I was born there in 1946; oddly enough, when I went to grammar school in 1957 I found myself in the same class as a lad 2 days younger than me, and it turned out his mother had ben in the next bed to my mother in Heathfield Road. Many years later, the Head of the school that stood (maybe still stands?) on the site was a friend of mine, and I revisited Heathfield Road for the first time since my birth to do some music workshops with the kids there.
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Maternity Hospital Heathfield Road
- Thread starter rowan
- Start date
Richard Dye
master brummie
1943 what a wonderful year! My year as well
Hi I am new to this forum, which I found doing some research of a hospital I was born in, My Mother has passed.
I was applying for my birth certificate and had not idea what was the name of the hospital I was born in 2am in August of 1967.
I found the name.
Can anyone tell me why this hospital was replaced with the school. I don't know much about the hospital.
I was the only sibling out of 7 born here.
Polo
I was applying for my birth certificate and had not idea what was the name of the hospital I was born in 2am in August of 1967.
I found the name.
Can anyone tell me why this hospital was replaced with the school. I don't know much about the hospital.
I was the only sibling out of 7 born here.
Polo
hi polo and welcome...i can only think that the hospital which had age to it was demolished surplus to requirements which is a great shame as it as i think looking at the only photo we have found (see post 70) of the entrance it looked to be a grand building...alas we see all too often that the powers that be give no thought to preserving a lot of birminghams historical buildings...our search goes on to find a full on photo of this building....i would think but cant be certain that it was once a private residence in which case it would be interesting if we could find out who once lived there before it became a maternity hospital...
lyn
lyn
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thanks for the maps mark....i wonder if would could extend a bit more on the history of church villa and fern lodge...such as who lived there and what their occupations were i will do a photo search because if we can find any of church villa and fern lodge it will actually show us the whole frontage of what was to become the hospital
lyn
lyn
MWS
from Bham
Assuming that Fern Lodge became no. 134, then in 1911 an Alfred Norman Hackwood lived there, he is listed as a Sales Manager in Boot Polish. Likewise if Church Villa became no. 132, then in 1911 a George Emerson lived there, he is listed as a Solicitor.
By 1921 no. 134 seems to have changed, there are 18 boarders listed there, all appear to be women with babies. No. 132 is occupied by a David Buchan and family, a medical practitioner.
First mention of a name I can see associated with Fern Lodge are a Thomas and Keziah Bullock in 1865.
By 1921 no. 134 seems to have changed, there are 18 boarders listed there, all appear to be women with babies. No. 132 is occupied by a David Buchan and family, a medical practitioner.
First mention of a name I can see associated with Fern Lodge are a Thomas and Keziah Bullock in 1865.
thats great info mark...puts a bit of flesh on the bones of the history of fern lodge and church villa..also gives a rough date of how old fern lodge was and it seems that by 1921 fern lodge was making the transition from being a private residence to a maternity hospital and as you said earlier it also combined into one building with church villa..
many thanks
lyn
MWS
from Bham
Bham Daily Post 26 Jun 1914 - "...134, Heathfield Road, Handsworth. Yesterday a numerous company of ladies and gentlemen attended the last named place for the dual purpose of holding the annual meeting of the association and witnessing the opening of the new babies' home by the Lady Mayoress..."
thanks for that newspaper snippet mark...i have just spent some time searching my photos of heathfield road and find it incredible that there are none of either church villa or fern lodge...however i do not give up that easily i will now get in touch with a few contacts i have to see if they have any...
lyn
lyn
thanks pedro...so now we can date fern lodge to at least 1855 and at that time the occupier was john clive esq....reading the long list of the contents of the lodge it must have been so impressive...once again it pains me to read about the history we have lost
lyn
lyn
In the 1921 Kellys (which would probably refer to 1920) no 132 is listed as David Buchan, physician & surgeon, while 134 is not listed. . In the 1924n edition (referring probably to 1923) ,David Buchan is still at 132, but 134 is listed as the City of Birmingham Maternity Hospital, (E Walker, matron)
Hi Lyn, did you ever get to the Library to see if they have a photo of the Heathfield Hospital?
hi vronicka not had chance to get to the library yet however we have posted a photo on this thread of the main entrance to the hospital...not the best but its all we have so far...
lyn
Is that the one I posted with the little girl in front?
yes thats the one
blackmagicmargaret@google
Brummie babby
OLD BOY...At long last the truth will come out..yes old boy you are % CORRECT..
