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Selly Oak Hospital

Thank you for posting those very interesting photos Hellboy. I'm sure many of us on the Forum can relate to Selly Oak Hospital in some way or another!

Judy
 
I read with dismay on the BBC news site that Persimmon Home will be developing the site of the former hospital, this in my opinion is bad news for Birmingham heritage.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-31606850

The news article mentions that they will 'Retain historic buildings' however I have experience of this particular developer riding roughshod over the District Council in Lichfield and the section 106 agreement that clearly stated that Persimmon Homes were to retain and maintain a Grad II* listed building. This significant historically interesting building was sold to Persimmon Homes in 2005 in a pristine condition, unfortunately through factors solely and directly influenced by Persimmon Homes, it is now a piece of heritage at risk.

It is easy for this developer to dress this development up by saying "We are investing £100 million in this iconic site and look forward to beginning work on what will be a six to seven-year long project that will breathe new life into Selly Oak and create up to 1,560 jobs.
"It is an exciting opportunity for us as developers to build homes which meet local needs and reflect the history and unique situation of the site, integrating into Bournville and the surrounding areas."

In reality they will be spending £100 million as the cost to build 650 houses in a prime location, looking to walk away with a profit in the region of £500 million.


While I believe that we should have new homes built, I also think it goes without saying that Birmingham has in the past lost for too much of its heritage in the past for lessons not to be learned, and that the protection of our heritage is a key part of Birmingham's identity and its community cohesiveness.

I have written to the council and the local MP, and would urge anyone with a love of Birmingham's history and heritage to do the same. I would also ask everyone who can, get out there with a camera and record and photograph what ever they can, before its gone forever.
 
When I was 8-years old I had an emergency operation at Selly Oak Hospital for peritonitis (appendicitis getting much worse). Remember being carried down the stairs at our home in Hall Green to a waiting ambulance. My parents were warned that I might not get through the operation. Spent a week there and then a month at the Children's Hospital at Five Ways. I have always been very grateful for the NHS and the work that they do. We can also be thankful that medical science has so much improved in recent decades and that we are tending to enjoy longer and healthier lives. Dave.
 
My Grandfather was in Selly Oak Hospital for a very long time. He developed gangrene in his foot and after several operations lost his leg above the knee. Everyone was so kind to him and called him "Uncle Dick". I was young but I had a special pass to visit him, children weren't allowed in those days. My Dad was in a wheelchair too and one time they had a little race down a long corridor!
There was "occupational therapy" then, which involved making cane baskets, tablemats from tiles or matchsticks, window wipers from chamois leather pieces etc.
He looked forward to afternoon tea-time as they always had a little piece of cherry cake!!

My husband was in the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital recently, also in City Hospital. We have a lot to be grateful for.
rosie.
 
My eldest daughter was born in Selly Oak hospital on 12th January 1978....... very different from those days now
 
just caught up with this thread...great photos hellboy...does anyone know if the hospital has now been totally demolished

lyn
 
I'd assumed they'd keep the old workhouse buildings. The later hospital buildings are so widely spread it's difficult to work our what's going on. For example this building looks like it's being developed - not demolished. I'd have expected this type of building to be the first to go. It's a massive site so no doubt developers and authorities have been involved in some interesting wheeler dealings. Viv.
 

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Been trying to make sense of the vast site of Selly Oak Hospital/Kings Norton Workhouse/Infirmary site. It looks to me that part of the old workhouse building, some of the later infirmary and one of the entrances are still there. But it's all a bit confusing as you can only navigate the perimeter. Here are some Streetviews. I can see two developments underway; The Oaks and the Oval. These seem to be in the older buildings (I.e c1870 - c 1902). There has been some clearance on the Raddlebarn Road side, some of which might be of the old infirmary as the rubbke seems to consist of red brick. But it's difficult to be certain. . Viv.
 
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image.jpeg The main block in .c1910 compared with the current day building. The tower has lost its cupolas. Looks like some sort of ventilation for the main block. Viv.
 
A few photos from the BBC Birmingham site. These show the hospital from its early days as the Kings Norton Infirmary to the mid- twentieth century Selly Oak Hospital.
 

