I was first admitted to the Sheffield Children's Hospital on 15th December 1955, when I was five years old. I was on ward 8, ruled over by Sister Petty. Petty by name and petty by nature, she ruled the ward with a rod of iron. Because we lived in Doncaster my parents had to use "Long Distance Visiting" - an hour in the week, and an hour at weekends.

I was in over Christmas, but because of the operation I'd had there was a bandage around my head and under my chin, and it kept slipping down over my eyes and I couldn't see what was going on. At one stage there was a clown and a juggler trying to cheer us up - I guess they were doing their best.

The next time I went to the hospital, Ward 8 had closed, to be replaced by an operating theatre, and I was installed on Ward 2. It couldn't have been more different. The Ward Sister was Sister Jamson, and she remained a good friend until her death many years later. I also found that just down the corridor was the telephone exchange, with its keyboard full of interesting looking cords and plugs. The operator, Mrs Blinco, invited me in, and I soon became an adept operator, occasionally phoning the ward to see how I was progressing. Again we kept in touch with Mrs Blinco for many years.

The porters were another source of amusement and entertainment for bored kids. The only name I can remember is "Peter the porter", but there were several others.

Ward 2 was opposite the burns ward, and seriously injured children were often brought in, and at one time I was sharing a side room with a tiny baby in an incubator, who had been scalded because someone had wrapped it in a blanket with a hot water bottle, and the bottle had leaked.

I also spent some time on Ward 4, as the Professor at the University wanted to study the way I was developing.

All in all I missed two years of schooling through being in hospital, but I soon caught up when I was back in the junior school.

John

What a fab story! I'd love to hear more about your memories of the childrens!

My sister was also there over Christmas - she said it was the best Christmas she ever had. One of the junior doctors got dressed up as Father Christmas in an outfit made from red blankets and cotton wool. He went from ward to ward saying "Ho, Ho, Ho - what have I got in my sack for you, eh?"..:) The ward was run by Sister Irene Jamson - as danensis wrote she was a lovely person.

i was in the childrens hospital at christmas time in the late 50's but cant recall the ward sisters name ,i do remember the nurses coming round at night with small lanterns and singing christmas carols ,they gave me a david nixon magic set and a water pistol of all things
it was a cowboy pistol and was bright orange,i shot the lord mayor when he came to visit :hihi:

Both my children and two of my grandsons were treated in the Childrens Hospital for either serious head injuries or surgery. The staff were absolutely fantastic and where totally commited to the job they do. No amountm of praise could go anywhere enough to say thank you for their dedication.
i am proud to know that Sheffield is the only hospital in yorkshire that is commited to the care of our children not only for us but for any child where ever they are who need treatment whenever the hospital is able cto provide.
May the White Rose Of Yorkshire flourish forever along with lesser other attractive flowers.

In the middle of the ward was a huge wooden fixture, with cupboards in it, containing hundreds of soft toys. We found that if the toys were removed, you could actually crawl in one side of the fixture and emerge at the other side. It used to drive the nurses mad when they were trying to find you to give you medicine.

One night we all made child-size lumps in the beds with soft toys and then went and hid in the annexe. The nurse didn't half get a surprise when she came round with the medicines.

John

I was in the Childrens in 1949 after road accident for almost five months. Th visiting was inhumane, one parent at a time on Sundays only, and then o9nly for an hour. The nurses used to stand round Sisters desk to see who was to go home that day, I longed for it to be my turn! The nurses would stand in a semi circle with arms folded behind thier backs. I can remember going into the theatre and having a mask over my nose and ether 'dropped' into it. I broke both legs in the accident and as I was learning to walk again I slipped and broke my left leg again!! I can remeber having a caliper on my left leg, they didn't bend in those days, it didn't stop me doing much. I had my left shoe adapted to take the appliance, it rubbed the top of my leg and left heel, I have the scars 60 years later. I am told I would ahve been an inch or so taller had it not been for the accident, very useful, I am only five -three! All those years ago and I still can recall almost everything about that day!

I was in the childrens when i was around 7/8 for around16 weeks,i remember a nurse called wild who would regulaly smack us kids if we were naughty.
I was on a ward with the bay windows overlooking the botanical gardens,(I believe its the dining rooms now)i remember my mom used to be a canvasser and would call at the hospital with her boss and workmates after work ,they once borrowed a big pole from the botanical gardens and passed me chocolate pennies through the bay window,there was hell to pay with (miss wild ) again who smacked my face,i remember when visiting was over i used to scream after my mom and dad whilst they were stood at the bus stop,my dad went home crying everynight .
The other nurses were lovely though and would always give us a cuddle when our parents had gone,i remember i was on the ward with the kids who had spina bifida with enlarged heads,those poor kids,I once had to count on a piece of paper how many times one of the kids had a kind of seizure for the doctors,can you imagine that.
I remember my mom was in hospital at the same time as me so my dad could only visit every other day so my aunt used to come bring me some sweets and grapes,sit and eat them all then go home lol.I had a skin problem and had to go into the cellars and sit in a bath in just my knickers ,with goggles on under a ultra violet lamp,it was bloody freezing,I was a very unhappy little girl during my time at the childrens.