It was not a hospital..just a big house and there was a bus stop close beside it.. and a couple of shops..
I went with my brother in 1966 to see his wife and baby(my nephew)but was told I was only my brother could go up the stairs to see his family.. well since I was 20years old at the time I went into the Stork pub and low and behold my brothers mates were in there...OK so then my brother came into the pub very happy..and I remember saying to my brother that it's only a house and she could have stayed at our house and had the baby..oh..but people somewhere along the line really still believe it was a proper hospital..!!!
Cheers old boy..
A Sparks
master brummie
Just come across an article that states Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi was born in the hospital....
Biography
Born
19 February 1948 (age 74)Born In
Handsworth, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom
Great Barr Kid
Brummie babby
Maternity Hospital
Many thanks,
talk about a quick responce
maybe in the 1920s ??
Great Barr Kid
Brummie babby
Hello to all. I've just joined the forum while searching for news of Heathfield Road Maternity Hospital. I note a discussion started in 2003-2007, sorry to go back in time. My wife was born there in 1938 and her sister in November 1929.
There was another sister (sadly still-born) between 1929 and 1938 but thought to have been a home birth. Not sure.
Does anyone have information of possible still-birth registers associated with Heathfield Road or home births in that catchment area?
There was another sister (sadly still-born) between 1929 and 1938 but thought to have been a home birth. Not sure.
Does anyone have information of possible still-birth registers associated with Heathfield Road or home births in that catchment area?
Hi, just reading through this again…..Been awhile. I posted this photo on here awhile back. The lady who sent it to me (the little girl) lived nearby. Her father ran a deli near there.
Here’s what she said -
“Just to put you in the picture. I was born in this hospital in 1955. I lived at Leonard Road until I was 11 and then Holly Road until I was 25. I knew Handsworth pretty well. My parents had a delicatessen on Villa Rd( which was an extension of Heathfield Road with Lozells in between.
I went to Westminster Road primary school ( still correspond with one of my teachers!!!) and then to King Edward’s grammar school.
The hospital was on a busy road, the bus route was the No 90 or 91 bus I believe and this went from Perry Barr right into the city centre.
The hospital from memory was two storey and had a white frontage almost Georgian in appearance,I.e symmetrical. I believe it was a facade because the hospital behind was a more modern building.
There was also a place called Bourne house on Trinity Rd,which was used as a pre birth home and also post birth. If you look at a google map of the area Heathfield Road led down to Birchfield Road and Trinity Road was across from there.
I remember the hospital quite well because my father worked round the corner from it and I would pass it with him. I often went to meet him from work.”
Hi Dottieau, May I ask when you were at the hospital in 1962. My friends Mum Beryl Carter was there 1/5/1962 for two weeks, gave birth to a little boy.
Richard Dye
master brummie
I went to Westminster Rd, leaving about when you were born. Lived on Radnor Rd from when I was unto llc 19. Walked Heathfield and Holy Rds many times.
Hi Richard, I’m not the girl in the hospital photo, I was conversing with her privately about my search for Clive Martin Carter/Stanley who was born at the hospital in 1962 and it led to me receiving the photo. I’d had it for awhile before it dawned on me that I should put it on here as at least it was something! So strange so little photos.
I originally posted this on here, the girl is someone I conversed with in my search for my friends brother Clive Martin Carter or now Stanley with a different Christian name maybe. Born at this hospital on 1/5/1962 to Beryl Carter née Aucott.
