Uncategorized – Page 3

23rd Jan 2020

It’s high time something was done to ensure a good, clean, and pure milk supply!

Born in Birmingham project volunteers have been delving into the British Newspaper Archive website which provides access to searchable digitised archives of many local newspapers. In addition, one volunteer has been browsing through a catalogued local monthly magazine of the time, called ‘Edgbastonia.’ Some interesting observations in both have been discovered about hygienic milk.

Within the Birmingham Mail¹ – Monday 30 March 1914 – a County Vet remarks upon the poor hygiene in germ-laden dairy farms:

” I was called to a farm yesterday, to see a cow, and whilst I was there, milking was in full progress.

I drew my attention to the dirty, filthy condition of the hands of the man who was milking. Repeatedly, I remonstrated to him of his dirty condition. This man all the time during milking, was chewing twist tobacco and expectorating all the time, and it goes without saying that at some point, some of the spray from the expectoration must have found its was into the milking pail. Known that tobacco juice has certain parasiticide actions, but I am certain that this man’s knowledge of medical science did not prompt him to allow for this.

I have seen men loading the manure from the fold yards to carts and getting their hands very dirty, who have gone straight to the pen and sat down to milk, only rubbing their hands over their hips to remove the superfluous dirt. For this reason, all milk coming into the house, should be boiled immediately.

There should be more stringent inspection of cow sheds and the persons employed in them. I know of a number of men employed in cow shed who are far from healthy, and some are with tuberculosis.”

An article in Edgbastonia² 1914, entitled “Pure Milk and Pasteurisation” recognises the problem and the constant peril of disease ridden germs in milk.

“Milk has always been recognised as a desirable food for adults and an essential one for infants, but unfortunately present day conditions make it almost impossible for the person of average means to obtain it in a really pure state…

… great and well-recognised investigators are convinced that more cases of typhoid come from unclean milk than from any other source; indeed, it is often stated that on very good authority that 50% of children fed on cow’s milk who die from tuberculosis got the disease from the milk. Everyone is agreed that it is not possible to overstate the far-reaching importance of the question of the reduction of infant mortality. Every man and every woman of every civilised country should feel a deep and personal interest in it. It affects not only the happiness of the home, but the welfare of the nation and the future of the race…”

Fortunately, for Edgbaston householders and readers of ‘Edgbastonia’ there was no difficulty in obtaining clean milk in Edgbaston.

Advertisement from “Edgbastonia” June 1914. Vol 34. [ L91.3/34824]

“… Mr Gurden has lately opened his Hygienic Dairies at 249 Monument Road. To inspect their working, his customers and their friends are cordially invited, and from personal experience we can assure them that a visit is bound to prove both instructive and interesting…” From “Edgbastonia” – June 1914.

¹ Birmingham Mail – Monday 30 March 1914

² Edgbastonia – June 1914. Vol 34. [ ref L91.3/34824]

Anne Hornsby

12th Jan 2020

Bonnie Baby Bertram

Originating in 1917, cities across the UK held-week long events that celebrated babies and succeeded in improving conditions and survival rates for infants. While the tots were subjected to a range of examinations, their mothers picked-up tips on making baby clothes and other guidance to help produce “stronger children and a nobler race.” Project volunteer, Cathie, has been looking in detail at a number of records to see what they may reveal about Baby Week in 1919.

Image from “Work of an Infant Welfare Centre” BFI.

Bertram and Ada Roberts were the proudest of parents when their bonnie baby Bertram was one of the regional winners of the ‘Daily Sketch’s’ Baby Week Competition held in July 1919. He won the 6-9 months old category from 256,000 entrants from across the UK. Along with their Child Welfare Centre, prizes were awarded but unfortunately Minute 625 from the Minute Book for the Maternity and Infant Welfare Sub-Committee of the Public Health and Housing Committee¹ is quite confusing. The winning mother received either £100 or £10 worth of Victory Bonds and a cheque for £15. Bertram’s Health Centre in St Vincent Street were the proud recipients of a silver challenge shield together with 30/-.

