PEOPLE are being called to come forward with their memories of an Ipswich landmark – the old East Suffolk and Ipswich Hospital.Anglesea Heights nursing home, which is on the site of the old hospital, is calling on former patients and staff to come forward with their stories, photographs – or even old uniforms.

PEOPLE are being called to come forward with their memories of an Ipswich landmark - the old East Suffolk and Ipswich Hospital.

Anglesea Heights nursing home, which is on the site of the old hospital, is calling on former patients and staff to come forward with their stories, photographs - or even old uniforms.

Riet Jones, the home manager, said: "Most of our residents are of such an age that they like to talk about the past and compare the differences between then and now.

"The building has always been a topic of conversation - residents are able to relate to the building and its history. "The project will help encourage interaction between residents and visitors."

The Ipswich and East Suffolk Hospital was built in 1836 and the building has served as the town's main hospital and as a centre for nurse training.

The Anglesea Road site was redeveloped and opened as a nursing home in 1991.

The original building - its frontage still visible from Berners Street - is incorporated in the 120-bed BUPA nursing home.

Anglesea Heights has now been selected to pilot BUPA's care homes reminiscence project.

Connie Ferguson, deputy matron at Anglesea Heights, herself trained as a nurse at the old East Suffolk and Ipswich Hospital. Now aged 51, she came to Ipswich when she was 19.

She said: "I came from Malaysia with two of my school friends to do our nursing course here - the first ward I worked in was an orthopaedic ward.

"We had to do toilet rounds and we had to give urine bottles to each patient - it was quite embarrassing for me.

"We were also scared of the sister and the charge nurse. We were not allowed to sit down or talk to the patients. It was very, very strict. I used to live in a nurses home and we had a warden and a 10pm curfew.

"It is good to see how it has all changed."

Former residents, staff, patients and visitors are being asked to come forward with similar stories, as well as any old memorabilia they have.

The stories and memorabilia will make up a Reminiscence Hallway in the nursing home, which will be ready in the autumn.

If you have any memories, information or mementoes to contribute to the project, please contact Anglesea Heights' home manager Riet Jones or administrator Brenda Bennett on 01473 289810 or write to Anglesea Heights Nursing Home, Anglesea Road, Ipswich, IP1 3NG.

Do you have any stories in the north west Ipswich area? Contact Meyrem Hussein on 01473 324792 or meyrem.hussein@eveningstar.co.uk