A HAMPSHIRE man’s retirement has ended 134 years of mental health nursing in his family.

Gary Ford and his ancestors have served the health needs of Hampshire residents for more than a century, the majority of it at the Knowle Hospital.

But with Gary that link has now ended.

The family’s association with the Victorian psychiatric hospital, originally called the Hampshire County Lunatic Asylum, actually dates back even further to 1854, two years after it first opened, when Gary’s great great grandfather worked there as a baker.

The nursing connection took off from 1881 when Gary’s great grandfather worked on the wards as an attendant – equivalent to a nursing role back then – along with his sister and step-sister.

Gary’s grandfather Alfred worked at Knowle as an attendant with his grandmother Rosina and six of their children worked there in either portering or nursing roles.

It was at Knowle that Gary’s father Ralph, now 86, met his mother Josie, 76, who had come from Switzerland to train as a nurse in the 1950s.

Ralph had started out as a porter but trained to become a nurse and the couple now live near Fareham.

Gary, of Hedge End, who was born and raised in Knowle, near Fareham, grew up surrounded by hospital life but admitted he had no desire to follow his family’s footsteps and tried engineering.

But after a rethink, he started nursing training at the hospital in 1983 and never looked back.

Two years later he moved to work in Southampton as a mental health nurse in the department of psychiatry at the Royal South Hants Hospital.

He has worked in psychiatric rehab facilities in Southampton, finishing in community support at psychiatric unit Antelope House.

Knowle Hospital closed down in 1996 but the building still survives converted into housing.

Gary says part of the early reason for the longstanding link may have been limited travel options at the time, but he also believes it was his family’s instinct to care.

“It’s a very rewarding job – it’s meeting people, helping people – I suppose that was in my genes,” he said.

At present 13-year-old daughter Natalie has not expressed interest in the family profession, but Gary said although it would be nice to think she might become a doctor he had reservations about promoting healthcare due to the current lack of funding.

“There was an old saying that as long as a Ford is working at Knowle then Knowle will stay open,” said Gary, 53, whose wife Carly, 48, works at Southampton General as a nurse.

“It’s sad. There are not many people that can say their family’s been involved in 134 years continuous service in the NHS.

“It’s special and I’m definitely proud of it.”