Fonds RLHQM - Queen Mary's Maternity Home

Identity area

Reference code

RLHQM

Title

Queen Mary's Maternity Home

Date(s)

  • [1914]-1990 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

3.5 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

During the First World War Queen Mary's Needlework Guild was established, with branches in many parts of the world, to make and distribute clothes and other items to Servicemen. At the conclusion of the War a considerable sum of money collected by the Guild was left unspent and Queen Mary decided to use these funds to endow a Maternity Home, for the benefit of wives and children of Servicemen. The Home opened in October 1919 in temporary premises at "Cedar Lawns", North End Road, Hampstead, a house provided by Lord Leverhulme. The foundation stone of the new building at Upper Heath, on a site again provided by Lord Leverhulme, was laid on 12th October 1921 and was designed to provide 16 beds. The new maternity home was occupied in July 1922. In August 1939 the Home was evacuated to Eynsham Hall, Oxfordshire, but moved again to Freeland House, Oxfordshire, in the Autumn of 1941. The Home returned to Hampstead in the winter of 1945-1946.

On 1st April 1946 the management of Queen Mary's Maternity Home was taken over by the London Hospital. On 1st February 1972 it was transferred to the Royal Free Hospital. With the closure of New End Hospital, Hampstead, in 1986 and its subsequent sale, funds became available for the development of Queen Mary House as a Care of the Elderly Unit, known as Queen Mary House, which opened under the management of the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust in 1991.

Archival history

RLHQM [1914]-1990 Collection (fonds) 3.5 linear metres Queen Mary's Maternity Home
During the First World War Queen Mary's Needlework Guild was established, with branches in many parts of the world, to make and distribute clothes and other items to Servicemen. At the conclusion of the War a considerable sum of money collected by the Guild was left unspent and Queen Mary decided to use these funds to endow a Maternity Home, for the benefit of wives and children of Servicemen. The Home opened in October 1919 in temporary premises at "Cedar Lawns", North End Road, Hampstead, a house provided by Lord Leverhulme. The foundation stone of the new building at Upper Heath, on a site again provided by Lord Leverhulme, was laid on 12th October 1921 and was designed to provide 16 beds. The new maternity home was occupied in July 1922. In August 1939 the Home was evacuated to Eynsham Hall, Oxfordshire, but moved again to Freeland House, Oxfordshire, in the Autumn of 1941. The Home returned to Hampstead in the winter of 1945-1946.

On 1st April 1946 the management of Queen Mary's Maternity Home was taken over by the London Hospital. On 1st February 1972 it was transferred to the Royal Free Hospital. With the closure of New End Hospital, Hampstead, in 1986 and its subsequent sale, funds became available for the development of Queen Mary House as a Care of the Elderly Unit, known as Queen Mary House, which opened under the management of the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust in 1991.

Transferred from Queen Mary's House and Marie Celeste Samaritan Society at various dates between 1985 and 1991. Some of the photographs were donated by Miss Lois Beulah, Matron from 1942 to 1949.

Administrative records, deeds; financial records, patient registers; photographs, plans and architect's drawings and records from unofficial sources.

See Scope and content.

Some material is restricted. Please contact the repository in the first instance.

Copying and digitisation services are available for unrestricted material. Researchers should contact the repository in the first instance.
English

See 'Detailed catalogue' link above.

Originally compiled by Julie Tancell as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Updated by Clare Button, Archivist, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. June 2001, updated April 2020. Finance Health Health policy Health services Hospitals Lever , William Hesketh , 1851-1925 , 1st Viscount Leverhulme , industrialist Mary , 1867-1953 , Queen Consort of George V Maternal and child health Medical institutions Medical personnel Medical profession Medical sciences Midwifery Nursing Paramedical personnel Patients Personnel Photographs Queen Mary's House Queen Mary's Maternity Home Queen Mary's Needlework Guild Royal London Hospital x London Hospital Social sciences Social welfare Surgery Visual materials People by occupation People

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Transferred from Queen Mary's House and Marie Celeste Samaritan Society at various dates between 1985 and 1991. Some of the photographs were donated by Miss Lois Beulah, Matron from 1942 to 1949.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Administrative records, deeds; financial records, patient registers; photographs, plans and architect's drawings and records from unofficial sources.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

See Scope and content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Some material is restricted. Please contact the repository in the first instance.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copying and digitisation services are available for unrestricted material. Researchers should contact the repository in the first instance.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

See 'Detailed catalogue' link above.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Barts Health NHS Trust Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area