouse for her assistance. )

LOCATION OF FORMER SANATORIUM & CARAVAN PARK

CROWTHER INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
N.B. The Plantation and other Dark Item in the Black Box are part of the original photograph.

[ Photo:  Thanks to Adrian Lupton ]

Appeal from Washington History Society

If anyone has any Photographs, Documents, Stories etc. relating to the Sanatorium / Caravan Park,
and they'd like them recorded for posterity, W.H.S. would be delighted to hear from you at:

washingtonhistorysoc@gmail.com