Photos & Stories
Elaine
Date of Birth: November 1955
Summer 1956, Baby Show at Blackbrook House, 1st prize Elaine with her mother Janet Forder (2nd from right, top row).
Submitted by Janet on 03/04/2013
Denise
Date of Birth: November 1957
These are my daughters Elaine and Denise both born at Blackbrook House - in 1955 and 1957. Recently I took a look around the newly renovated Blackbrook House, with owner Stephen Press.
Submitted by Janet on 03/04/2013
Elizabeth
Date of Birth: September 1954
I was born at Blackbrook in 1954, my sister Joyce was born there in 1952. Our parents lived in Bishop's Waltham about eight miles away. I was born about 2am. My father bought the family's first television the day I was born.
Submitted by Elizabeth on 24/07/2013
James
Date of Birth: September 1984
My son James was born on the same day as Prince Harry. It was a wonderful experience. Furthermore, I worked at Blackbrook as a cleaner for a number of years.
Submitted by Deborah on 04/08/2013
Linda
Date of Birth: December 1961
I was born about 3.15am just before new year. I have been told by my mother who couldn't decide whether to call me Linda Janet or Janet Linda that the midwife decided. Mum was also told by the midwife that a stay of 12 days wasn't long enough, not like now where it can be as short as 6hrs.
Submitted by Linda on 12/08/2013
David
Date of Birth: May 1950
My dear friend Janet Forder asked me to send the photo of me as a baby as I was at Blackbrook on 10 May 1950. My sister Janet was also born at Blackbrook on 23 January 1952. Unfortunately, at the moment I do not have any baby photos of her.
Submitted by David on 04/09/2013
Nicholas
Date of Birth: September 1950
I gave birth to my son Nicholas at 10.50 pm on Sunday 13th September 1970. The staff at Blackbrook were simply wonderful. I visited Blackbrook in March of this year and was shown around, it brought back many happy memories for me. My son is now 43 and living in Tokyo and has a daughter Emily who is 7. She is really interested in the photographs of where her Daddy was born. The photograph is taken today on his 43rd birthday with Emily.
Submitted by Beverly on 13/09/2013
Gemma
Date of Birth: September 1985
I came to Blackbrook with my baby Gemma after a fairly traumatic birth (for both of us!) at St. Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth. The staff were wonderful throughout our week-long stay and nothing was ever too much trouble for them (day or night). Gemma now has a little girl of her own (Jasmine Layla Bryan) born on 9th August 2013 in a London hospital. She is very envious when I tell her about my memories of Blackbrook!
Submitted by Carol on 15/09/2013
Daniel
Date of Birth: February 1985
Daniel was my second child and I was very fortunate to be able to have him delivered at Blackbrook House. It was a wonderful place to have a baby and to spend the first few days with him in a lovely place with exceptionally nice staff. The picture is of him at two and a half months with his sister Sam (born in Bournemouth).
Submitted by Debbie on 20/12/2013
David
Date of Birth: September 1975
My son David was born at Blackbrook House on Wednesday, 17th September, 1975. He now lives with his wife Suzanne in Portsmouth. My husband and I live in Swindon. I have happy memories of Blackbrook House. I used to live in Abbey Road in Fareham.
Submitted by Elizabeth on 15/01/2014
Lisa
Date of Birth: December 1967
I was born in Blackbrook on Christmas Eve 1967. My mum was given this hanky. In 1998 I had my son and went to Blackbrook the next day. I was the only person there at the time as they were shut over Christmas due to staff shortages.
Submitted by Lisa on 31/01/2014
Shaun
Date of Birth: August 1964
I grew up in the West End, went to St Johns playschool, Wallisdean Infant & Junior School then onto St Annes Secondary School until 1980. I worked at Boundary Oak School for 15 years as a maintenance man. Currently a self-employed plumber married with two girls.
Submitted by Shaun on 06/02/2014
Philippa
Date of Birth: December 1981
Horrendous breech birth at St Marys. Transferred to Blackbrook (where I was born). Baby taken straight from me and into the caring arms of a midwife. I was the only Mum there until another lady came in the afternoon and then it was just the two of us until we both left. You couldn't have paid for better private care . . . it was incredible and I think a great loss to the community.
Submitted by Penny on 16/02/2014
Maria
Date of Birth: September 1972
I loved being in Blackbrook Maternity Home during the birth of my first child Maria. The care and support we were all given in those days were excellent. The house and grounds were beautiful as was the home-cooked food. I remember waking up early in the mornings for the first feed and feeling a sense of peacefulness and tranquillity sitting in the lounge where we all fed our babies. As a new "mum" and being only 21yrs old at the time I was made to feel very relaxed and well supervised by all the staff that worked there. Those were the days when the new mum was put first and her comfort and stay was made as pleasant as possible. I returned in 1978 for my second child and again in 1986 for my son. The care and support was still the same and I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to have all my babies there.
Submitted by Linda on 16/02/2014
Aaron
Date of Birth: April 1997
My second baby was born at Blackbrook in April 1997. The midwife who delivered him was Jackie Heathcote. She was a lovely lady. My photo is my son now, nearly 17 years on.
