From the beginning, postulants had been welcomed in the Convent many of whom were to dedicate their lives to the Home. The first two to be professed were Sister Mary Joseph Niness and Sister Mary Evangelist Webb in 1892.

Up until 1915 there was no Government financial help for the sick so the Home relied on donations, subscriptions, bazaars, fees from the patients and the salaries paid to the Sisters who taught at St Walburga's School. In 1890 male patients paid 12 shillings a week, females 8 shillings a week and children 6 shillings a week.

The Home also took "Ladies and Gentlemen" who paid 30 shillings and 21 shillings respectively a week and had their own dining room and lounge; this also helped subsidise poorer patients, It was said that men paid more than women because they ate more! Donations in 1890 amounted to over £360.

The donors included Baroness von Hugel, Lady Bunbury, Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, Marquis of Bute, Lady Neaumont and Colonel Colthurst, Annual bills included £52 for bread, £68 for greengrocery and fruit, £195 for meat, £271 for groceries and £194 for dairy products and eggs.

Once the Home was established on a firm footing it was able to extend help and care to many patients of all denominations who came not only from London but from all parts of the British Isles.

During both the Boer War and the 1914 - 18 War many wounded service men convalesced in the Home. In the Second World War girls from St Anne's Grammar and High School were evacuated from Southampton to Bournemouth and many were accommodated in St. Joseph's. From there they went to Talbot Heath School for lessons. The schools returned to Southampton at the end of 1944.



The Home suffered some blast damage from bombs dropped in Surrey Road. This was repaired in 1945 and in the same year the first central heating was installed.

The Chapel was redecorated in 1948 for the Diamond Jubilee and in 1951 new dining rooms and a kitchen were added with the help of the King Edward Hospital Fund for London.

In 1955 a large greenhouse was bought to help increase the garden produce and in 1956 new rooms were built in the roof space of the Women's Home. Improvements to the Men's Home were made in 1961 and in 1966, 12 single rooms andtwo double rooms were built over the dining rooms.

But the most important event of the post war period was the building of a new Chapel behind the Women's Home which was consecrated on February 2nd, 1959, by Bishop John Henry King (pictured left).


The Stations of the Cross erected in the grounds and blessed in 1969 proved to be most popular with Priests and patients.

Although since 1960 over 1,500 patients a year passed through St. Joseph's, in 1968 Sisters were still able to respond to the appeal for assistance from local hospitals with eight of them working in the hospital wards.

In 1983 there was an amalgamation of Convents into the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy in consequence of which, in September 1984, Sister Mary Catherine Foley then-Superior in Bournemouth, was transferred to the Convent in Worthing as Assistant Superior and Sister Mary Gerard O'Flaherty to the Convent in Burnley.

Sister Mary Rita Flood was appointed as the new Superior in September 1984. Despite the improvements made over the years the Home still comprised essentially of two Victorian houses which were uneconomical to run.


The decision was made to rebuild the Convalescent Home and 1986 the Home was closed and by the end of the year had been demolished.

The Sisters moved to a temporary home in Boscombe from where they went on refresher courses and Retreats so as to be ready for the reopening of the Home.

A new beginning was signalled on St. Joseph's Day - March 19th, 1987, when Canon Moore of St. Thomas More, Iford, and a long time friend of the Convent, laid the Foundation Stone of the new building.




List of Deceased Sisters

Sister M. Evangelist Power Sister M. Camillus Wemyss Sister M. Winefride Flood Sister M. Joseph Niness Sister M. Clare J. Lidden Sister M. Camillus McAuliffe Sister M. Catherine Collingridge Sister M. Agatha Mulholland

Sister M. Berchmans Lalor Sister M. Ignatius Joseph Pitt Sister M. Bridget Ansbro Sister M. Bernadette Rabbitt Sister M. Evangelist Webb Sister M.Louise Butler Sister M.Anthony Moody Sister M.Walburga Bennison

Sister M.Agnes McClusky Sister M.Martha McErlean Sister M.Anne Stanley Sister M,Teresa McCabe Sister M.Gertrude Minnock Sister M.Bernadette Fox Sister M. Bridget Lehane Sister M. Francis McGirr Sister M. Joseph Scully