History of Sewell House

Sewell House began as a dream by the late Margaret Sewell, a local Quaker, because of her concerns for the plight of the elderly in the immediate post-war period. The support of her husband and Friends [Quakers] helped the dream to be turned into today’s very tangible results. Committee minutes of the first meeting held in 1965 summed up the concerns: ‘It was the wretched conditions in which many elderly people were found to be living, that in the latter days of the War, drew the attention of Friends to the housing needs of the elderly’. The simple idea was and still is ‘to free the aged of the stresses of household management in comfortable specially designed individual accommodation yet still have the support of a warden and friends ‘.  The word ‘aged’ has never been defined and many of our residents would object to being referred to in that way! Turning the original concept into reality has required the hard work of many people. The detailed history of the many supporters and contributors has been recorded in several booklets since the project began.  It took five years of negotiation to acquire the land, decide on the most suitable layout, appoint architects and employ builders. As can be imagined the planning and financial process was complex, particularly as at that time financial conditions were very difficult. Since 1970 there have been major structural improvements with an increase in the number of accommodation units, greatly improved facilities to meet today’s requirements, and improved communal areas, including the sitting-room and balcony. There is also an ongoing major programme of refurbishment to ensure that our facilities are up-to-date and comply with the latest legislation. Our first residents took occupation in 1970 at a rent of £8.50 per week for a single room – and that included lunches. The first warden was appointed after an advert in ‘The Lady’, as was our current warden! The philosophy of Sewell House is that residents should feel that it is their Home. This has been demonstrated over the years both by the calibre and kindness of our staff, which has allowed us to function effectively, and also by the interest shown by the Board of Management, whose members often “drop in” to talk to residents and staff. Since 1970 over 250 people have benefited from the care of our staff.   During that time we have shared in the celebrations of several residents reaching their 100th birthday and even a marriage between two residents. In 2010 we celebrated our 40th Anniversary, and look forward to our 50th in 2020.