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Anybody recognise this hospital? 1917

G

gonenorth

Guest
Hello Everyone,
My G Grandfather, Henry Smith, died of lung problems associated with his work as a glass cutter in Birmingham. This photo of him and other inmates was taken a few months before he died in 1917. Family lore says it is Birmingham Chest Hospital but I have never been able to find mention of any such place. Does anybody recognise or know where this photo was taken? Thanks.
 
re hospital 1917

Gonenorth.birmingham Chest Hospital Is In Great Charls St.i Just Had A Look, Chest Clinic Bham
PETER MARTIN
 
Glass Cutter or Glass Engraver ?

Gonenorth. I could be totally wrong but when I read your post I thought is it possible that he could have lung problems from his occupation as a glass cutter ? If it had been Glass Engraver it may have fitted better thats if they worked with acid.
 
Thanks GER2VAN,

He did decorative glass work involving cutting and etching. I think the acid and the glass dust killed him, sadly.
 
Re Hospital 1917

GONENORTH, dont know but it was there when i wasin brum,1999.a right old place ,i went there with my dad, there is a piccy of the front. on HEARTOFENGLAND NHS UK
 
Gonenorth, welcome to the forum, I am currently assembling a database of Birmingham Hospitals, and have not as yet come across a Birmingham Chest Hospital, there is however as pointed out a Birmingham Chest Clinic. This clinic, located in Great Charles Street appears to have been built during the 1930's, so would not have been built in the time scale you give, also the picture shows what appears to be grass in the foreground, I cannot be sure but would doubt if the city centre site would have had such a lawn.
I think it may have been taken at a sanatorium, a hospital where respiratory diseases would have been treated such as West Heath or Yardley Green. Do you have any address for Henry that may narrow down the area.

Colin
 
Re Chest Hospital

COLIN B, hello colin the chest hospital/clinic i went to had no grass just a few plants and weeds out side,it was op the libary in town. peter martin
 
Thanks for that information, Colin. My Mother's cousin has the original - I'm pretty sure it was a 'postcard' - the date was 19th May 1917. He died in November that year. Perhaps the postcard may have a postmark that might narrow the search - I will ask her this week. A Sanitorium sounds likely - I wonder if records of the two you mentioned survived?
 
Just a thought, how about Yardley Green Chest Hospital at the rear of (todays) Heartlands Hospital at Bordesley Green? It opened in the early 1900s as a sanatorium for those suffering with Consumption (TB) and progressed into a chest hospital. It could well have treated other chest sufferers.
 
Thanks Shaved Fish,

That sounds like just the place - I wonder where I might get some pictures of it so I could compare it to the one in the photo - although not much of the building can be seen the windows are quite distinctive. Is the place still standing? Thanks for the lead.
 
I had suggested Yardley Green in my first post, but 2 photos I have of the hospital dated 1915 & 1920, seem to suggest that at that time Yardley Road Sanatorium (later Yardley Green Chest Hospital ) was only a single storey building. I still think it would help if you could give an address, have you got, or applied for a death certificate, that might even solve the problem, by giving date and place of death.

Colin
 
Thanks for the ideas and for the listings from the directories. Henry ended up dying at home - Gravelly Rd, Erdington according to his death certificate, so unfortunately no leads there. It would be nice to be able to identify the place - I think it is a poignant picture that shows how the health of young men was damaged by their dangerous occupations - times were very hard.
 
Erdington, would have suggested The Jaffray Hospital as a possibility, it certainly would have been built at that time, it was an imposing Victorian built building, but again comparing photos the brickwork is different. Don't give up hope I'm still looking through loads of photos of Birmingham Hospitals.


Colin
 
It may well be Blackwell sanitorium, that belonged to Birmingham and later on it was a convalescent home I know as my Uncle was there for some time in the 50's when he contracted TB. Indeed there is a chest clinic in Gt Charles St but its nothing like that photo.
My second choice would have been Yardley Green Rd.
 
Building by Perry Barr Park.

:D There is a small building by the park. I was told when I was a child that it was used to isolate people with highly contageous illnesses?. :D Bye. Jean.
 
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