Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History St Catherines Hospital - goodbye

Goodbye hospital, goodbye workhouse, goodbye history
Do you remember this 'public consultation'?
http://www.wirralpct.nhs.uk/document_uploads/Have_your_say/3839-PDF3.pdf

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/ - Check out the Birkenhead Workhouse page - this is all you'll be able to see of it one day - photographs.

What is the meaning of this post?
Are you insinuating that this building is to be knocked down to make way for overpriced riff raff dolls houses?

Sorry but like a lot of these things if it isn't in hard copy I cant really study them.

Public consultations are nothing of the sort. You get something through the letter box which says things like "do you want to be happy, yes or no?" Well of course you put yes. "Would you like to pay less Council tax, yes or no?" Of course yes is the right answer. In other words these "public consultations" are just a lot of loaded questions and the first thing these quangos come out with when they make cuts is "Oh the public said they wanted this". It's an old trick but people still fall for it.

I think personally that the people of Wirral want to start questioning this unelected body known as the PCT. They appear to be a law unto themselves and spend our money on stupid things such as the recent blue card thing were they tried to get us to sign up to giving our personal details to American health companies. Then there was the other "public consultation that only 3% of the people bothered to fill in. That cost hundreds of thousands of our money. I certainly never completed the form as once again it was a loaded questionnaire. They are also trying to build a super clinic on Thingwall corner despite massive public opposition. Not only that but they want to steal a piece of our park to do so.

They will continue to do this as long as Wirral people remain apathetic. You have been warned!

Rant over.

I found that rant rather interesting Morseman, cheers for posting!!

ok - this is the gist of it. a consultation was done (july - september) - i think only a group of doctor's surgeries were involved as they will move to the new clinic - let's call it a polyclinic - that's what it will be. Devaney, Victoria Park and another can't remember, will be moved if it goes to plan for the PCT. so basically these unelected representatives are making the decision to knock down the main building (previously the Birkenhead Workhouse), as well as the other old buildings on the land. All that will be left is the new bit they did, plus a new building they are calling a 'community hospital', which will stand where the big car park currently is (near St Cath's church). The land where the workhouse stood will be the car park - ain't that grand?
I am unsure how this can happen as surely the building is listed? Does anyone know how you check a buildings status for listing?

Here's the council's listed building register:

http://www.wirral.gov.uk/LGCL/nocontent.asp?lgcl=100006/200023/514

surprise surprise!

http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Application.aspx?resourceID=5&index=1

Listed building of Birkenhead

The Hospial ISN'T listed, only the church. You can nominate a building to be listed (you don't need to be the buildings owner to do this), the form for doing this is here and the guidance notes for filling in the form are here.

Pevsner in the Buildings of England describes the Hospital as follows:

The part which is the former workhouse has a central entrance block with tower and short rectangular spire, 1862-3 by Thomas Leyland. The wings on either side have since been raised in height. The other symmetrical block, with a prominent central feature, further north, was the Union School, 1868.

Hi guys, I went to the Heritage site but I could not list it as there are UK phone numbers and I am not able to access them from Aus. So it is up to one of you enterprising young lads/girls to do the good deed. I say Go For It.

By the way I served my time at the Birkenhead Council depot at the back in Derby Rd early to late sixties, we had no horses for our carts just us appretices. The hill up Derby were it meets Church was a killer. I see that the depot has gone now with houses all around now.

My mum and dad did their nurse training there in the 60s.

My dad would like some pics before they knock it down - if anyone could oblige. He's not well enough to go there himself.

I know where you mean, but it meets Elm, Greenway & North roads, not Church.
BTW, Derby Rd. was previously called Yolk of Egg lane, but I've no idea why; anybody know?

Thanks for that, MissGuided.

Thanks Chris, I just Google Mapped that particular area and saw what you were saying. I must be getting old because I am sure there was a steep hill at the western side of the hospital. But then further checking the maps a lot of things have changed every where.
Thanks for that MissGuided, Egg Yolk eh most interesting.