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Military Hospitals

French Convalescent Home, 1898

Submitted to the site by Carol Thompson

French Convalescent Home, 1915

Submitted to site by Carol Thompson

The French Convalescent Home

By Carol Thomson

The French Convalescent Home, De Courcel Road, Brighton was built in 1896 to take convalescents from the French Hospital in Shaftesbury Avenue, London. It was funded by money from the French Lottery and English donations. Over the years it developed into a retirement home for the French and people of other nationalities, and was run until 1987 by religious sisters. In 1986 it was registered as a dual care and nursing home for 38 residents with the Brighton Health Authority and Social Services.

The second tower was erected in September 1904 with an addition to the East Wing in July 1914.

The Trustees of the Charity sold the building to Bovis on 29 October 1999 and the residents were transferred to other homes but following a decision to list the Building as an historic Grade II site, it was subsequently sold on and developed into flats.

Added to the site on 01-11-04

This page was added on 22/03/2006.

Comments about this page

A most enlightening piece by Carol on the French Home.

By Ian Storer (05/05/2005)

It would appear that, as late as 1954, the home accepted children as inmates, specifically mentally "overactive", somewhat rebellious, children mostly from French aristocratic families working and living in London and that these were cared for in the same environnement as elderly, somewhat senile old residents. I recently read an account of a child's stay at the home for three years, when aged five. Would anyone recall a Lady Beckford, Oscar the cook, the Abbe Corentin?

By Mandy Marsh (29/01/2007)

I have an undated postcard which shows the building without either tower and without the clock. The date 1898 is on the wall where the clock is in a 1915 postcard. The date 1898 appears to be under the window which has the word Convalescent above it.

By Eddie Miller (09/02/2011)