2 Raddlebarn Road, Selly Oak, Northfield, Kings Norton, Birmingham

[andycadman]

I believe that 2 Raddlebarn Road, Selly Oak, Northfield, Kings Norton is a place were single mothers to be went to give birth to illegitimate children. I also believe that it may have been a workhouse.

This address was given on a birth certificate dated 1910 that I have.

Can anyone please confirm this and perhaps tell me a little more about this place at this time?

I believe that many of the records have been lost. 

Any further information on this establishment at this time would be much appreciated.

Andy 

[kaz]

Andy ,

Have Pm'd you,

Kaz

[andycadman]

Thanks for the PM Kaz. Your  info adds to the picture.

What I think is 2, Raddlebarn Road  was an address that registrars are known to have used for Kings Norton Workhouse.  I think it was the workhouse infirmary. Also I think in those days possibly the workhouse infirmary was the nearest thing to an NHS hospital. This can be seen on the workhouse web site. There's no doubt this was a probably proper professional hospital. It's only a few years later that the workhouses and their hospitals were to be handed over to local authorities and the term 'workhouse' would become history!

I hope that I am thinking along the right lines. Perhaps someone can help here. I would just like to know a little more about what life was like at that place at that time. Also to find any records for 1910 if they still exist anywhere.

Andy

[kaz]

Andy,

Have you seen this site:

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?KingsNorton/KingsNorton.shtml

K

Oops ..of course you have  - you've just mentioned it.Sorry - must be having a "moment"...which is obviously lasting a long time!!

[andycadman]

Thanks Kaz,

I have seen the web site,  but your posting has given me another thought.

Should this discussion be under Worcestershire?  I believe the birth certificate has Worcestershire on it.

I always think of Birmingham as Warwickshire, but not all of it was!


Andy

[kaz]

Andy,

Can't help you there i'm afraid. However,  if no one can  help you on this website then you may wish to try:

http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/index.php

Regardless of which part of Birmingham they may be able to help/point you in the right direction.

Kaz

[andycadman]

Many thanks for the tip Kaz.  I will give it a try in two days time as user registration has been temporarily suspended on this site.

Andy

[Tricia_2]

This place is still there. It became Selly Oak Hospital.

My great aunt was also born there ~ when her mother was unmarried. She was baptised in a private ceremony and I found the details of that in Birmingham Central Library ~ I think under records for St Mary's church.

The site was for Kings Norton Union Workhouse and also also Kings Norton Union Infirmiary.

It was in Worcestershire and the area became part of Greater Birmingham in 1911.


(Coincidentally, my elder son was also born there ~ in 1986!)
It is now part of University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust:
http://www.uhb.nhs.uk/ 

[mikeflan]

Well of course that address does sound like Selly Oak Hospital today...but...there was also a place on Raddlebarn Road that was opposite St Edwards RC School....the place was a very big building indeed owned by the RC Church and single RC mothers would go there to be 'helped' with their births !!  it was staffed by Nuns and the place was called 'Woodville' that building was demolished many years ago and now on the site is St Mary's Hospice