This photo is courtesy of Melanie Peterson the granddaughter of Dr Edward Menzies. It shows her Mother Katherine Peterson (nee Menzies) standing outside the main entrance to the Three Counties Hospital in the snow in the 1940s:

Christmas at the hospital was a big affair with parties and celebrations starting early in December. The children of the workers who lived in houses in the hospital grounds had a fantastic time with parties and pantos and a visit from Father Christmas himself! 

Thank you to Jean Wheeler for supplying some of the names to the faces in the excellent Christmas party photo sent in by Mary Di Marco. Jean said:

"I am Jean Wheeler, born in 1962, and I am on the front row of the chairs aged 4 (?). To the left is a girl facing sideways, I have a tartan pinafore dress. My brother Carl Wheeler is on the second row from the back aged 6 (?). In the middle, left of the balloon. My dad, Alfred Wheeler, was a young nurse administrator. I remember the Christmas parties, especially the panto 'Babes in the Wood'.

"Nowadays I am a teacher of 14-18 year olds. Our college has specialist science status and gets money to support learning of science. At Christmas I use some money from funds to put on a staff children's party. All presents are 'science related' (hence we can fund them from our specialist status).

"I do this because my memories of hospital parties are so acute and so special. All those nurses put on a fabulous party for us kids and I can recall the memories now - not the specifics of the events but the feeling of pleasure and joy of being made to feel special. Now I try to do the same for the teachers' children at the school I work at. Possibly, 'what goes around comes around', or better still 'learned behaviour'. I try and practice what others preached to me - 'look after your fellow man'.

"Thank you to all the nurses who put in the extra time during the panto / party season to make my Christmas so special and to give me the precious memories I now hold."

  • Back row: - Bacon, Terry Babbage, Donald Babbage, - Berry, Patrick, Naughton, ?, - Downey, Duncan Mckenzie, Peter Naughton, Kevin Naughton. Carl Wheeler is on the second row from the back aged 6 (?). in the middle left of the balloon.
  • 3rd row: - Bacon, ?, - Berry, Vincent Jordan, Lois Castello, ?, ?, ?, Patrick Lyons, ?.
  • 2nd row: ?, ?, Rosemary Jordan, Grace -, ?, ?, Michael Jordan, ?, Ann McKenzie, ?.
  • 1st row: ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Paulo Martin, ?, ?, - Donovan.
  • Jean Wheeler is on the front row of the chairs with a tartan pinafore dress on, aged 4 (?). To the left is a girl facing sideways. Carl Wheeler is on the second row from the back aged 6 (?), in the middle to the left of the balloon.

From the December 1970 issue of  FANTASIA, the in house Fairfield Hospital magazine:

Xmas arrangements from 13th December  to 7th January:

13th Dec. United carol service. Service of lessons and carols. The hospital choir will take part.

18th Dec. Carol singing for patients and staff in the recreation hall accompanied by Stotfold Salvation army band.

20th Dec. Carol singing in the main building wards at 3.30 by carol singers from the west view Baptist church Letchworth.

21st Dec. IT party in recreation hall at 2.30. Carols to be sung by the Belmont singers in the recreation hall at 7.30.

22nd Dec. Cinema patients 2.15 and 3.45 staff 8.15. Carol singers from central Methodist church Letchworth will visit the C&D corridor starting at 6.45.

23rd Dec. Visiting day 2.00 - 4.30. Patients social evening in the recreation hall. Dancing and bingo.

24th Dec. Christmas Eve. Darby and Joan club in the sports centre at 2.30. The hospital choir will sing carols in the A and B corridor starting at ward B1 at 6.45.

25th Dec. Christmas Day Christmas services as follows:

8.30 Holy communion.

10.15 United morning service (please note the earlier time).

There will be no afternoon service on Christmas day.

Interward visiting from 2.00 - 4.30.

26th Dec. Visiting day 2.00 - 4.30. Patients' Christmas dance with a band and refreshments.

27th Dec.

8.30 Holy communion.

9.00 Roman Catholic Mass.

10.00 Morning service.

2.30 United service.

28th Dec. Bingo in the recreation hall 6.00 (numerous prizes).

30th Dec. Visiting day 2.00 - 4.30.  Social evening dancing and bingo in the recreational hall at 6.00pm.

31st Dec. Derby and Joan club party in the sports centre at 2.30. Staff annual ball.

1st Jan. Patients' New Year ball (numerous prizes and refreshments).

2nd Jan. Visiting day 2.00 - 4.30. Concert by the Lily Danville entertainers in the recreational hall at 6.00pm

Money arrangements:

  • There will be no pay out of patients personal cash on the 30th December. Ward Staff are asked to double the normal amount when requisitioning for money for the 23rd December 1970.
  • Ward staff are also requested to requisition on separate pages the amount required for patient reward allowances on the 23rd and 30th December when the books are handed in on the 18th December 1970.

Fantasia food:

Spicy fruit punch

4-6 oz caster sugar

1 pint of water

1 pint of fresh or canned orange juice

½ pint of canned pineapple juice

Juiced and thinly pared rind of 1 lemon

½ level teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ level teaspoon ground mixed spice

6 cloves

6 splits of Canada dry

Crushed ice

Lemon or orange peel twist for garnish

Method

Dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat and cool. Blend together the fruit juice lemon peel spices and add the sugar syrup chill strain and add the Canada dry and ice just before serving. Five pints to make your party go with a zing. Recipe from the OT dept.

Film at cinema: The Beauty Jungle, Jeanette Scott and Ronald Frazier

 

December issue 15

New years Eve Ball 1971

Buffet:

Vol au vents: chicken, beef and mushroom, seafood (prawn, crab, salmon)

Pork chipolatas on sticks

Sausage rolls (petite)

Chicken in a spice

Prawns in a spice

Scotch eggs

Danish open sandwiches, various: crab, liver pate, pate de Gascoigne, salami, cream cheese, pineapple etc., all with appropriate garnish.

Bridge rolls (petite) egg

Salmon and cucumber

Pate

Ham

Tongue

Selection of cheeses

Celery pickled onions gherkins

Hotel biscuits

Fruit salad and fresh cream

Reception pastries

Coffee

The two buffet tables will be laid with white linen silverware candelabras and table floral sprays. Staff in attendance will be dressed in black and white. Disposable plate, sweet dishes and coffee cups will be used.

Service provided by Casino Caterers Ltd, Ruallan, Great Wymondly, Hitchin, Herts.

 

A selection of Christmas programmes from the 1980s:

Another programme from 1986, this time from St Luke's Chapel:

Not such a big programme of events for 1989: