Description:This postcard view was published by GEC to advertise Hampsfield House, the company Convalescent Home near to Grange over Sands, Cumbria.
Hampsfield House was opened initially as the Sir George Nelson Convalescent Home on Friday 30 August 1946 by Lady Nelson, who was deputising for her husband, the Chairman of the English Electric Company, while he was abroad on company business.
In later years the Convalescent Home became known as Hampsfield House Convalescent Home. Throughout the changes of ownership of the company, from English Electric, GEC, GEC ALSTHOM to Alstom, employees from company sites around the United Kingdom and from Staffordshire (including Stafford, Stone, Newcastle-Under-Lyme and Kidsgrove) were eligible to use the facilities at Hampsfield for two weeks to convalesce after illness, subject to the payment of a small weekly sum through their salary to the Works Benevolent Fund.
The house was originally built in 1880 for Sir John Hibbert. It was set on high ground around 400 feet above sea level in 13 acres of garden with many interesting trees, including firs, cypress, palm and bamboo. It had extensive views over Morecambe Bay. A Matron/Housekeeper managed the facilities and welfare of the employees during their recuperation. There were many amenities for the patients including a Games Room with card tables and a piano, later a cinema film projector and a television were installed, there was also a Billiard Room on the first floor. A mini-bus was used to collect patients arriving for convalescence by train from the nearby railway station. The mini-bus was also available for outings during the day around the Lake District and evening visits to a pub in nearby Grange-Over-Sands.
In subsequent years with changes at GEC, Hampsfield House was administered by Marconi (Marconi had been part of the GEC combine). The Convalescent home closed on 31 December 2001 and was put up for sale.