PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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PEARN CONVALESCENT HOME
The Pearn Convalescent Home was founded by Mr Edwin Alonzo Pearn in the memory of his parents, John and Mary Pearn, and his brother, Frederick Augustus Pearn. Mr Pearn was born at Stoke Damerel in 1823 and in spite of being born to poor parents, as Mr Saint Aubyn related at the opening ceremony, he: 'by his own hard work, close application to business, energy, and shrewdness, raised himself to a high position in the world.' Mr Pearn lived at "Compton Leigh" in the parish of Eggbuckland and the Home was erected in the grounds. Upon the death of Mr Pearn, his former residence became part of the establishment and was used as a rest home for the nurses who served at the South Devon & East Cornwall Hospital, Plymouth, and the Royal Albert Hospital, Devonport. Patients from both those Hospitals plus the Royal Eye Infirmary were to be admitted to the Convalescent Home. The property and £40,000 endowment fund were conveyed May 9th 1892 to the Trustees, Mr Edward Saint Aubyn, Mr John James Edcgcumbe Venning, Mr Henry Clark, Captain George Hastings Inskip, Mr Charles King and Mr John Henry Ellis. Designed by Mr Charles King, of Messrs King and Lister, 20 Princess Square, Plymouth, the work of erecting the convalescent home was commenced in the summer of 1893. Mr Samuel Roberts of Mount Plym, Plymouth, was the contractor while Mr William Rowe of Old Town Street was responsible for installing the water, gas and sanitary fittings. The Clerk of Works was Mr W Crimp of Mannamead, Plymouth. With a frontage extending 186 feet, it was designed to harmonise with the House, which stood alongside. The building was divided in to three sections by the two towers over the principle entrances. The towers were crowned with copper domes. The central block contained the administrative offices and a large dining room covering some 750 square feet. Behind the dining room was the kitchen, which covered an area of 360 square feet and at the time of its opening was fitted with a Fletcher gas cooking range. It had two serving lobbies with buttery hatches to enable the speedy serving of meals to the residents. Behind that were the sculleries, larders, pantries and store-rooms. A telephone room was provided in the administrative section, which also had the offices and sitting rooms for the matron and steward. Sitting rooms for the patients were provided at the east end of the men's' block and the west end of the women's' block. Above these, at the south-facing front of the first floor, were the dormitories for three, four and five sets of patients. The bedrooms for the matron and steward were in the towers, which also contained large water tanks. The servants slept in the central block. Oak was used for the flooring throughout the building and teak for the two main staircases. Mr Pearn died suddenly on December 10th 1893, before the work was completed. It was opened by Mrs Edward Saint Aubyn in brilliant weather on Monday May 6th 1895. A former hospital matron, a Miss Thompson, was engaged as lady superintendent and an old friend of Mr Pearn's, a Miss Pengelly, became the matron. After lying empty for a few years, the Pearn Convalescent Home is currently being used by Saint Luke's Hospice to house their community services, outpatient's department, and lymphoedema treatment centre. Sources:
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