I recently acquired some scans of photographs taken in the 1980s by Janet Howie.
The first I am posting is of Aspland Maternity Home on Higham Lane.
It opened in October 1931 and closed in November 1973.
According to an expats page on Manchester OnLine
The building on Lower Higher [sic] Lane, Gee Cross, was presented to the town of Hyde by the widow and son of Arthur Palmer Aspland, a leading figure in the industrial and social life of Hyde. The grounds were formally opened as a public park on 29th July 1922 before the house was converted into the maternity hospital. Staffed by a matron, two midwives, laundress, cook, two domestics, and a caretaker, there were only two small wards and 14 beds. ... The building was demolished in 1987 and the land sold to make room for private housing. Two stone pillars, which once stood on the driveway to Aspland were donated to Werneth Low Country Park, and were erected on the drive at the entrance to the park.One of the stone pillars can be seen on a photograph I posted in April 2008 of the wall at the entrance to Lower Higham Visitor Centre.
I'll be posting several more of Janet's photographs over the coming weeks and months.
Hi Gerald
ReplyDeleteMy sister-in-law (Janet) was born there in 1963. Her Mum didn't have a name picked and as she was delivered by the Matron there called Janet she was named after her. I am wondering if it is the same Janet who took the photograph?
Wasn't it a lovely old building.
Hope all is well.
Linda
History and change is always interesting to some, its not always easy to know what attitudes stand in the way of progress, I can be rather conservative that way.
ReplyDeleteMy 3 brothers and one sister were all born there.. but I was not... I was born at home.. seems I wanted to make myentrance a bit to quick. :O)
ReplyDeleteI did however play in the grounds and loved the 'old summer house' it had.
As the home and grounds were left to the people of Hyde I was disapointed the land was lost to private expensive housing...
Hi Gerald,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely photo of Aspland Maternity Home. I was born there in 1950, but left Hyde when I was two; no wonder I love verandahs! Or it may be because I have spent most of my life in Queensland.
Jos Le Voi.
I came across my birth card from Asplands when my lovely Mum had me in 1962, so how lovely to look it up and see the picture of where i was born.I love looking back at old photos so thank you. From Jackie in Clacton on sea.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this picture of where i was born 9.2.1967 Jacqueline valerie Later ,My Mum was also name of Jacqueline Later at the time.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this photo and the information. I was born there in July 1953. I often wondered what it looked like. I love old houses, now I know why. Judith
ReplyDeleteWhat a grand old building I was born there on 14/6/1943
ReplyDeletemy father had a bakers shop in Hyde
What a lovely place - I was born there on 22/02/1954 but was then taken away to an orphange as I was to be adopted. I am trying to find that orphange does anyone have any ideas please?
ReplyDeleteArthur Palmer Aspland was my 4th cousin 4 times removed!!
ReplyDeleteI was born there on 5th June 1970,my cousin 9 months before on 7th September. Pity it was closed down
ReplyDeleteLovely to see the photograph of Aspland Maternity Home. I was born there on 14th April 1940. One of my friends at Hyde Grammar School was born there either two days before or after me, her name is/was Anne Mellor.
ReplyDeleteI was born there in February 1958,the weather was bad and it snowed heavily,when all the new fathers came to see the babies in the morning they had to dig a path up to the front doors so the ambulances could get through
ReplyDeleteAwww my mum Jean Currie was born here in July, 1935. Grandparents both worked at the Walls factory and lived the other side of Hyde (can’t remember name of street now!)
ReplyDeleteI was born there in 1972 in the month of Janurary, my mum told me it was snowing and there were rabbits running around.
ReplyDeleteI was born there on 20th May 1960, but my Mum was found to have Meningitis and as a result, she was taken to Monsall Isolation Hospital. I remember my Dad telling me I was looked after very well.
ReplyDeleteMy son was born in 1971. I was not allowed in at the birth along with a few other dad's who spent the time pacing the grounds smoking. Justin my son due to him being premature was sent up to Ashton.
ReplyDelete