Biddulph

[Axtek]

Hi all, I'm looking for information about the role Biddulph had during the late 1940's with recuperation from Polio. I experienced the disease in 1947 when 2 years old in Manchester and I'm not sure what happened after that! Some talk of Oswestry - I guess that was an isolation unit and then Biddulph - both a very long way from my parents. Any information on either of these hospitals in that era would be most grateful. I need to lay a few ghosts.....

Alex Kirby

[fisherman]

Hi Alex, welcome to our forum. Sorry I can not be of help, wrong side of the Pennines  but I am sure Leo and others will be able to throw some light on your query.

Paul

[Joan]

Alex, there was an article in the Bulletin a while back, Central Office may be able to help you.
I know that some fund raising took place, it is now open to the public again, the gardens anyway.
Oswestry hospital is still open, its more of cottage hospital, but still does orthopaedic surgery etc,
the East Midlands Spinal Unit is based there.

[Denise]

Hi Alex

There was a feature about Biddulph Grange in the Bulletin in 2003.  Give me a call in Support Services - 0800 0180 586 (Option 1) if you'd like a copy.

Denise Collier, Information & Welfare Officer

[Brimstone]

I found the information below on the internet, which might be of interest to those of us who have never heard of Biddulph.
I found it interesting that it was called "North Staffordshire Cripple's Hospital". In this day and age no one would dare call a hospital that. Pity really as the word cripple discribes rather well what I am, "A cripple is a person or animal with a physical disability, particularly one who is unable to walk because of an injury or illness".
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biddulph_Grange
In 1861 Bateman and his sons, who had used up their savings, gave up the house and gardens, and Bateman moved to
Kensington in London. Robert Heath bought Biddulph Grange in 1871. After the house burnt down in 1896, architect Thomas Bower rebuilt it.

The post-1896 house served as a children's hospital from 1923 until the 1960s; known first as the "North Staffordshire Cripple's Hospital" and later as the "Biddulph Grange Orthopaedic Hospital" (though it took patients with non-orthopaedic conditions as well. Under this latter title the hospital's role expanded to accommodate adults, continuing in operation into the mid-1980s.) The 15 acre (61,000 m²) garden became badly run-down and neglected during this period, and the deeply dug-out terraced area near the house around Dahlia Walk was filled in level to make a big lawn for patients to be wheeled out on in summertime. The Bateman property was (and still is) divided: the hospital got the house and its gardens, and the uncultivated remainder of Biddulph Grange's land became the Biddulph Grange Country Park. [3]

[Phoebe]

Alex -I was a patient in Biddulph Grange Orthopadic Hospital in 1947 (for 18 months) then in 1956 (for 9 months) and finally in 1958 (for 3 months) so I have many, many memories of the place. Like you, I contracted polio in the 1947 epidemic in Manchester.  I will be happy to share any info with you.

[Axtek]

Hi All,

Thanks so much for the response. Unbelievably quick....

Especially Phoebe who I guess shares my experience. Unfortunatley, I seem to have edited out my memories from this period but I gather I too was there for around 18 months. Do you know why we were kept there for that long? What kind of regime did they put us through? I know my parents could only come to visit once a month if that. It was a very long journey for them and they didn't drive. At least I didn't go back there as you did Phoebe. Prior to this I think I was taken to Oswestry when I was first diagnosed with Polio at the age of 2. Presumably they has an isolation ward there? Has anyone any information about this? And I wonder how long I would have been kept there before the move to Biddulph?
Phoebe - if you want to get in touch direct here's my email - alex@teonapottery.com
Thanks again for all the info.
Alex

[Irlam Spud]

W O W !!!
I too was an inpatient at Biddulph after acquiring the bulbar variation in 1947 aged 2+ almost 3.
I caught the virus whilst visiting family in Cadishead near Manchester with my maternal grandmother, I was living in Irlam near Manchester at the time.
My time before and after Biddulph was at Ladywell Isolation Hospital [now redeveloped] ward A1.
I again became a patient of ward A1 at Ladywell in 1960 admitted with para-typhoid, so that was another year in Ladywell but much easier for family to visit, and one of the ward sisters actually recalled that I was a patient back in the late 1940's when she was a newly qualified nurse and she had me put into the same cubicle saying that I had arrived for the second time thinking I was dying, 23 years apart mind you!
I recall the Biddulph windows always being open no matter the season and the ward end was open which they had what I recall as wagon Tarpaulins and lowered them in rain & snow but otherwise rolled/pulled up again all seasons. I don't recall much else about the place javascript:void(0);
Alan...

[pumpkin]

A warm welcome to the forum Irlam and thanks for sharing your interesting story with us.

[chris57]

Welcome to the forum, Alan...I love your moniker   

[Jan]

Hello Spud...just wanted to   you to the Forum.  Great bow tie.

[Jim]

Like the titfer, too. I likes me 'ats. Must get a bowler.

Welcome aboard. Enjoy the cruise.

[Irlam Spud]

Thank yee kindly friends, I have quite a few bow ties and 3 bowlers.

I have pictures of myself as a wee youngster and I wore clogs and a bow tie back then in the early 1950's, in fact I have just bought a new pair of clogs, wooden with leather uppers but instead of clog irons I have hard rubber cut to resemble the irons but they still clip clop albeit much better grip.


2009 August age 64 [almost 65]


2004 age 59


1957 age 13