I was in the Childrens Hospital r 3 months in 63, and we had a teacher used to come in and make sure we did have some education. With daily injections the Kidney bowl will live with me for ever.
While I was there there was a boy who had heart surgery and was in a private room, I used to visit him every day. We did keep in contact after the hospital, but as always it stopped. His name if I remember was Ronald Hay.
From the age of 25 I have always sent donations to the hospital, and when I retun bak to Sheffield I leave a few tins of chocks and sweeties for the Nurses.

What a first class hospital

Because of some strange rule, my sister wasn't allowed to visit with my parents, and had to stay outside. However the garden outside Ward 2 had some railings at one end, and my sister came up to them to talk to me. She pressed her face against the railings, and when she stood back she had two vertical black lines down her cheeks from the soot.

Sheffield's a lot cleaner these days.

At the other end of the garden was the mortuary. We used to dare each other to go in there when no-one was about. There was also a boiler house, with enormous self-stokers - again the boilerman used to let us go in and have a look round - the elf and safe tea would never allow it these days.

John

What a great thread and some wonderful stories. I never spent any time in the Childrens apart from out-patient visits for broken bones on a couple of occasions so this insight into the experiences of children staying there is quite fascinating :)

Matron was unofficially known as "The Enemy". When she came on the ward even the consultants - who in those days were considered demigods - would quake in their shoes.

On the other hand the sister tutor was a lovely lady, who always had time to stop and talk to us, and who helped the nurses with their training

You can still see the old "out patients" entrance though its bricked up now, and this lead into what we called the "bottom corridor" because it was down a ramp from Ward 2. There was a little used operating theatre down there, and we used to go and play in there, laying on the table and pretending to cut each other open.

This is all beginning to sound a bit like St Trinians - so on a more serious note, when I was admitted on Boxing Day 1956 because of problems with my breathing, I had to have an emergency trachaeotomy which took place in a little room between the two operating theatres on the top floor. I could see everything that was going on reflected in the light above my head, so the anaesthetist suggested I close my eyes so the light didn't hurt them - that was just before he cut a hole in my neck.

John

I spent much of my childhood in the Children's - from age 2 to 11. (circa '56 - '65).

In the early years the regime was harsh and brutal. I couldn't wear my own clothes - we were given 'uniforms' - like the 'workhouse'.

Visiting was for half an hour from 6.00 to 6.30 only.

The food was awful and we still had to use ration cards for things like milk.

For a number of years I was a patient of Ward 4, ruled over by the notorious Sister Brown. I'm sure she hated children!

On one occasion she decided to give me an injection while I was looking the other way and that turned into an absolute phobia for many years.

On another occasion I was sent to bed without dinner by Sister Brown for flushing my nightie down the toilet with 'Tony'. Tony was also a patient of my surgeon and had no ears (the surgeon was re-creating them) - would love to know how his life turned out if anyone knows about him.

Another occasion I remember - after having serious nasal surgery, the trolley came around with supper and they had almost run out (??!) so, despite the fact that I could barely eat, I was served half a dried out pastie that was as hard as nails!

I remember Mrs Housley (sp?) who was the cleaner and mopped the badly cracked terrazzo floor every morning - she was lovely.

Later, Ward 7 was my regular home and there was a wonderful Sister Day.

She was very kind and I went back to visit her 20 years later.

Also remember the lovely Nurse Wassenidge and Sister Lofthouse/Aldous.

Re mortuaries - I remember looking out of window in Ward 7 and could see a baby (not moving) on a red blanket through a skylight down below - the staff wouldn't believe me for quite a while and then suddenly the skylight was blocked out! Bit scary for a small child.

Somewhere else on this site there is a post about the hospital and particularly the Micky Mouse 'rocking horse' that was in the ground floor reception of the hospital.

