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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Durham => Topic started by: lozz55 on Sunday 06 May 12 11:12 BST (UK)
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I am wondering if anybody knows anything about Hopedene mother and baby home in elswick newcastle and what went on there. My partner was born there to an unmarried mother, We have since heard that some of the methods they used to get the mothers to sign the babies over were questionable, we do have the names of a couple of social workers that were invovled with the home at the time.
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Some information is here
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hopedean+mother+and+baby+home+Elswick++newcastle&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a
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Hi Lozz
If you would like to get in touch with me at with specific details I will see what I can do to help.
Regards
Kevin
Major Kevin Pooley
Social Historian
The Salvation Army
International Heritage Centre - preserving our goodly heritage
William Booth College
Champion Park
London
SE5 8BQ
(020) 7326 7806
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Various details here about Hopedean, it definitely helped me.
http://www.calmview.eu/SalvationArmy/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=HD&pos=5
All surviving records for the Jarrow Deanery Moral Welfare Association are currently held by:
DFW Adoption
Durham Diocesan Family Welfare Council
Agriculture House
Stonebridge
Durham
DH1 3RY
Tel: 0191 3863 719
Email: office@dfw.org.uk
http://www.dfw.org.uk/
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Seeing the link to our online catalogue posted above reminded me that I had carried out some more research since I wrote the extract shown. In particular, it is now clear that the correct spelling of the home’s name from 1941 onwards was always Hopedene, a fact confirmed by entries in various year books and periodicals, as well as primary records produced at the home. In addition, parts of my original were a bit confused.
As it is likely to be some time before the online version of the catalogue is next updated, I enclose my latest draft of the admin history for Hopedene below:
The Salvation Army opened a maternity home at Catherine House, 63 Osborne Road, Jesmond, Newcastle on 14th May 1923. The home moved to Eastwood, Jesmond Park East, Newcastle on 6th March 1941, which was renamed Hopedene on 3rd April of the same year. The Medical Officer of Health gave consent for Hopedene to receive private maternity cases from 27th October 1941. As was the case with many Salvation Army homes, the income from the private patients helped to subsidise the home’s main work. On 2nd October 1950 the home moved again, this time to The Gables, Elswick Road, West End, Newcastle, which was renamed Hopedene.
The Gables had been opened in 1919 as the West End branch of The Princess Mary Maternity Hospital. In 1922 the hospital moved to new premises in Jubilee Road and it was decided then that The Gables should be totally independent. In 1948 the NHS decided not to take The Gables over in its rationalisation of local health services and by 1950 the home was in financial difficulties, was forced to close, and was sold to the Salvation Army.
The address of The Gables had been 18 Gloucester Terrace, although as Hopedene the building’s address was 1a Gloucester Terrace. The National Archives site gives a postcode to go with the address, NE4 6RH. This corresponds with just one address on the current Royal Mail database, which does not have a number; Elswick Hall Nursing Home, Gloucester Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6RH.
Hopedene was a maternity hospital until 1973, when it became a maternity home with accommodation for 6 and a Hostel for women and children with 24 beds. A year later, the maternity home was closed so Hopedene was now entirely a hostel for women, with 30 beds. In 1975, an annex was added as an eventide home for 9 women. Hopedene operated as a combined hostel and eventide Home until it was closed in 1994. The old house was demolished in 1996, and Elswick Hall Nursing Home is modern purpose-built building.
Sources
Women’s Social Homes and Hostels, Book 3
http://apps.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=1522, accessed 18/9/14
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/eyedot/tags/hopedene, accessed 18/9/14
The Salvation Army Year Book, various
The Deliverer, various
Girls’ Statement Books, various
Regards
Kevin
Major Kevin Pooley
Social Historian
The Salvation Army
International Heritage Centre
William Booth College
Champion Park
London
SE5 8BQ
Direct Line (020) 7326 7806
Switchboard (020) 7326 7800
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Kevin's pictures are very poignant for me. Particularly the one of the red door as my mother would have carried me through there in July 1963. I was born in Middlesbrough General Hospital, after which my birth mother and I lived in Hopedene for 6 weeks until my adoption was arranged through York Adoption Society. Some of the accounts I've read about the treatment of mothers in Hopedene don't make pleasant reading and, since she died before I could trace her, I'll never know what our time there was like.
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Private message sent.
