Maternity hospital

[Doddie]

Hi, I am trying to trace a maternity hospital in Glasgow (closed now I expect). It was private I think and was located along Claremont Terrace. I know that it was operating until at least the mid 1960s. All help much appreciated.

Regards

Doddie

[Forfarian]

In my tree I have 28 people who were born at 12 Claremont Terrace, Glasgow between 1912 and 1966. One of them records the address as Park Nursing Home, 12 Claremont Terrace.

Also 7 born at 6 Claremont Terrace between 1921 and 1959 and 5 at 3 Claremont Terrace between 1930 and 1938.

The 1935 Valuation Roll lists nursing homes at Nos 1 (Proprietor Henrietta Gunn), 4 (Elizabeth Burns), 6 (Annie L Macpherson), and 12 (Elizabeth M Allan)

No 3 isn't listed at all in 1935, but it is listed as a nursing home in 1930, proprietor Elizabeth Burns.

So it looks as if you have four to choose from.

[Doddie]

Thank you Forfarian, that’s really helpful. I’ll try and dig a bit deeper.

Regards

Doddie

[LizzieW]

Interesting that maternity hospitals used to be called nursing homes - I guess because mothers and babies stayed in for 10 days, whilst the mothers rested and got used to nursing their babies.  Nowadays if you mention a nursing home, it conjures up a place for old people.

[Forfarian]

I'm not sure that's necessarily right - some nursing homes dealt with other things than maternity. For example a lot of nursing homes cared for people nearing the end of their life.

There was a large nursing home in Dundee called Fernbrae, which became a private hospital and only closed down five years ago http://www.rootschat.com/links/01t5t/. I had my tonsils out in Fernbrae when I was about two, and I remember hearing about various patients who had gone in there for one thing or another.

Also recall visiting an ancient great-aunt in a nursing home in Edinburgh in the 1950s. She had had a cataract operation and had to lie flat on her back for a fortnight afterwards.

[Jebber]

Nursing homes were commonly used for convalescence after both surgery and serious illness. Anyone who needed rest and recuperation but not were ill enough to need full hospital care would often spend time in a nursing home before returning home. Maternity care  was all part of their normal service when ten days to a fortnight was the common laying in period after a birth.

[Doddie]

Thank you very much for all feedback. All the information is very helpful. It has allowed me to tie up some loose ends.

Regards

Doddie