Amanda Jobson is a photographer based
in East Sussex. In 2009 to 2010 Jobson
photographed the interior and exterior
spaces during the demolition of Hellingly
Hospital and the housing estate that
replaced its memory. Her research led her
to the former nurses and employees who
worked at the hospital.
'They lived in a house, which was the first
one on the left of the drive up to Hellingly
hospital. Some patients were cleared to go
out during the day. Some would do odd
jobs like washing up and gardening at my
mum’s house and the hospital would pay
them pocket money for this.
The hospital had its own farm with
animals and fruit and veg, where patients
could also work. There were other
buildings in the grounds of the hospital,
which were used for private patients,
nurses home and a children’s hospital.
The army used some of these smaller
buildings in the forties.
There were locked doors at intervals along
the corridors. Only the extreme patients
were securely locked up at all times. There
was a padded room, which was made of
cream coloured leather'.
- Interview with a former Hellingly nurse, 2010
50 pages of photographs and texts