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The Sorrento had a special baby unit. Many premature babies or babies with blood disorders were taken there from places outside Birmingham for the specialist care it could offer newly born babies. The work of Dr Crosse was recognised in 1961 by a commemorative plaque at the hospital. I think it must have been ahead of its time compared with other hospitals. It was even included in a survey of comparing babies born at home vs in a hospital. The routine wearing of masks at the hospital demonstrated the lower incidence of infection passed on to newborns compared with home births.
A few cuttings showing Sorrento’s important work. Source: British Newspaper Archive.
Viv.
A few cuttings showing Sorrento’s important work. Source: British Newspaper Archive.
Viv.
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My twin and I were born two months early in 1948. We weighed just over thee pounds each. My father Vivian Bird, wrote an article for 'Woman,s Hour' of our birth, and how Sorrento saved us. In those days my mother had no idea she was having twins. My dad used to cycle from Hay Mills to Sorrento with expressed milk from mother for us. It changed dads life with one more child than expected he decided to give up teaching and become a writer. I have read the radio script. I have no idea where it is now. Probably thrown away with hundred of articles he wrote. I know the opportunity of having twin girls gave my dad the chance to name me. Molly Deirdre, after he love for Ireland. I still have an newspaper cutting on that.
donnaexpat
knowlegable brummie
donnaexpat
knowlegable brummie
extra to my earlier post, I went to torrent for a midwife appointment, they found I had toxaemia and I didnt get to go back home , I was in a month before I gave birth but they looked after me well.
superdad3
master brummie
My wife was born at Sorrento back in 1945 and has just read this thread and found it very interesting. This is from Birmingham Archives Dept. which answers some of the queries about its origins. More phots to follow later.
| AccessConditions | Records containing sensitive information about patients or members of staff are closed for 100 or 80 years respectively from the date of the last entry. Some registers are mouldy and unfit to serve. Please see item level records for details. |
| AdminHistory | The site of Sorrento Maternity Hospital on No. 15 Wake Green Road in Moseley was used as an institute for the poor and destitute between 1911 and 1915. This philanthropic venture had been the brainchild of William Adams who named the Victorian home after his favourite holiday resort in Italy. In 1916 Adams sold the property to Neville Chamberlain acting in his capacity as Director of National Service. Between 1916 and 1919 Sorrento was used as a home for soldiers disabled in the First World War, particularly paraplegic cases. In 1929 Sorrento was sold to the city of Birmingham and designated a maternity home for low income mothers. Several years later Sorrento was re-designated a maternity hospital. By 1931 Sorrento had a twenty bed capacity that was subsequently to increase to eighty. In order to expand its operations the Hospital purchased additional houses on Wake Green Road and Anderton Road, though converting these domestic premises into hospital facilities led to ongoing difficulties. During the Second World War the Hospital was subject to German air raids. Nurses collected babies in prams and shuttled them to nearby shelters while mothers made their own way to cover. The hospital sustained no major bomb damage during the war. In 1948 Sorrento Maternity Hospital joined the NHS. As part of this new organisation Dr Mary Crosse (OBE, MD) of Sorrento became involved in the creation of a human milk bank for maternity hospitals. This innovative concept was trialled at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in 1950 before being moved to Sorrento in 1955. Milk supplies collected at Sorrento were used to supply other maternity hospitals across the Birmingham area. In addition to the Milk Bank, the Hospital was also credited with pioneering work carried out at its Premature Baby Unit. Most of the structures constituting the Sorrento Maternity Hospital were Victorian houses converted for hospital use. Only the Premature Baby Unit, delivery theatre and boiler house were purpose built. Between 1948 and 1969 £144,000 were spent on the upkeep of various structures. In a parliamentary debate held on 24 March 1969 Mr Harold Gurden, MP for Moseley urgently requested additional funding for the outpatient and reception block, stating that no government ministry would allow such a building to be used for public purposes. Gurden went on to commend the work of staff, a sentiment echoed by fellow MPs. During the 1960s the resources of Sorrento were severely stretched. The opening of the Queen Elizabeth Maternity Hospital eventually relieved some of the patient burden from Sorrento, though the shift of patients from Sorrento to the QE was a gradual one. Ultimately the creation of major purpose built hospital complexes in the Birmingham area (including the QE) led to the decision to close the Sorrento Maternity Hospital in 1993. The site of the Hospital in Moseley was subsequently redeveloped as retirement homes. |
superdad3
master brummie
My wife's father served in both World Wars. But what I didn't know until just now,was that he served in the medical corp in WWI and was based at Sorrento when it was a military hospital.
I've attached a copy of ebay postcard said to be 1908. Not very good quality but on the back it details the rooms etc as in the picture. My wife said she was born in the room on the first floor, extreme left in 1945. Not that she remembers that! but used to come past with her mother for years as a child and told this
There was an article in Birmingham Live at https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/ne...ery/12-photos-old-sorrento-maternity-24943800
which has lots of phots of staff and babies...............
Have attached another after closure.
I've attached a copy of ebay postcard said to be 1908. Not very good quality but on the back it details the rooms etc as in the picture. My wife said she was born in the room on the first floor, extreme left in 1945. Not that she remembers that! but used to come past with her mother for years as a child and told this
There was an article in Birmingham Live at https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/ne...ery/12-photos-old-sorrento-maternity-24943800
which has lots of phots of staff and babies...............
Have attached another after closure.
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donnaexpat
knowlegable brummie
I believe my mother had twin babies sometime after 1954 when I was born. but have no details except they were born at Sorrento hospital as we all were and mothers name was Joyce rea or battle. is there any way of finding their birth details and if they were adopted or died.
donnaexpat
knowlegable brummie
id like to know too as there are twins in our family born there but I have no details whether they died or were adopted
donnaexpat
knowlegable brummie
hi have you ever found your birth mum, im looking for a sibling or twins born and adopted or dead. mothers name Joyce rea or cattle
donnaexpat
knowlegable brummie
looking for adopted or deceased details of twins born after 1954, mother Joyce v rea or cattle
not much info to go on im afraid...if we had a definate mothers maiden name and year of birth for the twins we could maybe find the births/deatbs registered on ancestry on post 134 you have given the name battle but on post 137 you have put cattle?...i take it you can not ask your mom more about this ?
lyn
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donnaexpat
knowlegable brummie
hi, my mothers maiden name was rea we were all registered in that name until she married mr d cattle then my name was changed only. mum died before I found out about the twins.
Carolyn Walker
knowlegable brummie
Hi, my son was born at Sorrento Maternity Hospital February 9th 1978 he had to be delivered a month early,we both had excellent treatment, my consultant was a Miss Hallam , midwife who delivered him was sister Feather. It was a good hospital and should never have been closed.
Hello there my name is Rajwant I am living in Austria I was born in Sorrento Hospital in Moseley I just wanted to know if there are any midwives here that were working or know me in the year 1974
My mums name is Narinder Kaur