Simpson Hill Maternity Home Heywood

[Digas1]

Hi,

Does anyone know of the Simpson Hill Maternity Home, Heywood?  It was still open around the 1950's. 

Thanks for any help,

Digas

[Barbara.H]

There was a thread about Simpson Hill not too long ago:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,392191.0.html

if any of the info here would help

  Barbara

[Digas1]

Thanks Barbara.  I had looked at this but just seemed to go round in circles.  Nothing was resolved so I thought I'd try again as that thread was over a year ago.

Thanks again for your reply,

Diane

[staceyk84]

Do you have access to online historical newspapers?  There is an article on Simpson Hill Maternity Home in the Manchester Guardian on the 5 July 1917.

I cannot post it on here due to Copyright but it is stating that Simpson Hill has been formally dedicated as a Maternity Hospital for the diocese of Manchester in association with the church rescue and preventative work.

It also states that the home used to be the home of the Hartley family of Heywood including Rev. Canon Rathbone Hartley, you may be able to find more info about the home by doing a search on the Hartley family?  I believe the Rev. Canon Rathbone Hartley donated the house when he moved to Devon.

There were 12 beds available at the Maternity Home.

Stacey

[Digas1]

Thanks for your reply Stacey.    I'll do more research with the information you've supplied and with luck it will prove to be very useful.

Thanks again,

Diane

[dingdong]

I was born at Simpson Hill in June 1949.  As far as I know it was a home for unmarried mothers who went there to have their birth.  have recollections of going back Christmas Day each year from when I was around 9 to 12 it could have been longer.  I remember a lady we called Matron and also someone called Miss Wiffin.  We used to go for Christmas tea and the spread was wonderful looked like a proper farmhouse/stately home kitchen to me. When the home closed Matron and Miss Wiffin  lived in Heywood and I remember visiting them again Christmas Time. My Mum died last year but she wouldn't talk very much about my past.  I always think of this at Christmas Day

[charlotteCH]

dingdong, hullo and welcome to rootschat

Thank you for telling us that...it brings the place to life.

Diane, another place that might have some info is the Local Studies library closest to there.  Worth asking them.

charlotte

[Digas1]

Thank you dingdong and charlotteCH.  I'm sorry I've not responded sooner but better late than never.  I really do appreciate your help.

It's a great shame that the last generation were reluctant to talk about unmarried Mothers.  It seems to have created areas of unhappiness.  Today we have no problems whatsoever which I feel is as it should be.

Diane

[naibr]

Simpson Hill Maternity Home, Heywood, is anyone still searching for information to this building which I visited a couple of years ago? Naibr