Submitted by Tara on 19/02/2014
Scott
Date of Birth: July 2003
My eldest son was born in Blackbrook in 2003. I remember attending antenatal classes there and when going round the room I was the only one who had opted to give birth at Blackbrook – everyone else planned on going to hospital then transferring to Blackbrook after. I met one of my now best friends at Blackbrook. I will always have fond memories of it. I was sad when it closed just before my second son was born. I ended up having him at home.
Submitted by Kathryn on 16/05/2014
Lorretta
Date of Birth: April 1969
I have no actual baby photos of myself so attached one of when I was at school age. I was born at lunchtime to June who lived in Bishops Waltham at the time. I recall Mum telling me that there were no beds available when I wanted to be born so staff laid wood over the top of the bath and that's where I was born. I was given the nickname 'Bath Bright' by family members as I was growing up. I've often wondered who the midwife at my birth was and whether she would remember me.
Submitted by Lorretta on 11/09/2014
Kyle
Date of Birth: January 1986
Kyle was born in the morning, about 7.30ish. I wasn't at the birth because I had 3 other children indoors and I needed to get back to them, then I had a game of football to play, so I didn't see him until the afternoon. Here he is at about the age of 4. The Pompey shirt he was wearing was signed by Kit Symons.
Submitted by Dave on 10/11/2014
Lynda
Date of Birth: November 1961
Lynda was our first child and she was born in Blackbrook. I was only 21 and very nervous, but the staff, although quite strict, were lovely. We only used to have the babies for feeding time, the remainder of the time they were in the nursery where only the fathers were allowed to see them, no other visitors. And I think we were only allowed one visitor at a time at prescribed times. When sister carried Lynda out for feeding time she used to say 'Here is flue brush' because she had a mop of black hair. I was in there for 10 days. My son Stephen was also born there in 1967, delivered by a young midwife. He was her first delivery and had his cord round his neck but she was great and he was fine.
Submitted by Ann on 13/11/2014
Teresa
Date of Birth: February 1951
My name is Jackie Wheeler formerly Baker and I am looking for my younger sister. Her birth name is Teresa Anne Baker and she was born 15 February 1951 at Blackbrook House in Fareham near Portsmouth, England. Her birth mother's name is Magdalene Mary Minnell and her birth father's name is Albert Arthur Baker. She has another younger sister Wendy.
Submitted by Jackie on 06/12/2014
Helen
Date of Birth: April 1953
I was born at Blackbrook. My Mother was living in Gosport at the time but as there was no room at Blake Maternity, she was sent to Fareham. When the time came for me to be taken home, there were no taxis available so I was sent home in the Mayor's car! What a start to life!
Submitted by Helen on 23/08/2015
Paul
Date of Birth: July 1961
I was first born to Joy and Graham, now 88 and 90 years old (as of May 2024). I was a chubby baby with a huge mop of hair. Mum said it was a nice place to have a baby. My sister, though, was born in Southampton Hospital in 1963.
Submitted by Paul on 29/05/24
Amanda
Date of Birth: July 1960
I was born 5 minutes past midnight. My mother told the nurses I was on my way – I was her 4th. But, apparently, they didn't want to be bothered at that time of morning, so they made her go back to bed. Mum decided to use the loo instead. I was so eager to be born she actually caught me. She was standing between the bath and the toilet. One nurse exclaimed, "What a pity Mrs Johnson couldn't have stood in the bath!"
I married someone with the same surname hence I'm still a Johnson.
Submitted by Amanda on 23/06/24
Philip
Date of Birth: April 1956
I was born at Blackbrook House during April, 1956. My dad was a CPO RN on HMS Albion and my mum a VAD at Haslar.
Submitted by Amanda on 24/06/24
Annette
Date of Birth: January 1951
I was born in January 1951 at Blackbrook. Many years later, probably in the late 60s, my uncle was one of the gardeners there.
Submitted by Amanda on 23/09/24
John
Date of Birth: January 1954
I was born in the January of 1954. My Mum said that St Marys maternity (they lived in Portsmouth) was full, so she was sent, by taxi, to Blackbrook House. I did go for a look with my Mum about 10 years before she died and she pointed out which room she thought I was born in. The only downside was that my birth was registered 'in the County of Southampton'. Not good for a Pompey lad!
Submitted by John on 06/01/25
Gill
Date of Birth: January 1961
I was born at Blackbrook maternity unit during January 1961. I, of course, have no memories of my few days spent there, but I have asked my mother about it. Mum is now 93 and lives in Sarisbury Green. She already had two children so times were hectic and she remembers my dad dropping her off at the home in the middle of the night and haring back to look after my brother and sister. Of course, fathers were not allowed to witness the birth in those days. Mum says she remained composed throughout and read poetry prior to giving birth, followed by a pleasant few days of stay before returning home. Sorry, but, 64 years after the event, she cannot recall anything else about it other than to say she won't do it again!
Submitted by Gill on 22/01/25
Roy
Date of Birth: December 1950
I was born in Blackbrook House during December 1950. Unfortunately, my mum didn't tell of any stories and I can't remember the occasion myself.
Submitted by Roy on 23/01/25
Trevor
Date of Birth: May 1952
I was born at Blackbrook House in May 1952 and I'm still going strong.
Happy to see the house now on the net.
Submitted by Trevor on 22/03/25
