Help! Whalley hospital information

Nicolam774 · 19-05-2013, 19:16

Hi my names Nicola. Just joined today and been reading through some old threads. I'm wondering if anyone can give me information on the whalley area in 1954.
My mothers aunty died in the area and all we have is a document from the funeral directors which says she was collected from whalley hospital in February 1954.
We just want to know what the hospital was for and why she would have been there.
I know it's a long shot but her name was Margaret gamble and she was 29 when she died and my mum is desperate for any information on why she would have been there.

Thanks so much in advance for your help!

Retlaw · 19-05-2013, 19:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicolam774

Hi my names Nicola. Just joined today and been reading through some old threads. I'm wondering if anyone can give me information on the whalley area in 1954.
My mothers aunty died in the area and all we have is a document from the funeral directors which says she was collected from whalley hospital in February 1954.
We just want to know what the hospital was for and why she would have been there.
I know it's a long shot but her name was Margaret gamble and she was 29 when she died and my mum is desperate for any information on why she would have been there.

Thanks so much in advance for your help!

I think the Whalley Hospital could be Calderstones. It was at one time a military hospital in WW1.
Try one of them goggle searches, it may help. Lancs BMD Margaret Gamble 1954 Cltheroe A. CLA/8/36.

Bob Dobson · 19-05-2013, 19:26

Google: Lancashire Births Marriages, Death ..... or Lancashire BMD This will give you some information from which you will; be able to obtain a death certificate

A search of the papers may bring up an inquest soon after her death. Likewise there may be a report on her death. Accrington Library may be able to help - [email protected] If she lived in Clitheroe - alter the address

Whalley Library may have a file on the work done there. I feel it was a place where people were sent for recuperation.
I will send you the address of the secretary of the local history society who may know something about the hospital

Bob Dobson · 19-05-2013, 19:27

If it was Calderstones, there may be a mental aspect to her illness. I think there has recently been a book on Calderstones

Nicolam774 · 19-05-2013, 19:31

That's brilliant thank you! It's so hard to find anything out and there's a lot of stigma surrounding the subject. We are from liverpool and it seems she was sent away for whatever reason. There are no pictures of her and my grandmother, who was a very loving lady and wore her heart on her sleeve, would not speak about it.
We understand that some things are best left lie, but my 2 baby nephews are in hospital at the minute both having seizures and we just want to know if there is anything in our gene line that could be causing it.
I will look at what you have suggested and thanks again!

Retlaw · 19-05-2013, 19:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicolam774

That's brilliant thank you! It's so hard to find anything out and there's a lot of stigma surrounding the subject. We are from liverpool and it seems she was sent away for whatever reason. There are no pictures of her and my grandmother, who was a very loving lady and wore her heart on her sleeve, would not speak about it.
We understand that some things are best left lie, but my 2 baby nephews are in hospital at the minute both having seizures and we just want to know if there is anything in our gene line that could be causing it.
I will look at what you have suggested and thanks again!

Then what you need to do next is see if there was an inquest into her death, sometimes a visit to the cemetery and ask for burial details they may throw some light on her death, or point you to other sources.

MargaretR · 19-05-2013, 20:05

I visited inpatients at Calderstones a few times in the course of my work.

Not all the patients were mentally ill. Some were old ladies sent there many years ago just because they were unmarried mothers.

cashman · 19-05-2013, 21:29

MargaretR is correct quite a few were sent yon as un-married mothers, carried quite a stigma way back. the answer may not be as grim as yeh might suspect. good luck in yer search.

accyman · 19-05-2013, 21:47

i remember been told about one elderly woman at colderstones who had been there as a mental patient from a young age because she was deaf

long gone now most likely but it seemed thatif your mom and dad couldnt be bothered with you it was pretty easy to get you put in a mental home

cashman · 19-05-2013, 22:07

Accymans post just reminded me in 63/64 i lived in a lodging house in accy, one guy yon was released from calderstones, the reason he was put in, he was a bit slow on the uptake, sod all wrong wi the guy,just not the brightest lamp on the street, he worked at Nori after his release.

Neil · 20-05-2013, 07:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

I visited inpatients at Calderstones a few times in the course of my work.

Not all the patients were mentally ill. Some were old ladies sent there many years ago just because they were unmarried mothers.

It all starts coming together now, did you assume the life of a lady visiting you and condemn her to take you place in the nut house?

Neil · 20-05-2013, 07:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicolam774

Hi my names Nicola. Just joined today and been reading through some old threads. I'm wondering if anyone can give me information on the whalley area in 1954.
My mothers aunty died in the area and all we have is a document from the funeral directors which says she was collected from whalley hospital in February 1954.
We just want to know what the hospital was for and why she would have been there.
I know it's a long shot but her name was Margaret gamble and she was 29 when she died and my mum is desperate for any information on why she would have been there.

Thanks so much in advance for your help!

I would look into Bramley Meade Hospital which became a maternity Hospital before being sold and turned into a private house.

A quick google found this burial record for a Padiham Cemetery

Quote:

Burial: 3 Jun 1955 St John's Rd Cemetery, Padiham, Lancs.
Michael Hosker -
Age: 24hrs
Abode: 24 James St Padiham
Grave: 4215A
Plot: 27
Died At: Bramley Mead Hospital Whalley
Registrar's Signature: George H Helm
Buried by: None
Register: Burials 1930 - 2012, Page 82, Entry 8736
Source: Original Registers

I wasn't aware it was a normal hospital before being a maternity hospital but I am only a young lad

This link also refers to Bramley Meade as being the Whalley hospital before it became a maternity hospital The Study: Bits and Bobs

MargaretR · 20-05-2013, 07:23

......

cashman · 20-05-2013, 07:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

I would look into Bramley Meade Hospital which became a maternity Hospital before being sold and turned into a private house.

A quick google found this burial record for a Padiham Cemetery

I wasn't aware it was a normal hospital before being a maternity hospital but I am only a young lad

This link also refers to Bramley Meade as being the Whalley hospital before it became a maternity hospital The Study: Bits and Bobs

I was born yon in 48? i think.

MargaretR · 20-05-2013, 07:46

Family biographies: Frederick Dixon
Bramley Meade was home to a Dixon family until 1925