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Jessop Hospital


mickjj

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The Jessops Hospital for Women

Sheffield Hospital for Women

In 1875 Dr Aveling, an Ecclesfield practitioner, moved to Sheffield. Deciding that a seperate hospital for women would be of great benefit to the town he issued a circular asking for funds. However except for a few vague promises he got little response.Six years later Dr Aveling tried again and this time with the cooperation of two other doctors Jackson and keeling, he was able to rent for �60 per year, a large house in Fig Tree Lane. The Sheffield Hospital for Women, as it was called when opened in 1864 was equipped with six beds, which were soon fully used. Ninety nine patients were treated during the first sis months and the number increased each successive year. In 1865 three extra beds were provided, but even with these the small hospital could not cope with the demand.

Jessops Hospital for Women

By 1875 the small hospital in Fig Tree Lane had become quite inadequate, so Thomas Jessop, owner of a large Sheffield steelworks bought land at Leavygreave and built the Jessops Hospital for Women. This was opened in 1878, the entire cost of the building, over twenty-six thousand pounds, being borne by Jessop. With this much larger building, accomodation for fiftyseven inpatients could now be provided.

Much progress and expansion followed and in 1939, at the outbreak of the Second World War, there were beds for 151 patients. Also new extensions were in the process of being built. During the air raids on Sheffield in 1940, the hospital suffered severe damage, but rebuilkding speedily got underway, By 1943 the new extensions were completed and this enabled 217 beds to be in full use. Today (1978) there is provision or 239 beds, the hospital being and approved training school for midwives.

The above is an extract from the book "A Popular History of Sheffield" by J Edward Vickers (1978)

Jessops Wing

In 2001, the Jessops Hospital for Women on Leavygreave Road was closed and the hospital moved to a newly built maternity hospital at the rear of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital on Treeroot Walk. Its now renamed Jessops Wing (presumably to mean a wing "of the Hallamshire Hospital").

Since the above articles were published the hospital has been demolished.

The Original bulding (obviously before the Henderson Relish plant)

This shows the original building

Arial shot showing how the hospital grew

1950

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It was 42 birthday on Feb 11 and spent the latter part of a drunken evening with friends in Butlers Balti House accross from Jessops. Really wierd thing watching you birthplace being torn down on your birthday, when full of beer (and curry) :( CHANGE IS NOT GOOD.

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Butlers - best indian restaurant in Sheffield ?

The view of the hospital from Butlers today

More pics of the hospital coming down..

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Does anyone know if the original building is staying,does it have any kind of heritage status?

The last few years before emigrating I worked in the maintenance department of the Central Hospital District. The first place I was assigned was Jessops so it is pretty sad to see it go. I also worked at the old Royal, Childrens, Hallamshire and Western Park hospitals as well as many of the Annexes and Nurses Homes. I am working on putting together a thread for each of them.

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Don't quote me on this but this is my understanding..

There were two parts - the original building that stands on the far side from Butlers facing West Street

The rest they have smashed to bits including the newer section of the hospital

Hopefully the original building will stay ?

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Sad to see my birth place being torn down, but Butlers Curry place sounds interesting, I may have to visit soon.

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Every Sheffield resident and visitor should visit Butlers

Not all the same night though - that would be unpractical

:lol: :lol:

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Guest wisewoodowl

I've never been to Butler's as a curry house.

The original Butler's was magic, pie to die for.

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Guest deano

Does anyone know if the original building is staying,does it have any kind of heritage status?

The last few years before emigrating I worked in the maintenance department of the Central Hospital District. The first place I was assigned was Jessops so it is pretty sad to see it go. I also worked at the old Royal, Childrens, Hallamshire and Western Park hospitals as well as many of the Annexes and Nurses Homes. I am working on putting together a thread for each of them.

i always assumed that the original building had to stay as it was too dangerous to knock downdue to all the bacteria in the building!

maybe not

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Hi i was born there in 1948 but i cant recall much about it i was very young but its so sad to see it gone. :(

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I've never been to Butler's as a curry house.

The original Butler's was magic, pie to die for.

Butlers a curry house????? - when did THAT happen??

I lived just the other side of Netherthorpe Road for a couple of years in the late 70's and on Saturday mornings when I was recovering from a rather heavy session on the Friday evening then there was no better cure than a bacon and tomato butty from Butlers - or if I was feeling up to it, the full English.

Wisewoodowl, I also agree - the pie was something else especially with lashings of hendersons.

As for Jessops - my eldest daughter was born there. She was a couple of weeks premature and so when the wife started having the labour pains she was convinced it was not the baby but just bad stomach ache. However, to be on the safe side we drove down to Jessops - the wife was still convinced it was not the birth so she would not let me bring in her bag. We checked in at the reception which was manned by a gentleman of senior years. After taking down her details he asked my wife where her bag was and she said "Oh dont worry it's not the baby, I won't be stopping" He took one look at her and said "Oh yes you will love" The wife asked how he knew and he smiled and said "Twenty odd years of booking lasses like you in - that baby will be born during the night" - that was at about 8 in the evening - 4:30 in the morning and the daughter was born.:)

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Wasn't "Dove of Peace" first sketched during a meal at Butlers in the 1950s, when Picasso was attending a peace conference in Sheffield?

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Guest mackyD

My first child , a boy, was born there 11 years ago so it will always be special to me. Went for a walk up there a couple of weeks ago (with him) and was going to point out which room I was in when he was born (not that he was interested at 11 - not cool information!) and I was too late ~ it's gone! This sounds stupid, but it brought a lump to my throat! I hate change!

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My sister had a baby at Jessop's in March. They have an "interesting" method of accommodating new mothers & their babies. She was told that her "ward" was full and she'd have to go to another. When she asked what they were talking about she was told that the patients were allocated on postcode. She lives in S5 so should have been on Concord ward but she was placed on Whirlow ward with lots of posh women who'd never even heard of Fir Vale. I hope she didn't contaminate them!

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My sister had a baby at Jessop's in March. They have an "interesting" method of accommodating new mothers & their babies. She was told that her "ward" was full and she'd have to go to another. When she asked what they were talking about she was told that the patients were allocated on postcode. She lives in S5 so should have been on Concord ward but she was placed on Whirlow ward with lots of posh women who'd never even heard of Fir Vale. I hope she didn't contaminate them!

That is shocking!

Sounds like something for Victorian times.

Eeeek being from S2 I was probably born in the boiler house ;)

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Guest plain talker

that sounds like something out of the dark ages, Dunsbyowl!

My family have a special place in out hearts for the Jessops' SCBU (Special Care Baby Unit, AKA the NICU).

the SCBU save the lives of three of my family...

In 1973, my aunt delivered her first baby there, a little girl, 4lbs12oz, at the early date of 28/30 weeks (Approx). Baby girl spent the first eight weeks or so of her life in the SCBU.

My youngest sister was also in the SCBU, for her first three weeks, in December 1977, being a bit prem/ light for dates, at just 4lb 13 oz. She came home for Christmas 77, which was a great crimble pressie for us.

Then in November 1986, my aunt was back in Jessops again, for the premature birth of her son, who decided he wanted to see what his world was all about, at just 26 weeks into the pregnancy. (the eager little beggar!!) he arrived, in November 86 , weighing 2lbs 2oz, the same as a bag of sugar(!!!!) he was in the SCBU for almost 4 months, (till pretty much his due-date.) he is now a strapping, healthy 20 year-old!

We have a lot to be thankful to Jessops for!

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Guest Rachy

I was born there too. 21st November 1985, 1 day early,

Are the knocking it all down then or is some part remaining?

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