Names on the buses

659 Helen Boyle

777 Helen Boyle

Connections with Brighton and Hove : 1869-1957 When Dublin-born Helen Boyle qualified as a doctor in 1894, women had only been able to practise for two decades. She moved to Hove in 1898, where she became the town's first female GP. She worked voluntarily at the pioneering Lewes Road Dispensary for Women and Children where all-female staff offered free medical treatment to poor women and children. Dr Boyle's main interest was mental health. Outpatient facilities did not exist. People suffering from the symptoms of poor mental health could often find themselves certified and sent away to asylums. Helen believed that early intervention and care could prevent this drastic outcome and was determined to change things. Feeling particular concern for working class women, she opened small hospitals for women suffering nervous exhaustion or early onset 'nervous diseases'. The first was on Roundhill Crescent in 1905, then later in Brunswick Place. Her methods were unconventional at the time. She placed emphasis on fresh air, activity, community, and support. The hospital's report stated that 'no effort is spared to make daily life at the hospital bright and interesting'. As more women were referred for her landmark treatment, she soon required bigger premises. The 'Lady Chichester Hospital for Nervous Disease of Women and Children' named after its patron, moved to Aldrington House in 1920. The Brighton Gazette reported 'Hove should be very proud of possessing the one hospital in the whole of England where a sick brain is treated as any other disorder of the human organism.' When Dr Boyle died aged 88, she had changed the landscape of the way we think about mental health. Her obituary in the Times described her work as 'outstanding public service'. Her other achievements included becoming the first female psychiatrist at the Royal Sussex Hospital and co-founding Mind. During the First World War, Dr Boyle was decorated for her service in Serbia. A much-loved figure, she lived in Poynings for over 30 years and enjoyed hiking on the Downs well into her eighties.

659 Scania Omnidekka - carried name since delivery in September 2005, on METRO Line 49. Metro 49 branding removed May 2013. Repainted into Route 78 livery February 2015. Route 78 branding removed August 2021. Bus sold in May 2025. Name reappeared on 777 ADL Enviro400 in December 2025.