Coming from 4 Eagle Place, Ladywood Road, his father was a toolmaker in the cycle industry who years later hoped to move into aero work. So what became of Bertram? Did Hollywood beckon for such a beautiful baby? Well sadly, no. In the summer of 1947, Bertram married Betty D Grimes and in the 1950 Electoral Register we find them living at No 9 Kenilworth Place, Francis Road with his Dad and sister Joan living nearby at No2. Bertram had become a draughtsman on engineering stream turbines and compressions. So not just a pretty face.

He died aged 70 in Stourbridge in 1989.

1 BCC 1/BM/4 Minute Book for the Maternity and Infant Welfare Sub-Committee of the Public Health and Housing Committee

Cathie Paton

9th Jan 2020

A visit to the Wellcome Collection for BiB project researchers

Curious to explore even more archives and collections, the Born in Birmingham project volunteers ventured for a day out to the world-famous Wellcome Collection in London. The museum and library impressed everyone.

WP_20200108_032[1] — Volunteers enjoy some of the artworks on display

There were opportunities for the group to research archival documents in the Rare Materials Room and to browse through the vast collection of books in the Reading Room, plus time was taken up enjoying a guided tour of Henry Wellcome’s Medicine Man exhibition.

WP_20200108_012[1] — Volunteers were fascinated and inspired by the materials available

The group factored in some discussion & feedback time – soaking up the atmosphere of the amazing venue.

1st Jan 2020

New Year’s Greetings

25th Dec 2019

500 Birmingham Babies at Christmas

Christmas Greetings from the Born in Birmingham Project!

We’ve found a festive photograph to share with you this Christmas. It’s the remarkable scene of 500 babies and their mothers at a Christmas tea party at Birmingham Town Hall in 1917. It featured on the front page of The Picture World – a relatively short-lived newspaper published in Birmingham during the First World War.

The caption explains that the guests were invited from the poorest quarters of Birmingham where the problems of infant mortality were being grappled with by the Infant Welfare Society. So along with sandwiches and cake the mothers were probably served with advice on infant feeding and welfare!

Maybe your parent, grandparent or great grandparent was one of these babies entertained at this unique (?) gathering in Birmingham just over 100 years ago? If so the story may have been passed down the generations – and we would love to hear from you.

Liz Palmer

22nd Dec 2019

Miss Blanche Gardiner – Superintendent of Health Visitors

There is much to offer from reading the MOH Reports and Council Committee Minutes on the development of the role of Health Visitors in Birmingham. ‘Born in Birmingham 1914-24’ project volunteer Jan, has discovered a very local story about a Miss Blanche Gardiner.

Miss Blanche Gardiner BA

1868-1953

Superintendent of Health Visitors

Council House, Congreve St Birmingham

Lived at 86 Ravenhurst Road, Harborne

Miss Gardiner came to Birmingham from London. She had worked in St Pancras as a Sanitary Inspector, specialising in infant welfare. She carried out a study of Infant Health in Somers Town for the Home Office in the 1900s that was mentioned in a paper called ‘Love and Toil’ – Motherhood in Outcast London 1870-1918 by Ellen Ross.

In 1914 Miss Gardiner wrote an article in the Journal of The Royal Sanitary Institute entitled ‘Varied Nature of Women’s Public Health Officials’. She cited her role in Birmingham where she was responsible for 19 Health Visitors, 5 Infant Health Visitors, 10 TB Visitors,1 Inspector of Midwives and 2 Inspectors under the Factory and Workshop Act. She stated that many of those termed Health Visitor had the necessary qualifications for Sanitary Inspector work (or Inspector of Nuisances). This was a reference to the development of Birmingham’s first Health Visitors in 1899 from the role of Sanitary Inspectors. She described the 19 districts in the City and how each Health Visitor supervised one of these, receiving the names of all babies born in her district. Miss Gardner visited some of these in addition to the Infant Health Visitor who would eventually be located in an Infant Welfare Centre.

