The old Northern General Hospital

[jennybongo 10]

Does anyone remember the old Northern General Hospital? I was visiting today and drove around the hospital trying to remember where I spent a lot of my childhood on the children's ward. I remember driving up to it and the barrier was operated by a little person for years.

I spent some time there in the late 70's early 80's and loved it. I have fond memories of the ward with picture lights above the beds and the large matron/sister in charge (forgotton her name now).

It looks like most of it has been replaced..where were the old children's wards, have they been knocked down?

[hillsbro 29]

Hi jennybongo - I was a student nurse at the Northern General in the early 1970s. The hospital is so much bigger now that whenever I go there I get lost. When I was there, the children's wards were in the upper part of the grounds. As far as I can tell from the "multimap" aerial view the two single-storey buildings are still there, now surrounded by newer buildings but I don't know what they are used for now. Ward 16 was for children between the ages of about 1 and 10, and Ward 17 had a 10-cubicle nursery for babies, and also took 10 to 16 year-olds. I spent three months on Ward 17 and a month on nights mostly on Ward 16. There would obviously have been staff changes by the late 1970s but when I was there, Sister Russ was in charge of Ward 17. Maria Russ [1927-1988] was a large, tough, no-nonsense Yugoslav who ran the ward with efficient discipline and certainly knew her stuff - one of the best sisters I ever worked for. Dr Heggarty was the paediatrician whom we saw most of - an excellent doctor. Here is a photo, taken with Ward 17 behind the group - I am easy to spot! I am standing behind our tutor, Mary Peddle - a wonderful, warm-hearted person, if somewhat scatterbrained...

Edited December 4, 2011 by hillsbro

[scousemouse 10]

Some years ago, I went to the 'superintendants' house, from the days when it was the workshouse. I was amazed, it is abeautiful!! Sweeping staircase, all very elegant. When you think of how the people lived in the workhouse............................... the contrast is unbelievable.

[hillsbro 29]

It wasn't only the superintendent's house that was built on a grand scale. The central lobby and staircase of Fir Vale Infirmary (which was combined with the City General Hospital in 1967 to form the Northern General Hospital) was also very impressive, with expensive marble etc. And it had been built as a workhouse!

[willybite 10]

It wasn't only the superintendent's house that was built on a grand scale. The central lobby and staircase of Fir Vale Infirmary (which was combined with the City General Hospital in 1967 to form the Northern General Hospital) was also very impressive, with expensive marble etc. And it had been built as a workhouse!

 

hiya i was born in march 1938 in thie city general as it was known, mum had to have a section for me and it was a blaco yates ( sp ) who delivered me as dad always said he had a huge pair of hands but mum said so gentle,

 

ps i still remember the name of the baby born to the lady in the next bed to my mum it was tony stephenson he was born the week after me on the 17th march '38 ,later we started at the same school bujt he moved after a time.

Edited December 5, 2011 by willybite

[Nigel Womersle 10]

I've just had a three weeks stay in the Northern

General (Firth 2 ward). All the staff were excellent.

[hillsbro 29]

Hi willybite - yes, I seem to remember some of the older nurses telling me about a Dr Blaco Yates but clearly it was before my time at the N.G.H. It's nice to have your good opinion of the staff there, Nigel. I also had a short stay there in 2004 and I thought the staff were excellent.

[jennybongo 10]

Hi Hillsbro,

Think it was sister Wellburn in my day there on the children's ward and paed consultant was Dr. B.A.M Smith..lovely chap, wonder if he is still around?

[xfox3x 10]

I trained there (72-76) and remember Sr Wellburn, Sr Russ and BAM.

It's so different now..I get lost and also disoriented when I go there!

Funnily enough I had a dream the other night and I was walking over the bridge where 22A/B was.

[hillsbro 29]

Yes - Dr B.A.M Smith. Dr Hugh Heggarty, now retired, was a senior registrar. I've racked my brains trying to think of the name of the ward sister on 16 - I don't think it was Wellburn but I really can't remember. Dr Roger Wheeldon was Senior House Officer on paediatric - he is now a G.P. in Kent. There was also a Dr Bosanjee. I gave up nursing in 1972 (and spent my working life as a b*nk*r...) but it was very useful experience and I made some lasting friends.

[nice-nurse 10]

Hi. It was Sister Green on ward 16. Remember Sr Russ on ward 17 very well. She used to let us eat left over meals hidden away in the pantry!!!

[jennybongo 10]

Do you remember Nurse Drabble (male)? Is Dr. Bruce Smith still around I wonder? Thanks for the picture. Don't remember anyone in it, but a lovely picture all the same