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Lyncroft House, Handsworth wood Road

kcjacker

Brummie babby
Looking for info about this young mother and baby home run by the Salvation Army. Any info of conditions, support given to mums or anything of any relevence really in late 1950s early 1960s.
 
Hi,further to our last contact. My friend the Major in the Salvation Army was most supportive of the girls as I believe were the rest of the staff.,there was no moralising or anything like that.
The aim was to provide the girls with a safe supportive place to have their babies.
Unfortunately due to the times50/60s there was not much financial support for single mothers and often not much support of any kind within their families so adoption was often the only option.
The Salvation Army also owned the other half of the home which was a private maternity hospital,the funds from which ran the other half of the building.
 
Thanks again Alberta I feel extremely lucky that you have replied to my post and we have taken an element of comfort from the information you have given. The relative involved continued to annually donate to the Salvation Army, it has only just come to light the reason why, but I think it was a way of thanking them for kindness at a very emotional time. Thank you again for your time it has been very helpful.
 
I would like to say that I had my daughter Michaela in Lyncroft House in 1966, I was on the private side though as my doctor also helped out there as well. Cant remember how much it cost but it was a very nice place and the girls that were there used to come and bring us the food and do general little things around the place. I used to chat to a few as some were my age 19. They seemed very happy and well looked after. I think it was a bit old fashioned as I remember when I went in I hadn't washed my hair it was due for a wash that day. After I had Michaela about 2 days I asked if they had any shampoo and they said I couldn't wash my hair for 3 weeks after giving birth, I had a bath and washed it with soap and told them I had slipped in the tub. The doctors name was Dr Crisp I just remembered . So dont worry it wasn't like one of those awful places you sometimes see on the TV in documentary's I would say apart from having to have their baby's adopted ( which is so sad) they were treated with care and dignity x
 
Thank you Patty for the information you have provided. As you can imagine we did this post with apprehension,however all positive so far and alot of our worries have been alleviated. I guess the best outcome for this situation was that the baby went on to have a happy adoption and successful life and thankfully this was achieved. Its just abit heartbreaking that this happend to a family member and they could not share their experience. Your story of 'slipping in the tub' made me giggle and I think I might have done the same! How the world has moved on lol. Many thanks again especially on Mother's Day x
 
Yes just spent a lovely day with Michaela and her family, she is 45 now, gosh how the time fly's
 
I had my baby at Lyncroft House December 1965 and am delighted to say that Feb 2010 he contacted me. Unfortunately he lives in Southampton so we don't meet that often but unless it has happened to you no one can say what a relief to know your baby is alive and well and has a wonderful family. I often sat through the night with private patients in the labour ward and they were always so interested in our lives and babies. I would love to hear from any of the girls who were there Sept 65 to March 66 to talk of the old faces, Dr Barry Crisp, Mrs Morgan, Capt Smardon, Brigadier Burrows and the lovely Scandinavian girls.
 
Hi, please contact me if you want further details especially if your relative was at Lyncroft around my dates, Sept 65 to March 66.
 
Good afternoon, I live in Lichfield (a stone's throw from The Hedgehog Pub - formerly Lyncroft House.) Is this the Lyncroft House the thread concerns? I ask, because by coincidence my theatre company is in the process of rehearsing Amanda Whittington's play 'Be My Baby' - concerning the fate of 4 teenage girls in a church run mother and baby home during the 1960s. I was utterly speechless when I discovered that Lyncroft house had actually been the location of such a place.
I was dearly hoping that someone with first hand-experience of living through the 1960s having spent time at Lyncroft might share some of the fascinating story with me & my cast - as we would love to create a performance that is as authentic as possible. The production opens at the Garrick theatre in Lichfield on April 16th.
 
persuasion, I had my daughter 10 January 66 I remember all those names as I said Dr Crisp was our family doctor, You must have left before I went
 
Hello differentanimal:
The Lyncroft House referred to in this thread is in Handsworth Wood, Birmingham. The Lyncroft House-Hedgehog Pub in Lichfield has a very interesting
history as it was once the home of composer Muzio Clementi, who though somewhat forgotten these days, wrote some amazing pieces of music. I have a great interest in
Midland orchestras and composers. Here is a historical link to Lyncroft House, Lichfield. https://revpatrickcomerford.blogspot.ca/2011/08/staying-in-lichfield-home-of-forgotten.html I am very fond of Lichfield, my brother lived there for a few years and I always visit when in Birmingham. The Garrick Theatre is a great building. Haven't been to a play there as yet but pass it on my way from the station. Good luck with your new play.
 