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A few more . How lovely if someone should spot themselves or their mothers on one of these photos .... Viv.
 

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Spent a few nights in there when I broke my arm (radius AND ulna) in Daisy Farm Park in 1961......they set it but it didn't knit correctly so I had to have it broken again (ouch)!
 
Hi Speedy. Not a good experience, although hopefully you were well cared for in there.

Hi Janice. Good to hear they're keeping the listed buildings. The site is so vast, I doubt developers could make a convincing case for clearing the whole site, so that's promising. Viv.
 
Thank you for those great photos Viv. Guess a lot of us have a connection with Selly Oak Hospital. I know my granddad died in there in 1945. Judy
 
This was what I saw 0n 6th June when I passed the Hospital on my way from Pembroke to Skipton !! Being my old neck of the woods I had to deviate my journey to get an update on my home ground form years ago. This block of the Hospital is Selly Oak Hospital.JPG where my sister spent a month in 1944 with a burnt bottom after sitting on an unguarded electric fire !! There was absolutely no visiting during that period!
 
Thanks for the update David and welcome to the forum. Your sister's burns sound very uncomfortable. Doubtless she remembers it all very clearly. Hope you enjoy the forum. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Thanks for the update David and welcome to the forum. Your sister's burns sound very uncomfortable. Doubtless she remembers it all very clearly. Hope you enjoy the forum. Viv.
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Thank you Viv for your favourable comments, however, I am anvil man and have been on the Forum for a few years now. When the provider changed I became slightly confused with the set up and experimented with the new system, hence the appearance of the different name. I seem to have come to terms with the system and more often than not enter as "anvil man".
 
My father had a heart valve operation in Selly Oak Hospital in 1961. A very tricky op in those days and he died within a few years. I remember my older my sister and me amused ourselves in a wooden gazebo affair in the grounds while Mother visited him. The days were hot and there was the smell of wood polish in the gazebo. I also recall red sandstone rock outside and elm trees everywhere.

Ray T.
 
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I have the distinction of having been born in Selly Oak Hospital in 1943. My father was a volunteer driver with the St. Johns Ambulance Brigade and was very often driving victims of the bombing raids on Birmingham to Selly Oak Hospital and would take the opportunity to see my mother whenever he could. It was not a fun time in Birmingham in 1943 and Selly Oak Hospital received lots of victims of the bombing raids.
 
Threads 3 years old, but that's where I was born in 56, had a broken wrist fixed from playing football in the school yard, also got my shin stitched up12 of them still got the scar after slipping try to jump up a 3 foot wall at the island in West Heath.

All those walls with white tile and I can smell the place to this day.
 
Before 2014, 1949 in fact:

Photographic News Agencies, London - Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh visit the Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, 1949

Princess Elizabeth chats with Helen Turner, aged 8, one of the hospital patients who presented her with a bouquet. The Duke of Edinburgh stands on the Princesss left.
www.rct.uk www.rct.uk
I think there are a couple of threads about this hospital.

Selly Oak Hospital, Raddlebarn Road documented - over 300 images (external website)

I was given access to the site over two days with permission from University Hospitals Birmingham and Coleman & Co. demolition group. Selly Oak Hospital started life as King's Norton Union Workhouse in 1872. Departments started to move from the site in 2010 into the new QE super hospital...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
I worked at SOH in 84/5 before moving to QEH then the Matty (Womens) and my wife trained and worked as a nurse there from 1986 to close and relocation to the QE. She recognises a couple of the wards pictured above and managed a couple of them. I was actually born at SOH and after starting work there, joined the cricket and football teams who I continued to play for after I'd left. I had many a great wednesday evening playing 20 overs a side cricket on the pitch by the nurses home.
 
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The new housing at The Oak near Oak Tree Lane and Raddlebarn Road looks all complete from the bus.

Meanwhile this building is still visible on Oak Tree Lane.

 
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My grandad Roy Winfield was born here in 1932, though it states Raddlebarn Road on his birth certificate. Love seeing the photos in this thread...
 
I know some people who were born in workhouses hospitals just had the address written on their birth certificate so they wouldn't feel shame when they were older...
 
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