Doriscourt Nursing Home Whalley Range

[lib58]

Some photos I took today. Where it was.

[sarah]

Hi Lib58,

There is a topic at the bottom of this thread for helping post image on RootsChat

Regards

Sarah

[CherylP]

I was also born at Doris Court and would really appreciate a bit of help. I never got to find my birth mother and guess I never will. I am, however a writer and am researching about my past and the plight of others like me and indeed our birth mothers at around this time. Here is a link to a radio interview to the BBC in Northern Ireland which is where I now live
https://audioboom.com/boos/2351232-big-interview-nickmgarbutt-s-story-of-his-childhood-adoption-bbcnolan

I would be very grateful if any of you could share with me any details you can remember of Mary Walsh, what she was like, how she looked, anything like that plus any details any of you can remember from your time there, how you were treated, what the staff were like what the "skivvie" work involved anything at all would be really helpful
Nick

My husband was born in Doris Court in 1954. I met Mary Walsh many years later when she was visiting his adoptive mother. She had fair/grey hair then and was a bit plump. I am struggling to remember. I think she had an Irish accent. I don't think I took any photos of her. Unfortunately most of my mother-in-laws photos were taken away by her other adopted son who we never see now.

[Miss Windermere]

I was adopted through Doriscourt in 1958 although Mary Walsh had transferred my mother to hospital for the birth.... I have a handwritten letter from Mary Walsh to my adopted mother giving her a date and time to come and see me... I am new to this site

[LizzieW]

I  might have mentioned somewhere else on this thread but it's too long to search through, that the couple who adopted my baby, were given the details of Doriscourt by their GP and then basically just asked for a baby.  Presumably they were told what they had to do and presumably were advised that a suitable baby was available, as they turned up the day I was leaving Doriscourt to go home, collected my baby and drove away with her. 

In 1960 without motorways they had a long journey home - probably only about an hour now with motorways - and they stopped on the side of the road to feed and change my baby.  They told me that someone also stopped, saw the baby and congratulated the mother on the birth of such a beautiful baby.  The adoptive mum said she felt really guilty because she didn't feel it was her baby and she vowed there and then that she would do all possible to reunite the baby and me when the baby had grown up - and she and her husband kept their word and traced me so that I have been reunited with my daughter. 

I have photographs that her father took of her throughout her babyhood, childhood, teenage years and on into adulthood and parenthood, so that although I wasn't with her, I have seen what she was like growing up, becoming an adult and having children of her own.  My daughter in law has said I've probably got more of a record of a my daughter's life than I have of my other children, or her parents have of her and her sisters, so in that respect I am lucky.

The adoptive parents said that they felt the way they had got a baby wasn't right and the following day they went straight to social services to get things sorted out properly.  Thankfully, they were loving parents to my daughter - the one thing that most mums who give up a baby for adoption worry about - and she had a lovely childhood.  As often happens, her parents who had given up on having a baby of their own, produced their own son a year or so after they took my daughter, but the two get on very well.

[Pansypuss]

I was also born at Doriscourt in 1959. My birth mother was a 38 year old divorcee who found herself pregnant while working and looking after 12 year old twins. It would have been impossible for her to support another child so she probably did the best thing for me in her view. I bear her no ill will for her decision.

I traced my birth family unfortunately after my birth mother had died, so I have enough information to realise that I had a more comfortable home than my half-siblings did. However, the unconventional way that adoptions from the home were handled meant that I was adopted by a couple who would never have been allowed to adopt through the normal channels, so I had a very difficult upbringing, always being known as 'the adopted daughter' and never really feeling I belonged. My adoptive mother was a personal friend of one of the doctors attached to Doriscourt and had apparently visited and rejected a number of babies before they finally 'bought' me (she was very proud of the fact that they had paid for me!). She told me herself that she rejected one little boy on the grounds that he had ginger hair!

When I went through the process of tracing my birth family in the 1980s, I was counselled and advised by Manchester Social Services, who had some sketchy information about the circumstances of my birth and provided my original birth certificate, and I would advise anyone who is looking to trace their birth family to go down the same route as their advice, support and signposting was invaluable.

I too would be interested to see any photographs from around the late 50's, as I try to piece together my history.
Thanks in advance...

[LizzieW]

However, the unconventional way that adoptions from the home were handled meant that I was adopted by a couple who would never have been allowed to adopt through the normal channels

That is what worried me the most, that the adoptive parents of my daughter must have been unsuitable to go through the normal adoption procedure, especially when I was told by the matron at Doriscourt to just tell social services - when I went to sign the adoption papers - that the couple adopting were friends of the family.

Fortunately, for me and more importantly my daughter, the adoptive parents were wonderful to her and the only reason they chose the Doriscourt route was to save time.  At the time her adoptive father was 35 and social services were beginning to say he and his wife were too old to adopt.

I've met my daughter's adoptive parents and get on really well with them, they sent me loads of photos of her growing up and I've visited them quite a few times - in fact I've seen them more often than my adopted daughter as she lives in another country.

[Bellabell]

Hi iam new to this site have vvisited it many times but now feel inspired to join.I was born in doriscourt In1960 my mum was unmarried and 19. Mary Walsh organisedmy adoption through tthe Catholic Church. I had a very happy childhood and managed to trace my mum although she died before we met.i am planning to travel to Manchester this week to the site of doriscourt I know it is no longer there but feel the need to go and thanks for the photos whoever posted them.im happy to correspond with anyone in the same boat

[lib58]

Hi iam new to this site have vvisited it many times but now feel inspired to join.I was born in doriscourt In1960 my mum was unmarried and 19. Mary Walsh organisedmy adoption through tthe Catholic Church. I had a very happy childhood and managed to trace my mum although she died before we met.i am planning to travel to Manchester this week to the site of doriscourt I know it is no longer there but feel the need to go and thanks for the photos whoever posted them.im happy to correspond with anyone in the same boat

Did you manage to see where Doris Court was?I live 5 mins from the place. My husband was born there in September 1956.It's now called Russell Court.Whenever I walk past with my husband I always say the secrets untold.Unfortunately my husband no longer speaks to his mother so I can only remember what she said in the past.