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I was a mother in Hopedene 1966-67.It was a hell hole run by so called christians, the memories are one of fear,austere,heartless, no compassion. Social workers involved were (*). Matron was (*). The witch from endor who TERRIFIED the teenage expectant and delivered mothers was a one (*). We cleaned and scrubbed on our knees the place from head to toe (whilst heavily pregnant) addressed more often as GIRL had absolutely NO PAIN RELIEF IN LABOUR the full onslot we suffered for our sins. We were brain washed to surrender for adoption all the time, we were told babies need FAMILY two PARENTS..we could not provide that important situation for our baby. We NEVER EVER had INFORMED CHOICE as we were NEVER TOLD what our HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL RIGHTS, WELFARE RIGHTS were. We're ignored by both social work and the Sally Ann to our pleading to keep our babies..We were FREEZING had one bath per week, and food was not fit for human consumption, whilst the officers dined in linen and silverware, I should know, that was part of my daily chores cleaning the silver and their quarters. I am an old grey haired lady now, as I get older the pain and grief more vivid. Seared so deep you live this holocaust.
(*) Moderator Comment:
Edited in accordance with RootsChat policy of not publishing details of living people here, or details of people who may still be living. This is to protect all concerned from spam, identity abuse, internet abuse, etc, etc.
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Dear Mara Mack,
I have just read your short account (I'm sure there's much more) but it pained me just thinking about it :(
So sorry you had to endure such contempt & hope it didn't ruin your life!
Annie
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Hello Mara Mack
I'm sure you will never receive a 'Sorry' from these people, but I am sorry for the pain and heartache you and all the other women have endured. :'(
bitzar.
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Oh mara I feel for you
I.m glad this topic was revived
the helpful links addresses and phone numbers will be useful to adoptees new to the boards
Wouldn't it be great if someone got united with family members through here
Just knowing about family mysteries gives solace to some people even if the story is hard to hear
a man told me his father deserted his mother but they lived with paternal family
noone told him when or where his father died (he believed he lived abroad with a new family)
I.ve been researching for him
I found the death registration 1981 + probate in .. .Norfolk.
..just knowing that gave him closure
Tomorrow i.ll give him a possible name for a half sister and look at his original birth certificate
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Dear Mara Mack
On behalf of The Salvation Army, I would like to repeat the offer made to you in 2012 and again in 2015, to contact us so that we can formally investigate your claims made against individuals at Hopedene, and offer you counselling. Please contact:
Director of Safeguarding
The Salvation Army
101 Newington Causeway
London
SE1 6BN
Regards
Kevin
Major Kevin Pooley
Social Historian
The Salvation Army
International Heritage Centre
William Booth College
Champion Park
London
SE5 8BQ
Direct Line (020) 7326 7806
Switchboard (020) 7326 7800
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Hi Annie,
Thank you for your kind compassion and caring.
To answer your question.
LOOSING MY BABY TO ADOPTION...MY EXPERIENCE IN HOPDENE
SEARED ME TO THE MARROW
YOU NEVER RECOVER...its was a psychological tsunami...the legacy is the mantle that bears its ugly head throughout life.
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Hi Mara Mack,
I am so sorry to read of the abuse you have endured. The way you and others were treated was totally wrong. I agree that there should be a public apology forthcoming.
I feel so sad for you at the thought of all you have suffered and are still suffering. What you have written sounds heartbreaking. :'(
I hope one day (the sooner, the better) you and others who suffered such vile treatment will get the apology that is owed.
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Dear Mara Mack
If you are not going to comment on this forum again, I would urge you to contact our safeguarding unit at the address above, even if you do not want any form of counselling, so that they can look into your case for you. We cannot do anything for you unless you make contact.
Regards
Kevin
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I have come across another site on which another writer documents her harrowing time at Hopedean. The writer records this place as having been a "house of horrors".
I hope one day there will be apologies with regard to what people such as Mara Mack were subjected to. It pains me to think that when they most needed compassion, care and support they were subjected to cruelty, contempt and punishment instead. I can imagine how very easy it would have been to get someone to agree to give up their baby for adoption once they had succeeded in making them feel like the lowest of the low like this.
https://movementforanadoptionapology.org/your-stories (https://movementforanadoptionapology.org/your-stories) link updated thanks JenB
That said, I do think that Sally Ann Major's Kevin does genuinely sound concerned and would like to help. However, I do appreciate Mara Mack, that your suffering has probably ground you down over the years and therefore finding the energy to take things further and not let this all be swept under the carpet, will likely be very difficult.
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Hello River Tyne Lass
I've not been able to follow the link you posted, and I keep getting an error message:
ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED
which doesn't mean anything to me. Could I ask you check to see if the link as it appears on the forum works for you?
Regards
Kevin
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Sorry, I have just tried myself and I also can't get the link. You should be able to Google this instead.
The Hopedean account is at the bottom. This story and Mara Mack's are truly heartbreaking ... :'(
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Correct url https://movementforanadoptionapology.org/your-stories/
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Thanks JenB for putting on the correct link.
Here is another link regarding an account about Hopedene. The lady who writes her account describes the place as "brutal"; however at least she was able to be reunited with her son later in life.
http://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-sunday-post-inverness/20170219/283317522179802