Liverpool Hospitals - The Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital

Myrtle Street Children's Hospital

The Liverpool Infirmary for Children was first established in 1851 with the Myrtle Street building opening in 1866, and by 1880 29,000 children were seen there annually on an outpatient basis. This building was later demolished but another building was erected on the same site which opened in 1907. In 1899, together with the West Kirby Convalescent Home for Children, the Children's Infirmary set up the Hospital for the Treatment of the Chronic Diseases of Children. Then in 1902 its name was changed to the Liverpool Country Hospital for Children. In 1909 it moved to its own newly built premises in Heswall and the following year the hospital was renamed the Royal Liverpool Country Hospital for Children. 

Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital. Heswall

In 1911 the Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital opened providing a much needed and appreciated health service to Merseyside. The original idea to was to bring patients over from Liverpool who had suffered air pollution and industrial related lung problems and allow them to use the hospital as a retreat whilst they regained their health. However, after a short period of time, Wirral residents were also admitted, especially those from the slum areas and dockland housing. The hospital was well known for having no glass in the windows on the wards to the rear of the building because it was widely believed at the time that this would help cure the ill children of disease, in particular on the opposite side of Telegraph Road from Puddydale,  a park and grassy area in Heswall spanning over 9 acres in size. It had a tall square clock tower and extensive grounds with views over the Dee estuary, but due to an ever increasing budget and widespread National Health service the Hospital shut its doors for the last time in 1985 and the former hospital site is now occupied by a Tesco supermarket.
In 1917 the Children's Infirmary took over Thingwall Hall, near Barnston on the Wirral. This was quite a new small country children's hospital set up by two nurses who used to work at the Children's Infirmary. Thingwall Hall was used to care for more long term patients. In 1920, after years of discussion, the Liverpool Infirmary for Children and the Royal Liverpool Country Hospital for Children merged to become the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital. What was the infirmary in Myrtle Street became the City Branch of the new hospital which treated patients with acute illnesses and injuries. The country hospital in Heswall becoming the Country Branch which cared for patients with chronic conditions or in need of long term hospitalisation. Thingwall Hall became part of the new hospital as well providing longer term care.

The Royal Children's hospital, Myrtle Street, Liverpool, watching the Coronation on a TV in 1953

In 1948 the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital became part of the National Health Service pioneering work in children’s medicine and in 1956, open heart surgery was started, giving the hospital an international reputation. It also built up a name for its orthopaedic and surgical work. However the Liverpool Local Health Authority decided to concentrate paediatric services at Alder Hey Children's Hospital leading to the closure of the Country (Heswall) Branch in 1985 and the City (Myrtle Street) Branch stopped offering in-patient services in 1989. In January 1990 the major A&E department was transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital. Among the hospital’s patients had been Ringo Starr, who spent a year there when he was six after he was rushed to the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital, Myrtle Street when his appendix burst and he was very ill. He recovered, earning the nickname of 'Lazarus' for his miraculous recovery. He had moved on to Dingle Vale Secondary Modern School (Dingle) at the age of 11, but again was ill when he contracted tuberculosis at the age of 13, meaning he missed school for the next year or more. He was moved to the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital in Heswall, where his love for drumming was stimulated by childhood friend Marie Maguire.

By 1994 all other services had been transferred to other facilities which led to the eventual closure of the hospital and the building was demolished and Liverpool Community College’s arts centre was built in its place.

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