In her 1912 Annual Report on Health Visiting to the Birmingham MOH, Miss Gardiner gave details of the duties of the Infant Health Visitor who would visit at the end of the first week of a child’s life and take into account the family social circumstances. This would be followed by weekly visits for the first month and then monthly for the first year. The Health Visitor would have a similar role but would also visit every home where there has been a death due to Diarrhoea or where there were cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum. If she detected dirty or insanitary housing she would advise on improvements where possible. She would observe and instruct mothers on their own and their infant’s health and assess household affairs. She would report a midwife to the Inspector of Midwives if there was neglect or malpractice suspected. Various talks and lectures were given by Health Visitors on elementary cookery, needlework, saving and food values. Unlike the Infant Health Visitor, she also had responsibilities for older children and adults.

In 1917 Miss Gardiner commented that due to the increase in numbers of Infant Welfare Centres, babies born in the surrounding areas were under the care of Infant Health Visitors leading to proportionately fewer babies visited by Health Visitors. This was often a matter of regret to them as visiting babies was considered to be the most pleasant part of the job.

In the Maternity and Infant Welfare Sub Committee minutes 1918, Miss Gardiner had an increase in salary from £180 to £190 per year. By 1920 she earned £240 per year, Health Visitors earned 50/- per week and Infant Health Visitors generally lower at up to 44/- per week.

By 1924 Miss Gardiner was responsible for 61 Health Visitors and Infant Health Visitors involved with Maternity and Child Welfare. The Health Visitors were only dealing with infants or still births occurring outside the Infant Welfare Centre boundaries. In her report to the Medical Officer of Health, Miss Gardiner began by saying, ‘It is a pleasure to record and testify to the high quality of the Health Visitor’s work. Much of the prevention of disease and the diminution of the infant mortality rate is undoubtedly due to the continuous steady and uncomplaining work of the Health Visitors. Surely the MOH and all its authority will grant them unbegrudgingly the full need of consideration and honour that is due.’

Wellcome Institute Birmingham MOH Reports
Ancestry
Maternity and Infant Welfare Sub Committee Minutes BCC/1/BM/4.
Council Wages Book of Public Health Dept BCC/1/BM/D/1/5/2/6
General Internet information
Sage Publications

Jan Wright

16th Dec 2019

Glimpses into individual lives a century ago

Throughout the project we have been hopeful to find material telling of experiences during the First World War and of everyday life in the early 1900s. One of our project volunteers, Laurie, has discovered some glimpses into first-hand experiences.

Mr Robert Purdom is listed as a subscriber in 1919-20 to the voluntary Floodgate Street Maternity and Infant Welfare Centre, and gave a further donation of £1/1/0 for food. Sadly, in a separate entry, he made a ‘special donation’ of £5/5/0 In Memory of son who fell in the War.¹

In a handwritten letter dated 8 February 1916 from Mrs Mitton, Hon Sec of the new Greet and Sparkhill Infant Welfare Centre to Mrs Caswell, Asst Hon Sec, about appointing a Lady Superintendent, the writer apologises for her haste as her youngest son has just received his commission in the R.E.s with only a few days’ notice. “I am so rushed with his necessary preparations that I almost feel to have too much on hand and shall be very glad of your help.” ²

Carding of Buttons from ‘Images of England: Birmingham Women’ compiled by Margaret Green published by Tempus

A report of a father charged with neglect of his 4 children: he had lost his job as a pearl button worker 6 months earlier through an illness brought on by drink. His wife worked from early morning till late at night carding hooks and eyes for which she earned 5d for an entire day’s labour.³

¹ Floodgate Street Maternity and Infant Welfare Centre

Annual Report for year ending 31/3/20 MS4101

² Personal letter MS4101

³ Birmingham Gazette and Express 14 July 1910

Laurie Spencer

4th Dec 2019

Catch me if you can!

One of the topics we wanted to include in our look at early 20th Century pregnancy and childbirth was illegitimacy, Volunteer researcher Cathie has been looking at a number of sources in Birmingham archives to shed light on the experience of unmarried mothers and the impact of illegitimacy on their babies. Here she uncovers the story of the female sleuths who helped mothers receive payment for the upkeep of their babies.

