Catalogue description Records of PLAISTOW MATERNITY HOSPITAL, Chesterton Road, Plaistow, London

This collection contains administrative records, financial records, patient records and nursing and midwifery records.

Plaistow Maternity Hospital, Plaistow, London

The records listed below were transferred from Stratford Local Studies Library by Mr. Roger McMaster, Director of Leisure Services, London Borough of Newham, on 2nd July 1997.

This hospital was founded in 1889 by Miss Katherine Twining (who became its first Matron) as the St. Mary's District Nurses' Home, Plaistow, with the object of providing midwifery and nursing support for the inhabitants of South West Ham in their own homes. In 1894, the charity purchased nos. 17 and 19 Howard's Road which formed the basis of the District Nurses' Home and in the same year opened a Midwifery Training School and District Nursing Training School. In 1895 a Committee of Management was formed to and further land was purchased in Howard's Road which allowed the premises to be extended in 1898. In 1901 branch homes were established at the Docks, at Stratford and East Ham and in 1904 a further branch home opened at Barking. The acquisition of Nos. 24 & 26 Howard's Road in 1904 allowed for in-patient 12 beds, which was increased to 20 in 1911 when no. 28 was acquired. Chesterton House was purchased in 1915 as a centre for ante natal, post natal and infant welfare activities. The in-patient accommodation was replaced by a new building at Chesterton Road, Plaistow with 36 maternity and 4 general beds, which was opened by Queen Mary in 1923.

The name of the charity was changed in 1926 to Plaistow Maternity Hospital. When in 1938 the Central Midwives Board divided the midwifery examinations into two parts, the Hospital was one of only a few hospitals to be recognised for parts I and II. The District Nursing Branch at East Ham was transferred to East Ham District Nursing Association in 1940 and from that year until 1946 the In-patient department was evacuated to Suntrap, High Beech, Loughton, Essex. During the same period the Ministry of Health Emergency Maternity Hospital at East Haddon Hall, Northampton was staffed by Plaistow Maternity Hospital. The Hospital and its branch homes were damaged by bombing during World War II.

The Hospital became part of the National Health service in 1948 at which time the District Home at Barking transferred to the control of Essex County Council. In 1976 the City and East London Area Health Authority (Teaching), following responses to its consultative document 'Towards a changed pattern of health care' [see CA/A/7/10] agreed to close Plaistow Maternity Hospital and transfer its services to Forest Gate Hospital, pending the building of a new nucleus hospital for Newham [Newham General Hospital: phase 2 [which included maternity opened in 1985 at which time Forest Gate closed].

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