Edinburgh Mother and Baby homes 1970's

[matheson13]

I was in a mother and baby's home back in 1971 in Edinburgh Scotland. From what my mum told me I was originally going to be put up for adoption without my mothers consent and when she was due to leave she was allowed to leave with me, She thought my nana had changed her mind and she would be able to keep me but after a few weeks she got a call to come back to the home and when she was there she was asked to go to the shops for something and as it was a work home she just did it , but upon coming back she found that i had been taken away to be adopted. As an adult now i am fuming that this happened to me and my mum. I cant find anything to help me find this home and where to start Edinburgh Leith walk that's it.

[nanny jan]

This might help:

www.mygov.scot/adoption-information/

[MaggiePotter]

Hi,

I was also in a mother n baby home in Leith 1971/72.  I think it was 17 claremont park, run by Catholic nuns.

Haven't located my mother yet but from own research it seems the women worked making carpets to pay their board.. I have suspicions my adoptive parents were paying the board so my mother didnt need to work and nuns keeping that from my mother so she had to work. My adoptive parents are dead so can't prove it.

The women were escorted on foot by a nun from there to leith hospital when they went into labour. The hospital was in mill lane but is converted to flats now.

[dowdstree]

Hi Maggie. Not a good start to life for any baby and mother.

One thing though Leith Hospital to my knowledge didn't have a maternity unit??? From Claremont Park it would have been the Eastern General Hospital - now closed too.

Dorrie

[MaggiePotter]

Hi Maggie. Not a good start to life for any baby and mother.

One thing though Leith Hospital to my knowledge didn't have a maternity unit??? From Claremont Park it would have been the Eastern General Hospital - now closed too.

Dorrie

Thanks for that Dorrie. Am I right thinking that would be in the Seafield direction?

I opened file when i was 18 and I'm pretty certain Leith Hospital was my place of my birth. I have an appointment in April to open file again as my court records should be in there now so I can confirm or correct that then.

[dowdstree]

Hi, you are correct and Claremont Park is at Seafield. It is on Leith Links and in the Leith Ward of Edinburgh District Council. You can find it on google maps. You can walk from the home to the Eastern Hospital in around 10 minutes. Possibly longer if you were in labour.

I lived in the area for many years from 1968. Neighbours and friends from the district had their babies at the Eastern General Hospital on Seafield Road.

A little information I have found for you on 17 Claremont Park - It was a Magdalen home for mothers and babies. It admitted unmarried mothers (first baby only) under the age of 25. Must be willing to remain for three or four months after confinement. Weekly charge 10/- or by arrangement. It's capacity was 12 mothers and 9 babies.

I feel so sorry for these poor girls.

Hopefully when you open your files in April you will be able to gain more information. Please keep us updated on what they tell you about your place of birth.

Take care,

Dorrie