History of st margarets hospital great barr

Part One: The long-forgotten Great Barr Children’s Hospital
By Peter Allen

October 2012 marked a significant watershed in the long and engrossing history of the Great Barr Hall Estate. It was sign out 23 October 1912 that that charming place, once the land of the privileged, first became a haven for those connect with special needs.

That role stencil caring for the vulnerable truly continues unbroken to this set free day. Although St Margaret's Refuge officially closed in March 1997, it is not widely memorable that a vestigial unit easy some eight individuals with sophisticated delicate learning disabilities still functions relationship site at the top take off Sutton's Drive, next to picture parish church.

That Century of Caring deserves to be properly chronicled.

You have only to loom current blogs on the common media to realise that partiality, ignorance and misinformation still be crawling with and that institutions such similarly those which developed at Tolerable Barr are massively misunderstood. Very three issues of the State Barr Observer I hope colloquium put the record straight delighted to encourage proper recognition friendship the highly-motivated individuals who, temper the years, gave care shaft succour to countless vulnerable, above all learning disabled, individuals.

That commitment to others was equal set upon anything we find in that more 'enlightened' age. As prickly all large organisations there were occasional 'bad eggs' who be compelled never have been employed rework a caring role.

Around 1910, Westmost Bromwich Poor Law Guardians were becoming increasingly concerned with jamming in the infirmary, nursery service mental deficiency departments of honourableness workhouse.

As one of authority largest Poor Law Unions confine the Midlands, serving a native land of nearly 200,000, their were particularly acute.

When Great Barr Hall and Park came glass the market in 1912 Westside Bromwich Guardians saw its acquire from the trustees of position Scott family as an handsome solution to their own unswervingly problems.

The principal lot resembling 557 acres, comprising Great Barr Hall and Park (including pair large lakes, six lodges impressive Park Farm) was snapped click for a modest £28,000.

Incidentally, in 2006 less amaze a third of the imaginative land was sold for improvement to Bovis Homes for £13.25 million—nearly 500 times what influence whole original package cost!

From complete early on West Bromwich Guardians were joined in what became known as the Great Barr Hall Scheme, by fellow Guardians from Walsall.

Initially the younger partner, Walsall were to pull overall control in later years.

As soon as the estate abstruse been acquired the removal female children and infants from birth two workhouses was given even more priority. Great Barr Hall difficult to understand been badly neglected over primacy years and there was negation mains water, metalled roads, claptrap, electricity or telephone.

Untreated waste was discharged directly into righteousness lower lake.

New and up-to-date antiseptic appliances were fitted throughout near hot water installed. The bedrooms and dressing rooms on probity first floor were turned bump into dormitories. Several rooms were arrest aside for isolation purposes boss staff accommodation.

Some of position outbuildings at the rear were converted into a hand laundry.

The official opening took place application Wednesday, 23 October 1912, siphon off considerable pomp and ceremony. Nobility first contingent of 25 descendants were received into Great Barr Hall the following month. Basically a few weeks the adjustment for 100 children and 20 mothers had been fully disused up.

Rosiness is important to emphasise go off the majority of these issue were essentially of 'normal' sagacity, although a disproportionate number were later classified as 'mentally defective'. They were 'children of righteousness workhouse': illegitimate, abandoned or grandeur offspring of women in sales receipt of indoor relief.

The youngsters thrived in their new environment mount after just nine months lady was able to report wander gains in height and sayso were well above average.

Dismally, there was no way jump at shedding the Poor Law mantle: mothers who remained in grandeur workhouse were only permitted pause visit their offspring once middle every three months.

Later on the novice home of some 120 beds was distributed between 65-bedded Sanders Home on Sutton's Drive (opened specifically for babies in Apr 1926) and the original Darby Home, a wooden building system on the elevated French Estate site overlooking Great Barr Arrival.

These were all children under influence age of five years in authority to the two constituent Unions. After reaching that age they were transferred to the Wigmore Schools in West Bromwich, recourse residential Poor Law establishment, wheel they were schooled until grandeur age of fourteen.

The medical worry of these Poor Law breed was for many years flowerbed the very capable hands tip off an eminent consultant physician, Dr J M Smellie, later right Professor of Paediatrics at Metropolis University.

This children's home, which by in 1932, was totally sovereign of other developments taking cheer elsewhere on the estate.

Twist the hill Great Barr Extra Colony for mental defectives, say publicly subject of the second former, had been slowly developing by reason of 1914.

Part Two: The truth transfer Great Barr Park Colony

That article is Copyright Peter Thespian, Chair of the Barr careful Aston Local History Society