Genealogy Chat

I have a death cert for an ancestor who died in Shoreditch Infirmary, but I would like to verify it is her as a relative did not register the death (a doctor did)...............A friend suggested I e-mail them and ask where the admission records are held and how I could see them and see if a relative booked her in.(I live a way from London)...........................How can I e-mail a hospital and say 'oh excuse me for taking up your valuable time but could you tell me who booked my granny in in 1903'?...........................or could I?...................I believe the records are at the London Metropolitan Archives. Could I just ask them to look this up for me (for a fee obviously)? How do I phrase my e-mail? I don't know any jargon or anything.Would I need a trip to London? TIA Claire xx

Contact the London Metropolitan Archives - they have a website and I am sure there will be a phone number or e-mail address. Say 'I am interested in finding out about X who was a patient at Shoreditch Infirmary in [date]. Would you be able to look this up on my behalf and if so how much would it cost?' nell

As easy as that Helen? I would have thought I would need reference numbers and all sorts as it would take some time to look up info with just a name and date I imagine. Gosh I was thinking of having to find an index like for certs, and to need all the correct jargon. I didn't want to look daft by asking such a simple question, but now I guess I look daft to you lot for not doing the obvious! LOL Claire

Claire I very much doubt that the information is indexed. I don't know what it looks like. It might be a case of going to a hardback book and going through the right dates, or it might be loads of looseleaf sheets which are out of order. But if you ask, I am sure LMA will be able to tell you whether its a long job or not. It's also possible that the year you want is missing/lost/damaged. nell

According to a2a, this is what LMA has on Shoreditch infirmary: To find out more about the archives described below, contact London Metropolitan Archives St Leonard's and St Matthew's Hospitals Catalogue Ref. H19/SL Creator(s): Shoreditch Infirmary St Leonard's Hospital [from Administrative History] Shoreditch Workhouse and Shoreditch Infirmary (later St Leonard's Hospital I) occupied adjoining parts of the same site which stretched from Hoxton Street in the west to Kingsland Road in the east. The buildings were erected in about 1865 to replace an earlier workhouse. The workhouse (later the institution) occupied the eastern part of the site immediately behind the Board of Guardians offices which fronted on Kingsland Road. The infirmary occupied the western portion of the site adjoining Hoxton Street. An annexe to the infirmary was built in 1884 in the north east corner of the site next to Nuttall Street.

a2a has this info Records of the LONDON HOSPITAL, Whitechapel Catalogue Ref. LH Creator(s): London Hospital (Whitechapel) Nursing Records Matron's Correspondence and Papers - ref. LH/N/7 FILE - Letters from Edith Cavell at St. Pancras Infirmary, Shoreditch Infirmary, Swardeston Vicarage, ..., to Eva Luckes, asking for references and assistance with the development of the School of Nursing etc. in Brussels - ref. LH/N/7/7 - date: 1900 - 1913 item: At St. Pancras Infirmary. Was elected Assistant Matron of Shoreditch Infirmary the previous day and is glad to get day work, after 3 years of night duty, and a higher salary. Will have much supervision of wards under Miss Inglis (Matron, teach Probationers and have charge of the linen room and laundry. Will be sorry to leave St. Pancras and Miss Moir: 'But no place will ever be to me what 'The London' was nor any Matron like the one under whom I trained'. Is glad to hear of success of quinquennial appeal. - ref. LH/N/7/7/2 - date: 5th November 1903 item: At Shoreditch Infirmary, Hoxton Street. Is applying for the vacant post of Matron at the Consumption Hospital, Ventnor, and requests: 'A fresh and more suitable testimonial - all the others I possess having been written under the Poor-Law and not being so desirable in the view of a Hospital Committee'. Promises to train nurses to the high standard expected at the London Hospital. - ref. LH/N/7/7/3 - date: 7th October 1904 item: At Shoreditch Infirmary, Hoxton Street. Having nursed for 10 consecutive years with out a break, she feels she needs a long rest and wishes to accompany a friend (Eveline Dickinson) for 3 months to the South of England and, possibly, abroad from April/May. Edith Cavell fears she will not be able to find another post, but is anxious to leave, having learned what she can: 'In this branch under the Poor Law' and seek help finding work in August - ref. LH/N/7/7/4 - date: 12th January 1906 item: At Swardeston Vicarage, Norwich. Requesting help to find work as Matron or Superintendent of an Institution at £60 - £70 per annum (her premium for the Royal Nurses Pension Fund is £30 per annum. She has good testimonials from Miss Inglis and Dr. Froggett (Medical Superintendent at Shoreditch Infirmary) and feels refreshed . Postcript note that she has applied for post of Matron at the Leeds Workpeople's Convalescent Home. - ref. LH/N/7/7/5 - date: 13th September 1906 here: Repository details Royal London Hospital Archives and Museum Contact Details St Augustine with St Philip Church, Newark St, Whitechapel London E1 2AA England Correspondence Address : Royal London Hospital Archives and Museum Whitechapel London E1 2AA Tel: 020 7377 7608 Fax: 020 7377 7413 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.brlcf.org.uk/archivesandmuseums/bartsarchiveandmuseum/bartsarchiveandmuseum_contact.html Online map: streetmap Archivist : Jonathan Evans Access information Open : M-F 10-4.30 It doesn't look like either the LMA or this place will actually have the records you are after, but this place seems more likely. I'd phone them first. nell

The LMA DO have admissions registers etc for St Leonards Infirmary. These look useful to you. They are probably large hard back hand written registers. I have looked at similar ones for Islington workhouses and found details of my family, including what meal they were given when they arrived, where they were admitted from, ages, occupations etc: LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY 1899 Dec - 1902 Jun SHBG/145/03 SHOREDITCH BOARD OF GUARDIANS: Infirmary later st leonards hospital, hoxton street Admission and discharge register LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY 1901 Mar - 1906 Mar SHBG/149/26 SHOREDITCH BOARD OF GUARDIANS: Infirmary later st leonards hospital, hoxton street Register of patients, female LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY 1899 Jan - 1901 Dec SHBG/147/16 SHOREDITCH BOARD OF GUARDIANS: Infirmary later st leonards hospital, hoxton street Creed register LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY 1901 Jan - 1902 Dec SHBG/147/17 SHOREDITCH BOARD OF GUARDIANS: Infirmary later st leonards hospital, hoxton street Creed register LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY 1902 Jan - 1903 Dec SHBG/147/18 SHOREDITCH BOARD OF GUARDIANS: Infirmary later st leonards hospital, hoxton street Creed register

Wow! Tons of info. Thanks very much. I have noted down the web addresses you have used and mentioned for further reference. Thanks again. Claire xx