By the 20th century, the old Bastardy Order had become known by the more acceptable sounding Affiliation Order, a document issued by the courts to fathers of illegitimate children. It recorded the legal association between the father and the child and as such he was instructed to pay for the child’s upkeep. Failure to do so could result in a prison sentence. But how to find an errant father…..?

The charity Hope Lodge in Handsworth set up to provide help to single mothers, had two lady workers hunting for such men. As well as providing a home for unmarried mothers and their babies at the Lodge, the charity also undertook a tremendous number of ‘outside cases’. The case workers attempted to track down ‘putative’ fathers to try and take them to court to help the girls obtain an affiliation order. Poor girls who had problems in obtaining money under already issued affiliation orders were also helped.

Hope Lodge’s Annual Report of 1924¹ highlights both Miss Edginton’s and Miss Kershaw’s ‘patience and tact’ required for this work. It provides the following two examples from their casework.

A man who had had an affiliation order of 10/- made, tried to get it reduced claiming that he was out of work. However, the charity worker managed to track down his employer, a London firm, for whom he was employed as a traveller. In court the caseworker produced a letter proving that in fact he was earning £4 a week. The surprised father asked to see the letter and then remarked “She – meaning the girl – hasn’t got it in her to do this! It’s that society woman that’s done it.”

On another occasion a man had given the mother of his baby a false name and address. ‘After a great deal of trouble he was traced to a coffee house, where he emerged by a side entrance in another man’s coat and hat. In spite of this a summons was served on him and an order for 7/6 per week obtained.’

¹Birmingham Archives: MH/163 Hope Lodge Annual Reports

Cathie Paton

1st Dec 2019

Weaning Foods for Babies

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11th Nov 2019

John Robertson – Medical Officer of Health 1903-1927

As we have met together recently as a newly-formed team to consider our project

Born in Birmingham : Maternity, Midwives and Infant Welfare: 1914-1924

a frequent name on our lips has been ‘John Robertson’, the formidable Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for Birmingham for a great tranche of the early twentieth century.

John Robertson was born in Warminster in 1862 but educated in Edinburgh taking his MD with honours in 1887. His graduation thesis was ‘on the causation and distribution of consumption in England and Wales’ – a subject which he pursued throughout life. His early career in Public Health was as MOH for St Helens where he investigated the combating of diphtheria – a major killer of babies, children and adults at this time. From St Helens Robertson moved to an equivalent post in Sheffield and here he was active in promoting a local Act of Parliament to require the compulsory notification of tuberculosis.

In 1903 Robertson was appointed to the MOH post in Birmingham, succeeding Dr Alfred Hill. An obituary in the British Medical Journal describes him as a man who took ‘a broad view of his responsibilities … a town planner long before the term came into common use’. In Birmingham again he concentrated on schemes to minimise tuberculosis and infant mortality. He also held the Chair of Public Health at Birmingham University. In 1925 he was knighted for his services to the community, having previously received a CMG and OBE. Robertson retired from the Birmingham Corporation in 1927.

Whilst living in Birmingham Robertson, his wife, Jane and two daughters were resident at The Hollies on Court Oak Road in Harborne, where he died in December 1936, aged 74.

We look forward to finding out much more of the contribution this man made to public health in Birmingham.

The Annual reports of the Medical Officer of Health to the Chairman and Members of the Public Health and Housing Committee are a key resource for our project. They provide a detailed and comprehensive analysis of medical well-being of Birmingham and its inhabitants and provide many useful statistical tables which can be used to research the health of newborn infants and their mothers.

For example the Appendix to the 1917 Report includes a special report on ‘Maternity and Child Health during 1917’. This highlights that whilst the infant mortality rate overall continued to fall there had been no improvements over the last ten years in the mortality rate of babies under 1 month old. The MoH wished to see more gathering of statistics relating to stillbirths and newborn babies to try and pinpoint some of the causes. In another section he refuted the suggestion that many of the deaths due to ‘overlaying’ were as a result of women’s drunkenness.

Alison Smith (with additional notes by Liz Palmer)