Malvern House Nursing Home
The nursing home was the inspiration of Nurse Mary A Harris during her early career at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. In 1904 she wrote to her brother Alfred Harris (owner of the Greasby Brick & Tile Works and several other businesses) asking him to look for a suitable site for a maternity-type nursing home. Alfred's reply on a postcard asking for more information ("What is a nursing home?") still exists. Later (after the state made greater provision for mothers and babies) Malvern House gradually turned into a care home for elderly people.
It is believed that the home opened before 1910 and was still open in the late 1940s. Road numbering took place in the late 1940s or early 1950s and the site was allocated the address 216 Greasby Road. The buildings were actually approximately 120 yards away from Greasby Road itself, along a path. The westernmost corner of Norwood Court sits on the site of one of the Malvern House buildings.
Mary (Nurse Harris) became a midwife and for years was responsible for the delivery of many Greasby babies. Matilda, sister of Mary and Alfred, may also have been involved in the running of the home.
Family history researchers have sometimes found themselves at a dead-end concerning the nursing home. It seems that it was not unusual for a young lady from a distant part of England to spend the final stage of her pregnancy at Malvern House and to return to her home without the baby.
Alfred passed away in 1945 aged 79. Mary died in 1954, followed by Matilda in 1955. All are buried in the churchyard of St John The Divine, Frankby.
This view of the eastern side was taken from the neighbouring field
(today's Brookdale Primary School playing field near Norwood Court).
The rooftops in the background are house numbers 27 to 41 Pickerill Road.
View of the southern end of Malvern House. The building on the right was not part of the original nursing home. It was added later as an extension to the living quarters.
The entrance to the home, on the western side of the building.
Malvern House on 1935 map
Malvern House on 1947 map.
Pickerill Road and Circular Drive have been built
Nurse Harris and young friend
1935 receipt for 'accouchment' (delivery of baby) and nursing care £11.11s.6d
(£11.57½) including 1/-d (5p) for soap and 2/6d (12½p)for baby mix
Malvern House was inherited by Arthur Keetley Worsey, who was also known locally as Joe Harris. He had been informally adopted by Nurse Harris sometime after his birth at the nursing home.
The path to 216 Greasby Road still exists - from Greasby Road it now leads to Norwood Court. At its start there is now an electricity sub-station. One of the gateposts still stands, a couple of yards before the substation. This post has the letters AH carved into the wood, matching the initials of Alfred Harris. They are at 90º to horizontal and may have been carved before the timber was in use as a gatepost (possibly it had been a lintel at the Brick Works which closed around 1905).
1914 Kelly's Directory
C.M.B. = Central Midwives Board