"I think that wrong to do that." Highvolume Play Pause Stop

A photograph of the inside of Calder Avenue. Taken in 2016 this former ward was unused. Some of the doors on the left as you look are side rooms.

Taken in 2016, one of the side rooms at Calder Avenue - an unused former ward at Calderstones.

The wards on Calderstones had side rooms. While people remember them being used as individual bedrooms, there are many memories about side rooms being used for punishment.

John Thompson was born in April 1942. John went to live in Calderstones in November 1966 when he was 24 years old. He left in March 1971 and went to live in Lisieux Hall, Chorley.

Alan Gunn was born in January 1940. Alan went to live in Calderstones in September 1955 when he was 15 years old. He left in February 1974 and went to live in Lisieux Hall, Chorley.

In an interview on August 1st 2016, John and Alan recall people locked in side rooms.

Transcript:

Did that happen a lot that people would get locked up in a room on their own?

Alan: Oh yeah. Some sleep in the dormitory. Some sleep in the side rooms.

What would people get locked up in a side room for? What would they have done to be locked up?

Alan: Nowt!

John: When staff put the lad in a side room they have done nothing at all. I don’t know all the staff put the other lads in a side room when they ain’t done nothing. I think that wrong to do that.