Sydenham's Children's Hospital

[marymck]

Patientbev you might like to look at the thread admin has started in the history section about local businesses. I've just put a link there to a brilliant website about the lost hospitals of London, where you can find some of the history of the children'shospial. Apologies for not putting the link here, but I'm using my mobile as I'm banged up with a chest infection. It took my four attempts to type in the website details correctl!

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[Michael Viner]

Here's a photo of the then new rocking horses at Sydenham Children's Hospital in November 1960.The horses had been collected by the hospital's League Of Friends and had been painted and restored by pupils from Kilmorie School.

Sydenham-Childrens-Hospital by Michael Viner, on Flickr

[oddjob]

Thank you everyone. It's been great reading this thread. So many memories.

OK. I'll add my bit.

From about 1956 to 1962 I lived with my parents and two bothers on the top floor flat, directly opposite the hospital, 1D Champion Road. We were quite high up, in those times, with uninterrupted views of the area including a great view of the gas storage at Bell Green.

We had cause to use the hospital so much in those few years - I fell down the stone stairway of the flats splitting my head (several stitches needed, sill have the scar), one brother was rushed there with meningitis, the other with German measles, so on & so forth.

Played in Home Park, went to the library quite a bit, even at our young ages, and I recall a pet shop on Cobbs Corner with all the pets on display in glass cages built IN the wall round the outside of the corner of the building itself. Amazing sight. Unless my memory is playing tricks on me....in which case....help!


Like you all I was devastated when I drove past to find the hospital demolished and those flats built on the land. Yes, it was very suspicious that the new flats appeared so fast.

Around that time my old school, Catford Boys' secondary in Brownhill Road, was also being demolished to be replaced with homes (and a petrol station).


I attended St Michael's School at the top of Champion Road (still a thriving school from what I can see when I drive by) till about 1962 when we moved only a few miles away to a council house.

I still live fairly locally and drive in, through and around Sydenham quite a bit. Like I said - so many memories.

[pip]

Just found this link

http://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/childrensydenham.html

[marymck]

Patientbev you might like to look at the thread admin has started in the history section about local businesses. I've just put a link there to a brilliant website about the lost hospitals of London, where you can find some of the history of the children'shospial. Apologies for not putting the link here, but I'm using my mobile as I'm banged up with a chest infection. It took my four attempts to type in the website details correctl!

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Yes pip's link is the one I referred to above. It's a great site and someone has clearly put a lot of hard work into it.. I posted a link to it on the local history business thread, started in this section of the forum by admin. I'm sorry I couldn't work out how to put a link to that thread/post from here, or to face typing the url again here at the time.

It's amazing the work that goes on to collect these resources and organize them into searchable websites. Please admin, if you're reading this, could we maybe have a section we can post any local history links we come across, on a permanent basis?

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[Beerboy]

Are there any images of it from the late 1989's, anyone know anything more about it?

I do know that I had my tonsils out there. I can still remember the terror of when the nurse put the anesthetic mask over my face!! In later years my mate had to go their and get his scrotum stitched! He tore it while we were playing on the bombed site.

[Carolyn]

I was wondering if anyone could remember my mother working at Sydenham Hospital. She may have been nursing or a doctor's receptionist? Her name was Maura Drumm. It would have been the late 40- 50s. She was very pretty and had a very kind nature. Would it be possible to see the photos that someone mentioned of the nurses years ago. Thank you for any memories. Carolyn

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[Carolyn]

I wonder if anyone can remember a nurse or receptionist called Maura Drumm? I think my mother worked at the hospital in the late 40s - 50s. I would be grateful for any memories or the chance to see any photos. Thank you Carolyn

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[skitchen]

I do have pictures of some staff from 1959, but only one or two names. The picture posted from 1960 by Michael Viner shows the Matron, who I met. , but don't know her name.

[Carolyn]

I would be grateful if there is anyone who could let me see some photos of the nursing staff back in the 50s as I think my mum may have worked there. Sue, I noticed you mentioned having some.
Kind regards
Carolyn

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[Michael Viner]

Dear Carolyn, Here's another photo of Sydenham Childrens Hospital showing a lot more of the nursing staff-it's a lovely one of the hospital's Christmas Teddy Bear's Picnic,December 1957,taken in one of the wards upstairs.I hope you like it and hope your Mum is in it.There's a couple of pretty young nurses there!

Sydenham Childrens Hospital 1957 by Michael Viner, on Flickr

[marymck]

Oh Michael, what a lovely photo. Thank you for posting it. It's very moving the way the nurses are holding the children. You feel real warmth and caring there.

I was taken to the hospital at about that era, but I can't remember going there. I was only 3 or 4 at the time, but I sort of remember the incident that took me there. I had slipped on a just washed floor in the crystal palace park loos and cracked my ear on the toilet pan. It was pretty nasty and scary and apparently I still have scarring on my ear drum! I remember the loo attendant lady in great detail. And my shoes of all things!

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[lane]

I used to go to the open days every year in the mid- late 60's, and very good they were too. I'm sure one year there was a well known pop group playing. Happy memories, as I lived local in lower Sydenham ( Milverton House flats opposite the gasworks ).

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[Eagle]

What a lovely picture. I was an inpatient for about 6 weeks the following year. Although only 8 remember as a very nice place.

[Carolyn]

Thank you for the message, Michael. Although my mum isn't in it , nonetheless, it's a wonderful photo and a great insight into how caring the nurses were to the children. I will try to send a photo of my mum to see if it triggers any memories. Once again, thank you.
Regards
Carolyn

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[Carolyn]

I thought I'd send this photo to see if anyone remembers my mum working at Sydenham hospital at any time or even living in that areas? Her name was Maura but she also used Maureen.
Kind regards
Carolyn

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[PMM]

I was a patient in the hospital in early 1963 having been knocked down by a car - fortunately only bafly bruised!. My mother, Norah Morris, was a staff nurse there in the 1970s and loved her work - though I can remember a few occasions when she came home crying.

[A1H]

Does anyone know where the patient records are held now that the hospital has closed??

Also does anyone have a picture of the hospital for around 1940??

Thanks.

[Jtremayne]

Hi
Like the previous post I am also looking to find out we're the medicals records are kept now the children's hospital is closed, I was there in 1962/3 aged 3 and was an in patient for a long time with lead poisoning which caused a bit of a stir with the doctors there. Just wandered if anyone knows we're they are stored.

[Pally]

Wow, what an impressive building. Shame it was never converted into apartments. I presume it no longer exists.

Please tell me this wasn't knocked down to make way for the retirement home and strange blocks of flats down the bottom of Sydenham road!

It was a building with fantastic potential and many were sad when it was knocked down and replaced with flats!! It was also a great help when my children were young !