Sheffield Children's has been the site of momentous research and surgical achievements and surely has to be one of the best hospitals in the world. I will be eternally grateful for the treatment I received and in particular (the late) Mr Austin Young, the surgeon, who gave me a life. Without him I would have been cactus!!

the original children's infirmary looked more like a slum dwelling ,here's a little history of it

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sheffield/low/people_and_places/history/newsid_8274000/8274970.stm

The NHS was still finding its feet in the 1950s. I remember the cots still had plaques above them saying who had made a donation towards the cost. You wouldn't get that these days would you - people having to launch charity appeals for basic hospital equipment:)

John

Yes - I remember the plaques above the beds 'the Princess Mary bed' etc.

Also remember the bedspreads - pink for girls and blue for boys and, for some bizarre reason, they were all changed to dark green every night -and then changed back again the next morning!!

We never went outside except, if you had been there for weeks on end, there was a little bit of grass between the building and side street and we got to play with a ball for half an hour.

Re charity appeals for hospital equipment- I live in a city (Australia) where there is a huge telethon every year to raise money for equipment and new facilities and yet we are a wealthy society with world-leading state of the art medical equipment and buildings.

When I first came to live here I was appalled at hospitals having to rely on charity and fund raising for some items but the longer I have been here and the more I think about it - it makes sense to have the community committed to supporting health care - as long as the government provides the core facilities.

My comment about hospital equipment was a bit tongue-in-cheek. I don't want to wander off-topic, but our health service relies on voluntary contributions for raising funds for eveything from scanners to hospices.

I'd quite forgotten about the changing the bedcovers business. When I was having trouble with my breathing, I had to sleep sitting up. I had a wooden over-bed tray which rested on each side of the bed frame. On this went a couple of pillows, and I slept with my head on my arms, resting on the pillows. My shoulders still haven't recovered from that 50 years later!

John

...we are a wealthy society with world-leading state of the art medical equipment and buildings.

So are we - but there ain't never enough of it..:)

...the more I think about it - it makes sense to have the community committed to supporting health care - as long as the government provides the core facilities.

Absolutely right. Here in the UK there are all kinds of fund-raising activities (many Forummers will remember the Royal Hallamshire Hospital's body scanner appeal) and most hospitals (including the Sheffield ones) have "leagues of friends" which do a great deal of valuable work raising funds and providing hospitals with such facilities as the NHS cannot provide. The league of friends of the Sheffield Children's Hospital exists, to quote its website (http://www.schleagueoffriends.com/), "to raise funds to promote the welfare and lifestyle of the patients, to assist with the hospital's educational facilities and to provide funding for other projects which come within our remit. The Friends also fund the distribution of toys to the wards at Christmas, and assist with funding for specialist equipment and holidays for needy children and their families in the summer".

I was in the childrens round about 1958 ,had surgery for hole in the heart(big op in those days)Professor Zackary(spelling??)was the consultant,and the doctor who i saw all the time ,whos name escapes me..was known to me as cheyanne after cheyanne bodie..... which was the best western on the tv at the time ..lol...they were both 6ft 6 ins:love:

I can remember also my brothers wernt allowed to visit and my parents for half an hour at a time it was so strict it was unbelievable lol......1978 twenty yrs later i was working at the flower bowl in sheffield interflora delivering bouquets..and amazingly one of my deliveries was to prof zackary for his retirement..it brought a tear to my eye when i gave it to him and told him i was one of his old patients ....oh and i did thank him as well;)

I spent some time in Sheffield Childrens Hospital over the years, from aroun 1961 to 1971, for operations on my eyes, I was under the care of Professor Knutt. I remember the cots with plaques, the large toy cupboard and the carol singing. I remember my dad visiting me straight from work and he bought me a huge back full of different chocolate bars and I put it in my bedside locker. The next day it had disapeared, because it wasnt allowed! I was so upset, and my mum shouted at him for spending so much money on sweets which I never got to taste!

I was in the Childrens Hospital in April 1954 suffering from Glandular Fever which was apparently quite uncommon in those days; medical students were brought from the university across the road for lectures.
I then went to a convalescent home in Scarborough for 6 weeks.

Another thing I remembered last night, was the chap who used to come round telling bible stories and teaching religious songs. One I remember was about Zaccheus who was a very little man, and climbed up a tree to see Jesus, and Jesus said "Come down Zaccheus I'm coming to your house for tea".

We also had a lady who came round to teach us, though I don't remember the lessons being very difficult or demanding.

John

I was in the Children's Hospital in the early 1950s, and although I can't remember much about it I have enjoyed reading this thread. I do remember the bible story man and his songs. Here's the Zacchaeus song:

..Zacchaeus was a very little man
..And a very little man was he
..He climbed up into a sycamore tree
..For the Saviour he wanted to see

..And when Jesus passed that way
..He looked into the tree
..And said 'Now Zacchaeus, you come down,
..For I'm coming to your house for tea.'