History of Birtley House...

Birtley House Nursing Home is owned and managed by a family company founded in 1932 by Dr. Lloyd Driver and his wife Joan. Four generations later, the day to day running of the business remains to be overseen by the Whalley family who all have a key role in a Resident’s experience of Birtley House.

Birtley House Today

Over the years Birtley House has seen many transformations, with new renovations that have adapted to modern living, as well as operational revisions to make sure we are up to date in modern day nursing practices. 

With any innovation, we have always made sure we have retained as much of the original character features as possible to help preserve the charm of our home, and maintained our family ethos.

Today Birtley House operates as a Nursing Home for up to 47 occupants, and since relocating the business to Birtley House in 1945, we have not closed our doors for a single day.

We are also huge on connecting the community through creating opportunities, and each year we host various events on the Estate which have previously included the Surrey Hills Woodfair, Surrey Sculpture Garden Exhibition, Weddings, Rare Plant fairs and various other exhibitions.

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The History of Birtley House

Records of the Birtley House Estate in Bramley go back to the 12th century, but it was during the late-Victorian era when Birtley House, the care home we recognise today was built. Ownership remained within the Street family until the late 19th Century when it was bought by the Cubitt family.

Although the Cubitt family owned Birtley House until the end of the War in 1945, it was let or leased for much of this time and had a succession of occupants; these included the establishment of a girls’ school in the 1930s and an evacuated firm of electrical engineers during the Second World War.

In 1945 Birtley House and its 48 acres was bought by Eyhurst Court Ltd., a nursing home company established in 1932 and run by Dr Lloyd Driver, his wife Joan Driver and various members of their family. Dr Driver was a surgeon during the First World War and for a time, his business specialised in mental health patients, however, this was ceased after moving to Birtley House so he could concentrate on care for the elderly; hence Birtley House Nursing Home was born.

Their daughter, June, married Dick Whalley, a Canadian stationed at Dunsfold Aerodrome during the Second World War and June and Dick went on to raise their family at Birtley House. Always a family business, the earliest brochure records four members of the family as Directors. Although these changed over the years as the family grew and some moved away, new generations have come on to the Board and there are now five family Directors actively involved in the day to day running of the care home today.

Download a Brief History of Birtley House & the Nursing Home

Simon Whalley, the current owner and Birtley House Chairman wrote, ‘A Brief History of Birtley House & the Nursing Home’ which is available to download here:

A picture is worth a thousand words

Please browse through our photo gallery capturing moments from events throughout the year to residents enjoying day-to-day life at Birtley House.