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The Cleaver Sanatorium was located on Oldfield Road Heswall. The hospital was built specifically for
recovery from TB or "Consumption" as it was known. Unfortunately in the 1902 when the hospital
was fonded, the only treatment available for TB was a good diet, clean water and fresh air. As the
population of Wirral and Liverpool expanded so too did the pollution and health effects which it had
on its residents. Tuberculosis was wide spread across Merseyside in Victorian times and as a result
many Sanatoriums sprung up to aid the recovery, most of which were situated in countryside.
Unfortunately for the patients at the Sanatorium at Heswall cold baths and exposure to freezing
temperatures in the winter were part of the daily treatment which most likely attributed to many of
the deaths relating to TB. Thousands of children were treated in the Cleaver Sanatorium and many
spent several months there recovering. After some searching on Google i managed to locate many
people trying to get in touch with old friends which they made their during their time at the
Sanatorium. The Sanitarium today no longer exists having been overcome by modern developments
and closed for good in 1983, however part of the Sanatorium is still there; now having been
integrated into a nursing home. The pictures below clearly show how difficult it was living in Victorian
England and being a resident at the Sanatorium, something which thankfully most of us have never
experienced.
recovery from TB or "Consumption" as it was known. Unfortunately in the 1902 when the hospital
was fonded, the only treatment available for TB was a good diet, clean water and fresh air. As the
population of Wirral and Liverpool expanded so too did the pollution and health effects which it had
on its residents. Tuberculosis was wide spread across Merseyside in Victorian times and as a result
many Sanatoriums sprung up to aid the recovery, most of which were situated in countryside.
Unfortunately for the patients at the Sanatorium at Heswall cold baths and exposure to freezing
temperatures in the winter were part of the daily treatment which most likely attributed to many of
the deaths relating to TB. Thousands of children were treated in the Cleaver Sanatorium and many
spent several months there recovering. After some searching on Google i managed to locate many
people trying to get in touch with old friends which they made their during their time at the
Sanatorium. The Sanitarium today no longer exists having been overcome by modern developments
and closed for good in 1983, however part of the Sanatorium is still there; now having been
integrated into a nursing home. The pictures below clearly show how difficult it was living in Victorian
England and being a resident at the Sanatorium, something which thankfully most of us have never
experienced.
The name of the Sanatorium was derived from one man, Mr Harris P. Cleaver, Clerk to the West
Derby Guardians and a man noted for his devotion to his work. Mr Harris was on the board of
Guardians for the Work Houses in Liverpool. At that time the work houses were over crowded,
places of squalor much like 3rd world sweat shops of today through which illness and disease were
rife. The unions would constantly send away paupers who had not paid their money for their upkeep
in the workhouse, and if need be they would send the unfortunate people away on tightly packed
ships to places around the world in order to rid themselves of the burden. Fearing for their
treatment on these journeys Mr Cleaver travelled to Canada which was the favoured place to send
the children, and all at his own expense to investigate their situation.
So distressed was he at what he observed regarding the condition under which many of the children
were living, that upon his return he persuaded the Guardians to discontinue this policy and to find
an alternative to keeping the children in the workhouse. A short while later funding was made
available and in the late 1880s and the Cottage Homes were opened in Fazakerley to house school
children. Liverpool Select Vestry followed suit and shortly afterwards a similar scheme was carried
out to erect Olive Mount Children's Homes. The West Derby Union widened their facilities for children
when a Children's Convalescent Home was opened in Heswall which was later to be renamed
"The Cleaver Sanatorium".
Derby Guardians and a man noted for his devotion to his work. Mr Harris was on the board of
Guardians for the Work Houses in Liverpool. At that time the work houses were over crowded,
places of squalor much like 3rd world sweat shops of today through which illness and disease were
rife. The unions would constantly send away paupers who had not paid their money for their upkeep
in the workhouse, and if need be they would send the unfortunate people away on tightly packed
ships to places around the world in order to rid themselves of the burden. Fearing for their
treatment on these journeys Mr Cleaver travelled to Canada which was the favoured place to send
the children, and all at his own expense to investigate their situation.
So distressed was he at what he observed regarding the condition under which many of the children
were living, that upon his return he persuaded the Guardians to discontinue this policy and to find
an alternative to keeping the children in the workhouse. A short while later funding was made
available and in the late 1880s and the Cottage Homes were opened in Fazakerley to house school
children. Liverpool Select Vestry followed suit and shortly afterwards a similar scheme was carried
out to erect Olive Mount Children's Homes. The West Derby Union widened their facilities for children
when a Children's Convalescent Home was opened in Heswall which was later to be renamed
"The Cleaver Sanatorium".
| Children in the ground of the Sanatorium early 1900s |
| Mothers take their children to the Sanatorium for a check up |
| The Cleaver Sanatorium Nurses Badge The badge shown below was awarded to a Nurses who trained at the hospital in the 1970s. The front of the badge reads: "Non Nobis Sed Omnibus" "Cleaver Sanatorium" The pin back shows the makers name: "Thomas Fattorini Ltd Regent Street Birmingham". This badge was for sale on E Bay starting at £40.00 |
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