| AdminHistory | The principal force behind the foundation of the Children's Hospital was Thomas Pretious Heslop, who had been House Physician at the General Hospital from 1848-1852, lecturer in physiology at Queen's College Birmingham from 1853-1858, and Physician at the Queen's Hospital from 1853-1860. He was to promote the establishment of the Birmingham Women's Hospital, Skin and Lock Hospital, and the Medical Institute. Heslop's experiences at these institutions had convinced him that children could not be properly cared for in general hospitals and that they were too rarely admitted to general wards. The high level of mortality in the children of Birmingham, coupled with the lack of provision for their remedial care, convinced him of the need to act. On 25 June 1861 an invited group met privately at Heslop's home. The attendees were selected to avoid any political divisions and included local businessmen and professionals, and those experienced in the administration of voluntary hospitals. Heslop's argument for the establishment of a children's hospital was approved and backed by the assembled company and the Mayor, Arthur Ryland, was approached to convene a public meeting, (see LSH LP46.23 312216 for Summary of reasons for the establishment of a Children's Hospital in Birmingham).
At the Public Meeting, the governors of the Queen's Hospital asserted that no further provision for the medical care of children was necessary, that their own institution was planning to open a children's ward, and that the establishment of such a hospital in Birmingham would divert public and private funds away from other medical charities. During the meeting such objections were overcome and the resolution passed to establish a Hospital for Sick Children in Birmingham (see 6/5/1 below for an account of this meeting). The objects of the hospital were:
1 The medical and surgical treatment of poor children.
2 The attainment and diffusion of knowledge regarding the diseases of children.
3 The training of nurses for children.
A Provisional Committee and three Sub-Committees were appointed to deal with finance, buildings and laws. Dr J. C. Millar, Rector of St Martin's, was invited as Chairman and C.E. Mathews, Solicitor and Unitarian, as Honorary Secretary of the General Committee. Mathews contributed hugely to the administrative development of the foundation and is heralded along with Heslop as a co-founder of the hospital.
The search for suitable accommodation focused firstly upon the existing Eye Infirmary in Steelhouse Lane, where the Out-Patient department was opened on 1 January 1862. It was followed a fortnight later by the In-Patient department, with a neighbouring house being used as an isolation ward.
Joseph Chamberlain joined the hospital's General Committee in 1865 and his presence heralded a new period of growth for the charity. The £1000 mortgage was cleared and renewed vigour was instilled into the subscription process. In 1867 land was leased from the trustees of Lench's Charity for the extension of the Out-Patient department. The architects of the new building, situated again in Steelhouse Lane, were Martin and Chamberlain and the premises were officially opened at the AGM in January 1869 (see MS 1338/12 for architectural drawings). Improved facilities for Out-Patient care highlighted the need to provide equally good accommodation for In-Patients, and again the search for suitable accommodation commenced. The building in Broad Street occupied by the Lying-In Charity (see HC/MH), whose work had suffered high mortality rates, principally due to puerperal sepsis, had ceased to house in-patients and was used for administration purposes only. After reports on the suitability of the building proved favourable in 1869, the Children's Hospital Committee initiated a lease for a total of 50 years.
The move to Broad Street heralded the renewal of the charity's objectives, including the training of nurses, medical education, and the reform of the abuses and inefficiencies in the ticket and emergency systems of admission. The hospital was to operate a system of free admission, qualified by a process of 'means' testing, graded charges, and emergency admission to prevent abuses of the charity by those who could afford the services of independent medical persons (see 6/5/3 below for Systems of Admission to Hospitals. A Plea for Reform). Critical developments were also made in the rules and procedures for the appointment of medical officers, effectively eliminating medical electioneering and patronage.
The funds of the hospital were maintained by subscriptions, though no benefits were given to the subscribers. Economies were practised in the administration of the hospital and monies generated triennially from the Hospital Sunday Fund and the Hospital Saturday Fund. Further fund gathering organisations established by the Children's Hospital included the annual Sunday Schools' Collection in 1880, the Cot Endowment scheme in 1890, the Public and Private Schools' Hospital Cot Fund, from 1901, and the Brick League, 1913. (See section 1/13).
At the time of the move to Broad Street a Ladies' Committee was formed whose duties complemented the role of the House Committee. Members were to attend the hospital in rotation, report on housekeeping practices and ensure the general 'cleanliness, regularity and economy' of the hospital. An aftercare service of advice and guidance to parents on the discharge of their children was also provided. In 1869 the introduction of a Lady Superintendent made some of these duties redundant. The Ladies' Committee was instrumental in setting up the Children's Hospital Samaritan Fund, which offered assistance to the poorer Out-Patients and extended convalescent provision. Convalescent beds were at first provided at 'Miss Martineau's' homes at Solihull, then at Cooper's Hill and Arrowfield Top, Alvechurch, and finally, from 1890, at Moseley Hall. The Hall had been given for this purpose by Richard Cadbury, and many of the women serving the Samaritan Fund transferred to the Moseley Hall Committee, which was run in conjunction with the hospital, that institution having prior claim to 20 of the beds.
By 1899 the Broad Street lease had 20 years to run, but increasing pressure on the building and site, and the consequent difficulties of administering medical treatment, provoked calls for a new hospital. By 1907 an appropriate site at Ladywood had been identified and a building appeal launched. Although slow to accumulate at first, the growth of funds accelerated after the death of King Edward VII in 1910, owing in part to the national upsurge in patriotism and a willingness to contribute to the 'King's Cause', that of hospitals (see Birmingham Memorial to King Edward VII LSH L46.23 224525). The foundation stone of the new building, designed by F.W. Martin, was laid in 1913 by Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (see LSH L22.3 483206, 246720 for official programme and press cuttings). Although severely hampered by the outbreak of the First World War and an unfinished building, the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital was occupied by patients from 1917, the lack of ceremony that year being compensated for by the visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1919.
After a period of steady growth, which included the building of the Nurses' Home and Babies' Block, the Birmingham Children's Hospital became one of the constituent teaching hospitals of the United Birmingham Hospitals, established in July 1948 after the passing of the National Health Service Act (see HC UBH, Records of the United Birmingham Hospitals).
The Children's Hospital played a key role in the development of children's nursing from its foundation. The first Matron to be appointed was Mrs Mary Anne Harvey. As much housekeeper as nurse, she, together with the House Surgeon, was responsible for the daily management of the institution and was subject to inspection by the Lady Visitors. The instruction of student nurses was led by the Birmingham Institute for the Training of Nurses. The Institute would supply the nurses, the hospital paying the senior staff whilst the services of the probationers were given for free in return for training and practical experience. The first Home for Nurses was procured in 1884, premises adjacent to the Broad Street building being rented for the purpose. By 1919 the Nurses' Registration Act had established the General Nursing Council and the following year the Children's Hospital set up its own Training School. In 1930 tenders were accepted for a Nurses' Block to be built in Francis Road, the first nurses taking up residence in December 1931.
The Edward VII Memorial Hospital moved from Ladywood in May 1998 to occupy the site and buildings of the former General Hospital in Steelhouse Lane, and in so doing was renamed the Diana, Princess of Wales Children's Hospital, Birmingham. |