Croydon Road Beckenham - Russell

[monty1000]

Hi, I am looking for info on my deceased Grandmother when she lived in the UK up until about 1945. Name is Betty Joan Russell born 1923 at 76 Eridge Road which i think is now Mayday Hospital. Her mother was Alicia Louisa Lily Russell who is down as being a domestic servant at 148 Croydon Road.
The 1916 Kelly's directory has 148 Croydon Road as a W. Guymer Greengrocer - does anybody have information on this? Also in a another Kelly's it says that W Guymer Grocer was at Gowland Pl which is at the other end of 148 Croydon Rd as it is today - was the numbering of the premises changed sometime?
Also no fathers name is put in the birth cert? My GG would have left the UK in around 1945.
Any information or old photos of Croydon Road would be appreciated

Frank

[PaulineJ]

Certainly the Eridge Road address has come up before.
You may get some hint from that.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=186473.0

Pauline

[groom]

Yes, that was Mayday Hospital. It is now officially called Croydon University Hospital, but no one in Croydon ever remembers. 

Does her address definitely say Croydon Road, Beckenham as there are quite a few Croydon Roads? 

Jan

[monty1000]

Hi and thanks. The Croydon Road definately says Beckenham on the birth cert. The Eridge Road is down as Thornton Heath.
Thanks again, Frank

[groom]

Yes that right Mayday sorry, Croydon University Hospital does come under Thornton Heath, which is part of Croydon.

I wonder why the baby was born there, as there must have been places closer to Beckenham.

If no father's name is on the birth certificate it is very likely that she was illegitimate.

[monty1000]

Any Census information for this address would also be appreciated. Frank

[groom]

The latest census would be 1911 and we are not allowed to post information about that on here.

However in 1901, 148 Croydon Road was a greengrocers and William Guymer and his family were living there.

RG 13/688/54/48

Jan

[Valda]

Hi


In 1904 guidance was issued by the Registrar General for registering births that occurred in workhouse infirmaries. In an attempt to remove any stigma associated with births in workhouse infirmaries, only the address was be included with the name of the institution omitted. In 1930 the Mayday infirmary/hospital became the responsibility of Croydon council and in 1948 with the start of the National Health service it became an NHS hospital. Pre 1930 it was officially the Croydon union workhouse infirmary/hospital.

'the new infirmary in Mayday Road opened in 1885, with 325 beds. The Infirmary was renamed Mayday Road Hospital in 1923 but soon afterwards became known as Mayday Hospital. This was before the dissolution of the Board of Guardians in 1930.'

With few hospitals around the workhouse infirmaries increasingly developed into the equivalent of hospitals (hospitals that did exist were charitable institutions before the National Health system). Mayday was the only Croydon hospital hence the change of its name in 1923 to reflect that status.

The Workhouse website has information on Mayday

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/

Mayday hospital records

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=168&hospital=mayday&town=&searchdatabase.x=0&searchdatabase.y=0



Croydon was in the county of Surrey. It didn't become part of Greater London until 1965.



Regards

Valda

[sorrell]

There used to be the Croydon General hospital in London road, Croydon . I went there in 1963 to have my foot xrayed and plastered, andmy brother also had an operation.  Closed may years ago.  As I understood it the workhouse was in Queens Road, became an 'old peoples' hospital in the 60's.My Grandfather spent his last days here.  older family members recall it as the workhouse.

just for info Beckenham is just over the border in Kent.
Jan