Thursday 23 July 2009

Sully and Highland Moors- Tony Hooper


Sully


Highland Moors

Tony Hooper says:
"I was an inmate (!) at Highland Moors-1947-48- remember it with no affection at all.
At age 7 to be called by a number (No 20 in my case) was not a pleasant childhood memory- the winter of 1947 up there was very harsh.

The food -I realise it was just after the war- was grim even by standards of the time- bread and marge -or bread and jam for tea (never bread+marge+jam!) - The odd times my parents on their monthly visit managed to find a few fresh eggs from a farmer on the way as a treat resulted in my getting scrambled eggs at the next meal - made from powdered egg.'They got broken when we took them to the kitchen' was the standard excuse. In the time I was there I lost nearly a stone in weight.

A few years later I was an inpatient at Sully several times- this would have been 1952-1954. A completely different experience- good food, caring staff and a wonderful situation- it would have made a great resort hotel!


Did it affect me? That's a hard one. I guess all experiences feed in to one's personality but I can't say that it traumatised me- though the level of harshness and impersonal relationships with staff made me very keen to be at home when possible. So never was one for after school activities etc.
I now live in Bath.

Internet
I found the site when I was looking up mid Wales towns for a day trip that I am planning shortly and when I saw Llandrindod Wells was impelled to see if there was any information on Highland Moors."