Sunday 25 August 2013

TB sanatorium then decay

After the death of John Jesse in 1865 the manor house eventually became a private sanatorium in 1901, primarily for the treatment of Tuberculosis, but when Hugh Morriston Davies took over in 1918 it achieved worldwide fame in the treatment of thoracic diseases. The sanatorium closed in 1953.

The estate did not sell and gradually became almost derelict until a few years later an entrepreneur from Liverpool bought it and almost single-handedly turned the manor house into an hotel and later it became apartments and a restaurant. It is now almost derelict again, but not without the the collection of spirits, ghosts and supernatural phenomenon which has been apparent since the estate was first built around 1650.

The four diaries written by John Jesse were started in August 1859 and recorded the journey to Chester to take his daughter Sarah to boarding school. A system whereby the child boards at the school in term time.
He was obviously quite upset at the prospect and stated that he slept badly that night.
In the last diary dated 1865 he describes his failing health and how he was considering the drafting of his will.

However, why were these diaries not bequeathed to his family? Why were they squirrelled away in a secret drawer within his desk? We will never know, but the desk survived through the hospital years, the terrible neglect and is probably still there! The dairies were discovered by the owner from Liverpool in the 1950's.


                                                     Library Window  -  centre with balcony

It is apparent from the diaries that John Jesse devoted his life to the affairs of the estate which was very much self-sufficient, but also to the local community and the unfortunates in Ruthin with his medical training. It is believed that the many sightings of him as a 'ghost' nicknamed .'the man in black' as he appears all dressed in black, bent and with a stick, and being quite intimidating and frightening, is due to his total disgust and unrest at the fate of his beloved property.

2 comments:

  1. hi
    Both my parents worked in the sanitorium around the period of approx 1949 to 1951 does anyone have any old photographs of Llanbedr Hall or any information of that era
    Many thanks
    Sue

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  2. Hi sue could you email me please as my grandmother worked in sanatorium and would love to ask you some questions Caroline

    ReplyDelete