This former but original Jane Crookall Maternity Home became fully functional as a dedicated Maternity Home in 1938 and closed in 1992, this building, where I was born is now administration offices for the Department of Social Care.
The property which had been bought and modified for the purpose by the then Mayor of Douglas, Alderman A B Crookall for a lasting memorial for his wife Jane.
The building is situated on Demesne Road in Douglas is now called Crookall House and if my memory serves me right there used to be a figure of a stalk situated on the roof above the front doors!
There have been some very famous people born in this building (apart from me!!) i.e. Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb and Maurice Gibb from the Beegees 🙂 there are plenty more I am sure!
Also if my memory serves me right the rooms to the right of the front door were the delivery rooms!
The below image was captured on my Fuji X10 camera resized and cropped in Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click on the image for a larger view.
Peter Killey
Hi
I was born in the Jane in 1951, and have been looking for a good photo of the place to add to my family history, is it alright to copy yours?
I enjoy the site
Hi Tony
Of course you can copy the image.
Thanks for getting in touch.
Peter
Thanks Peter
When i come over this September i plan to take shots of some of the older Manx churches, do you know of any out of the way ones that may normally be missed?
Take care now
Tony
go to the Old Lonan Church, very narrow road up though. Beautiful little church
I stood outside the front door of this hospital exactly 21 years ago as my nephew Cormac was born. Ta for the photo and info.
Hi there, I too was born in the Jane Crookall Maternity home, as was my sister and brothers, also three of my four children.
I always remember the stock on the roof, where has it gone?!
Hi Richard
I think it now stands within one of the courtyards of the new Nobles Hospital, but would also like to know if this is correct 🙂
Peter
I loved going through all your beautiful pictures. It brought back so many memories. I was born November 12, 1949 in the Jane Crookall Maternity Home as well and my brother David was 5 years after me in the same maternity home. I am so glad to see what the building looked like. My sister and I came from Canada to visit our relatives on the Isle of Man in August 2011 and I wish that I could have gone there. I will come back. Thank you for your wonderful web site.
My mother gave birth to my half sister on 27th January 1942. Do you know
If there is anywhere where I can find any records or more information .
We intend to visit Douglas, Isle of Man next year and would be grateful
Of any information you could give us.
try familysearch.org
Hello Peter
I thank you for the information on the the maternity home. When I was a child we lived at 50, St Catherine’s Drive and could see the stork on the roof but I always thought that the home was situated on Westmoreland Road.
You have now corrected my mistake after nearly 70 years.
My younger sister was born in Catherine’s Drive on New Years day 1946. The house was originally my grandfather’s. Sadly the family left for England in 1948 and although my parents returned to Douglas then Castletown and now reside in Glencrutchery Cemetery I have only paid brief visits.
Thanks again
Pete
I was born in the Jane Crookall Maternity Home, Demense road, 1929, but where was this?
The same place you were born in Norman.
Peter
the first time i have seen where i was born in oct 1951
I was born here in 1960 & my brother in 1962. I now clean the first floor.
Peter, the stork from the roof of this the original Jane, does indeed now reside in the courtyard by the Jane Crookall wing in the ‘new’ Nobles Hospital, Carol.
Hi,
I too, was born in this Home in January 1955. I am coming back to IOM for my first visit since emigrating in 1957. I will be there in May 2016. I cant wait to see all the sights and history I have heard so much about all my life, from my family.
so was my younger sister
Hi Peter,
I have always loved the Bee Gees, saw them in 1973/74 here in my state. So sad now to see that Barbara passed. To see three children pass away before her had to be horrible. I came across your site of this hospital where the Bee fees were born and that must be neat to know you were born in the same hospital.
My moms mom passed away in a hospital called Home and Church in Baltimore, Maryland. That is the same hospital Edgar Allen Poe the poet died. Sadly I never knew my grandmother as she passed the year before I was born.
The isle of man looks like an amazing place to live. In our crazy world, there seems to be places that are remote and maybe not as turbulent, I hope I am right in saying that.
The bee gees had an amazing live, Andy was my favorite, had such a crush on him. Still wonder had Victoria stayed with him, maybe he would be ok? He took it bad when she broke up. You can hear it in his voice in some of the utube videos. So sad and now his two brothers and mom. I feel for Barry, and hope he has a long,happy life.
Thank you for sharing this picture. Ramona
I was also born hear in 68 my mum always talked about the Jane said the nurses new her well after five daughters I’m not suprissed alway talked about Dr Gillian to we left the island in 78 79 think I need to have a little lil sight seeing trip an especially Castletown were we lived thanks for the pic it’s nice to see were I was born an that the bee gees were too xx
my date of birth 5th October 1933, I was born at the Jane Crookall maternity home, my grandparents surname was Skillicorn.
my birth surname, was Griffin,
The picture of the ‘Jane’ is actually the back entrance, situated on Demesne Road,
The front entrance was on Westmorland Road.
The gardens around it were beautiful, and very peaceful.
Hi Doreen
Thank you for clarifying this.
As the entrance is now at the “back” it can be a little confusing.
I too was born here in August 1960.
My workplace is here at present but we will all be moving out in the near future.
Hi
This is the first time I have seen a picture of the maternity home where I was born in February 1952. My father was stationed at RAF Jerby. He was away when I was born. My mum said that she had to spend 14 or 15 days in bed. It didn’t matter how well you were you had to stay in bed all that time. It was very strict in those days. I feel awful that I have never been back to my birth place but I am very proud that I was born in the Isle of Man. Hope to one day visit this lovely island that my mum is always talking about and she really enjoyed living there. We left in 1955 when my father was posted to Hong Kong. Many thanks for the picture and the memories from others born in the Jane Crookall Maternity Home.
I was born there in October 1963 and always wondered what it looked like
Just wondering in the 50s is this hospital where all mothers had there babies or could they choose which hospital ?
My mum was born here in 1942, my grandpa was stationed on the Isle of Man in the RAF. My grandma, passed away when my mum was just 6 months old. My mum spent the first 5 years of her life in hospital, 2 of them in a cask, horizontally as there was spine damage. As was normal back in the day, no one ever really talked about the past, am still trying to put the whole picture together. My mums half sister died recently, and a photo of my mum aged 4 in hospital, was found.
I too was born in the Jane Crookall Maternity Home, on 12th December 1948.The family left the Island in early 1950 I believe, and I haven’t been back to the Island since, sadly. Really nice to see the photo, thank you, sent a bit of a shiver down my spine!
My wife was born at the Jane Crookall hospital on the 21st of September 1949.
Like the Bee Gees, she migrated to Australia.
We visited the island in 1997 and 2000, staying a week in Douglas both times.
My daughter was born there in 1980, at 1 kilo one if not the smallest baby ever born there.
Hi,
My son William was born at this hospital on July 3rd 1980, His cousin was born there also July 10 1980. We lived on the island from 1972 to 1981 we now live in Australia
I was born here in 1947 Lived on the Island until 1954 and went to Onchan School
Roger Hughes
I found the Stork !! It’s in one of the small courtyards near the Maternity Unit in the new Nobles Hospital.
I was born there in 1959.
I can’t seem to upload a photo of the Stork, sorry !!