Genealogy Chat

Hi, does anyone know if there was such a thing. ( with a ward/section for childbirth) thanks Joan

Joan Why are you asking? I think it unlikely that a hospital dealing with eyesight - Moorfields is the obvious one - would have a childbirth section. nell

There is a story within the family that some of grandads family were born in a blind hospital. There are non of his generation left to ask, i do not and never have lived near london and have no idea of which hospitals/workhouses or any such may have been in use in the 1890's when Grandad was born. thanks anyway Joan

There was a hospital for the Indigent Blind somewhere in Westminster - found it by googling. But you could perhaps make the answer to your query easier by getting your relative(s) birth certs and seeing what the address was as their place of birth. nell

Yes I saw that on a site oh dear, cant remember what it was called, but it was like a directory of London by Charles Dickens. I did post it some time back, all the workhouses, hospitals, even hotels.

Yes the one in Brighton is called St Dunstans but I dont think they have ever had a maternity ward. Sheila

I put the following in to search and got 337000 hits, but I think page one will be enough for your needs? "hospitals for the blind London" I'm on ya hoo you might get more or less the same if you are on another search eng.

I remember as a child having eye surgery at the Western Eye Hospital, Marylebone Road, Marylebone. Not sure if they had a maternity ward. St Dunstans was also just around the corner but don't know if there was any connection. Keith

Thanks for all the suggestions, am still at the early stage on this line and awaiting a certificate for Grandads birth (in Wandsworth). I tracked this from his death registration in 1977. until i get this i do not even know the names of his parents. I know the first name of one sister but have yet to trace her birth&marriage etc. there were more siblings, but how many i don't know how many. Just trying to get ideas of possible locations, to identify possible family links when searching online. Thanks, Joan

Joan, FYI There is a blind school on the Wandsworth/Wimbledon borders that has been there for a long time. Linden Lodge. I googled and they have a web page but coud not find any history of the school. Good luck Kathy

Joan In our time i.e. 20th and now 21st century Moorfields Eye Hosptial in North London is recognised as the specialist Eye Hospital in London, it is also a very old Hosptial, but has been upgraded over the years, invest meant it was the number one in it's field. I know it very well an aunt of mine attended there for a number of years. Pat x

This may not be a great deal of help but there was a maternity hospital in City Road some years ago from what I was told I believe it was almost opposite Moorfields Eye Hospital, not sure but I believe it was known as the Lying In Hospital, my mother and my husband were both born there.

Yes Grace there was one there, I cannot recall the name of it though? What a shame we do not take notice of these things, when we are younger. I will now be bugged by that and will try and find it. Thanks Grace, because you have actually jogged my memory. Pat x

Hi Both my great grandparents were blind. They had 6 children and they were all born at home between 1888 - 1902. So maybe, you are looking in the wrong place.

My Grandad was a member of St. Dunstans in Brighton. Just Google and they have their own website. I just emailed them my Grandads name and they sent me loads of information about him Linda

Hi Pat - hated to think of you trying to remember the hospital so I googled - it was the City of London Lying-in Hospital originally opened in Old Street in 1773, renamed in 1918 as the City of London Maternity Hospital and closed down in 1983. Cant believe it opened so long ago. Grace

hi, Thanks to all for the replies. Something for me to work a bit more on i see. Still do not really know how much of what i've been told or remember from childood tales is actually true. I seem to be descended from a long line of fantasists by what i've found so far.!! (How come they never put it down on paper as i'm sure it would sell)! Joan

Grace, Brilliant, yes that's it, thanks a lot. Can't believe it closed in 1983!!! Thanks again for putting the info up. Pat x