Doctors & Nurses

Sarah and Stephen brought along numerous items, including photos, advertising, nurses hats, to loosen the memories of the group with regard to Costessey's local GP surgery, the local nurse and midwife. A questionnaire has been distributed around the group, asking for each members' input. Many members had vivid memories of a stern Nurse Mason, working from her own home close to the oval public house, and of Dr Henchellwood's surgery on the Norwich Road and how he remembered each patients' records, and wrote nothing down. Most babies were born at home, many again being delivered by Nurse Mason. Very few members can remember paying for the doctor before the introduction of the NHS, but those who could, or parents did, remember paying into a private insurance scheme.