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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: stoop on Saturday 20 September 08 11:20 BST (UK)
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Does any one have knowledge of a dolls hospital situated on Brownlow hill Liverpool during the early 1900s?.
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Maybe a Trade Directory would tell you... they are online and searchable at the University of Leicester website I think it is.
charlotte
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You could try asking on this Site:
http://www.clothdollcreations.co.uk/dollmuseum.htm
Romilly.
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Stoop, I definitely remember a doll's hospital in Liverpool in the late 1950's (how old does that make me feel :o). I can't remember whether it was in Brownlow Hill or Mount Pleasant but I remember taking my dolls there for new heads, arms, legs etc. (I must have been very heavy handed I think ;)
Had a quick look in the 1938 Gore's Directory of Liverpool but I couldn't see the Doll's hospital listed - although there were several names just listed as 'shopkeeper' so Doll's Hospital may have been one of them.
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In 1925 there was a William Herbert Hughes at 21 Whitefield Road (off Breck Road), doll maker and repairer.
Ken
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Hi Kelly, thank you for your response, it was sited near the Y.M.C.A. on Mount Pleasant not Brownlow hill. Apparently the shopkeeper was named Jarvis and my mother in law can remember it at the same tim as yourself, the 1950s. Regards stoop.
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Good evening Charlotte ch, thank you I will look at the site you have suggested. Regards stoop.
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Hi Romilly thanks for your reply ,regards stoop.
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Evening km1971, I will be looking into the possibility of your candidate being part of my search, thanking you regards stoop.
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The Dolls Hospital was on the left hand side on Brownlow Hill, past the University and near to where the Registry Office was, coming down towards Lewis's from Kensington. that was in the 1950's and 1960's as I remember it.
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Whatever happened to Doll's Hospitals?
Undoubtedly they were a casualty of our 'throwaway society'...:-(
I can remember taking my toy casualties to one in Lewisham, (South London) in the early 1960's.
Romilly :)
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I was a frequent visitor to the Dolls' Hospital in Rochdale, somewhere near Cheetham Street, as I had a baby-sized doll with a hollow head, and couldn't resist poking its eyes in. My other doll, made of black satin and stuffed with old stockings, I think, often underwent First Aid at home in the form of darns and patches, as our dog, also black, used to pinch it and have a bit of a chew at it. I have it still, but the dog is long gone.
Today's toys aren't made to be mended, just thrown away. It's a total culture shift from "Make do and mend". Gosh, now I do sound old! :(
Gillg
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I have a doll that is childsized that was made in the 1880's. Was brought back from Flanders in or after WW1 by a great uncle who brought her back in his kitbag.
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My baby doll, named after the then Princess Elizabeth, was a post-WW2 doll. so not nearly as impressive as your WW1 child-sized one - how big was it? Baby, toddler or even bigger? :o
Gillg
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My Doll is something like the size of a real toddler. 36 inches tall. she has ear-rings as well with pearls on them.
I also have the Dress up Dolls of the Queen and Princess Margaret.
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Can't help wondering how he fitted it into his kitbag. :) It sounds fantastic.
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It filled his kitbag I am told he left other stuff there in order to bring the doll home The doll is double jointed
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It filled his kitbag I am told he left other stuff there in order to bring the doll home The doll is double jointed
Any chance of posting a pic of it?
We're all intrigued...I'm sure.
Romilly :)
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There must have been someone very special at home he wanted to give it to. :)
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Evening Kelly, glad you could give the precise location of the hospital and that it was around in the 1960s. The owner of the shop was the grandfather of my mother in law and until now no one was absolutely certain of its location and when it was in business. I would not know if Jarvis was the sole owner. regards stoop.
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The Doll was for my Aunt and she left it to me. It is up in the loft in a childsized carrycot because it gives my son the creeps.
Next time I get her out I'll try to do a photograph of her
I told Sotherby's about her and all they wanted was for me to sell her through them.
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Has your son been watching too many "Chucky" films, perhaps? ;D One day one of your family will want it, I'm sure.
Gillg
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she used to sit in a childsized basket chair and she looked like a real person. Very beautiful.
By the way I see they are selling those ghastly "Chucky Dolls "
again. People never learn.
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My Mum started her working life at the Dolls Hospital that must have been in 1930 ish It was on Brownlow Hill and I have a couple of pictures of some of the girls that worked there probably all gone by now. It was called Pritchards I think.
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My Mother worked in the Dolls Hospital when she left school, that would have been about 1931-31dont know much about it but I am sure it was Brownlow Hill, I remember when we were on the bus she said it was there. I have a couple of photographs which I think are from there, it appears to be called Bradleys and the dates on them are 1932 & 34. I have some names on the back if you new someone who worked there.
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My daughter was born in 1969 and when she was. about two years old she was given a baby doll that had had two previous family member owners .One day I heard her crying only to find that the dolls eyes had broken and where inside her head . I rang the Liverpool dolls hospital who advised me to post the head to them. When it was returned not only had she got two lovely new eyes but had had her hair done complete with a flowered Alice band .My daughter was happy again . I still have the doll it has been played with by lots of children over the years most recent my granddaughter. Alas one eye has gone again so she is wearing a plaster this time. So the hospital must have been ther early seventies. What good service they gave
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Hi,
The Dolls Hospital 'Shop' is still there in Mount Pleasant although not now a shop of any sort. It is on the right going up the hill and has a central door with a small square bay window on each side It's painted black.
I pass it often and remember how magical I found it as a little girl in the 1950's, my heart exploded with joy whenever I went there. The shop was full of dolls clothes all arranged on little racks like a grown up clothes shop. It was total heaven. I still have a couple of outfits I bought there as a real extra special birthday or Christmas present.
It was such a wonderful place I've often regretted there's nothing like it anymore.
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ps to my earlier message : the Dolls' Hospital is now 64A Mount Pleasant Liverpool. The bay windows used to be full of dolls and doll's' clothes
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Correct, the address was 64A Mount Pleasant, a few doors up from the Liverpool YMCA where my mum worked in the late 1960s/early '70s. I remember the 'Hospital' well but there seems to be a lack of any info other than questions. Incidentally, number 64 was the registry office for Liverpool South where John Lennon married Cynthia. 64A appears to be be an added building.
This is a photo of the shop front as it looks today, courtesy of Tony Snell (BBC Radio Merseyside)
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This has brought back memories of childhood. Our bus into town used to pass the Doll's Hospital and one day I was so upset at the thought of all the sick dolls in hospital that I actually burst into tears! What a wimp I must have been at times.
Back in the 80's there was one on Smithdown Road, I think, near Ullet Road. Not sure if it's still there or not.
Emeltom
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The one at Smithdown Road/Ullet Road junction is still there.
A
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Hi
Fancy there still being a dolls hospital!
We had toddler sized doll we had passed on to us. She had long plaited hair and if you walked her she moved her head from side to side as her legs moved alternately. She went to a hospital and came back with a new short wavy blande hairdo and a new pink party frock with silver sparkle through it.
Best wishes
Emms
Ps Sure they're missing out without these mechanical but non electronic toys
Also, will there be a revolution and market for toys that mend eg woven for sewing or wooden to stick and screw??-
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My Mum worked at a dolls hospital somewhere around Brownlow Hill in the early1930s, I have a photo of a place called Bradley's not sure if that's what it was called :)