DO YOU remember….Rottenrow Maternity Hospital?
The much-loved and respected hospital has a long and fascinating history, stretching all the way back to 1834, when it was established as the Glasgow Lying-In Hospital on Greyfriars Wynd.
It was highly unusual for its time because it cared not just for married women, but also for the destitute. Many disapproved of the supposed “immorality” of caring for the babies of unmarried women, but the hospital argued human life was more important.
The move to Rottenrow, the street which gave the hospital its everyday name, came in 1860. The hospital building which stood at the crest of North Portland Street, on the corner of Rottenrow, was built after poisonous gas from sewers began seeping into the old building. That building was demolished, the sewers were fixed and the new hospital was opened in 1881 at a cost of £6500, two-thirds of which came from the public.
READ MORE: Glasgow's protest history celebrated in new book
The hospital went on to lead the way in major developments in obstetrics, including Murdoch Cameron's pioneering work in caesarean sections, Munro Kerr's research into maternal mortality, and Ian Donald's development of ultrasound scanning. Rottenrow also became internationally renowned as a leading training centre in midwifery.
The maternity hospital was famous, all over the world, and here in Glasgow, generations of mothers and babies have fond memories of the place.
By 2001, it had become very dilapidated and the hospital moved into a state-of-the-art extension to nearby Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The old building was purchased by the University of Strathclyde and demolished. A beautiful garden now stands on the site, with the entrance façade preserved and a giant safety pin statue serving as a reminder of its past.
Our pictures capture moments from Rottenrow’s story, including one in which midwife Marion McKean with her three-month-old son Anthony is photographed at a demo to protect midwifery services at the hospital in 1990.
In 1936, a group of midwives were photographed with their new charges – some of whom look less happy than others about the situation.
The building most people remember as Rottenrow Hospital is pictured in 1956.
Do you remember Rottenrow? Did you work there, or were you born there? Get in touch with Times Past to share your stories and photos. Email ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow G32 8FG.
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here