Hello, I am Marlene and was at Handsworth Wood September 65 to March 66 and would be delighted to share my experiences of this time as the social situation was so different to that of today. Happily, my son has made contact and all is well, pity he lives in Southampton and I am in Brierley Hill.
Please let me know how to contact you as I am not sure how to give addresses or numbers on this site.
 
If you click on the persons Name in the thread, a box comes up with 4 options. Click on Instant Messsage.
Hope this helps.
 
Patty, we were there at the same time as I had David 29th December 65. We were well looked after and for the first 2 weeks remained on wing, where private patients were, and doing very little or just light work.
Who delivered your baby?
Marlene
 
Hello, I am Marlene and was at Handsworth Wood September 65 to March 66 and would be delighted to share my experiences of this time as the social situation was so different to that of today. Happily, my son has made contact and all is well, pity he lives in Southampton and I am in Brierley Hill.
Please let me know how to contact you as I am not sure how to give addresses or numbers on this site.

Hi Marlene. I was at Lycroft house about the same time as you. My name is Jennifer Manton and had a little girl called Elizabeth who I am in constant touch with. Did your surname bag in with B, if so I remember you very well. After I had my baby I was Captain Smiths 'fairy', I also had to get the coal from the basement of thd house, a job I hated, it was so dark and creepy down there lol, I live in Solihull and would love to hear from you. Take care xxx
 
Hi Jen, how lovely to hear from you, of course I remember you and your baby being named Elizabeth. You had a suede coat the same as mine and didn't you live in Erdington with a brother named Dougie or have I got that bit wrong? So pleased you have made contact with Elizabeth, is she near by and does she have children, I have two granddaughters by Sam, previously David, 21 and nearly 19 and we have Chloe nearly 20 and Joseph 10 by our son James. I married Pete you may remember he used to meet me some days on his scooter when we went for our mid day walks, gosh how strict were those days but in a strange way I feel pleased to have had such an experience sad and devastating as it was. I live on our narrowboat at the waterfront, Brierley Hill and look forward to hearing from you
 
Hi Jen, how lovely to hear from you, of course I remember you and your baby being named Elizabeth. You had a suede coat the same as mine and didn't you live in Erdington with a brother named Dougie or have I got that bit wrong? So pleased you have made contact with Elizabeth, is she near by and does she have children, I have two granddaughters by Sam, previously David, 21 and nearly 19 and we have Chloe nearly 20 and Joseph 10 by our son James. I married Pete you may remember he used to meet me some days on his scooter when we went for our mid day walks, gosh how strict were those days but in a strange way I feel pleased to have had such an experience sad and devastating as it was. I live on our narrowboat at the waterfront, Brierley Hill and look forward to hearing from you

Hi Marlene. It's so good to hear from you. Elizabeth, (they kept her name) got in touch with me when I was 40 so it's a long time ago now, so I've known her since before she had her two children, Emily and Josh. She lives in Crewe now but was raised in Hereford. Emily now has a little boy so I'm a great grandmother lol. Fancy you remembering my brother Doug, he moved to Devon about 3 years ago but unfortunately he had quite a bad stroke about 2 years ago, he won't ever fully recover, it's very sad. I had 5 more children. Another girl called Christine and four boys Daniel, Richard, Gerald, and Gordon, I'm really lucky, they're great kids and really look after me. Everything hasn't always gone smoothly with Elizabeth but we're ok now, I'll tell you that story later. I very often think of those days, I can look back now but for years I buried it deep, I still don't feel comfortable talking to other people about it so it's nice to be in touch. It must be wonderful living on a longboat, the grand union canal is just a few hundred yards from me, it runs under Damson lane and a couple of minutes away it runs under Hampton lane in Catherine de Barnes. Please keep in touch it would be lovely to meet up one day. Take care xxx
 
Hello there,
im trying to find out if my mother was at this place too!
Maybe then i can try find my sister, i need a place to start.
yu guys seem to have been there at the same time, so fingers crossed!
Shuriea meah
had a girl anita nesa meah
born 26th november 65
thanks hayley
 
I cant rember there namess but doctor Crisp was there the date 10 Jan 1966 at 3 oclock
 
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