Scarlet fever hospital Blyth

[Pete E]

Thought I would share this photograph with Rootschatters. Taken in the early to mid 1930's it shows a group of children with their nurse who I understand were recovering from Scarlet Fever at a fever hospital in Blyth. This hospital (?) was supposed to be located at Monkeys island and Blyth Staithes are visible in the background. My mother Irene Murray is on the left of the back row in the bonnet. Does anybody recognise the other children or know more about the hospital?

[stanmapstone]

There were two hospitals. If you go to http://gis.durham.gov.uk/website/interMAP/viewer.htm and do a post code search on NE245TG it will center the map on where one of the Infectious Diseases Hospitals was. If you zoom out and go to the 1938-50 map both hospitals are shown. They appear to have been built in the late 19th Century.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

The 1866 Sanitary Act (29&30 Vict., c.90) introduced penalties for persons suffering from dangerous infectious diseases who endangered others in public places, and gave powers to authorities to provide hospitals or contract for the use of hospitals or parts thereof. The 1893 Isolation Hospitals Act (56&57 Vict., c.68) enabled provincial county councils to establish isolation hospitals.


Stan

[Pete E]

Thanks for that Stan, located both the hospitals and viewed locale from above courtesy of Google earth. Wondering if they were for different diseases or if one was for children and the other for adults?

[stanmapstone]

Apparently it was Bedlingtonshire Urban District  Isolation Hospital, Staith Quay, and there was also the Bedlington Fever Hospital.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

The Bedlington Fever Hospital was at Stakeford, Sleekburn.

Stan

[Phodgetts]

I hope this response generates more interest in the wonderful photo given now that there are  more Blyth folk helping out with the Northumberland stuff.

This fever hospital was on the site of Monkey's Island also known as Factory Point. There had been an alkali factory on the site prior to the hospital.

In the background behind the children can be seen the West Staith which juts out into the River Blyth from the North side on an almost true North - South alignment. Factory Point is still a bit of an open space / wilderness with not much else to see in the close proximity of the Point. Judging by the shadows in the photo the sun is shining on their south side perhaps with a tiny bit of West in it, so I estimate the time of the photo to be late morning to early afternoon perhaps a little later if the photo was taken high summer.

This hospital was destroyed in an air raid in WWII. The site is now a boat storage yard with a slipway into the river.

Here is a photo of the hospital. I hope you get an email reminder Fremund.

Philip 

[Bill_r]

I don't know what this hospital was used for. Perhaps someone can tell us.

[stanmapstone]

From the OED;
cottage hospital n. a small hospital, in a cottage or similar building, and without a resident medical staff, provided for the wants of a small community; also, a hospital arranged on the principle of having a number of detached cottages or buildings.

Stan