The story continues with Old Church Hospital. Located on the Old Church Road in Romford, Essex, the hospital was originally the Romford Union Workhouse and had been built during 1838 and 1839. In 1929 the workhouse and its infirmary came under the administration of the Essex County Council who converted the building into Old Church Hospital. During WW2 it joined the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) with 868 beds of which were EMS beds for air raid casualties. It remained an acute hospital and by 1962 had 651 beds for acute and maternity patients.
This was the hospital where my father’s aunt had become matron. Having worked as an orderly in the hospital she made the brave decision to train as a nurse in night school. This was not just for herself but also so that she could enough money to allow her family send some of the younger members over to London to her in the hope that they would achieve a better life than the life on offer in Ireland at that time. She excelled and thrived in her chosen career to become matron. This was the sign the family was waiting for and they subsequently wished my father and his step brother the best and despatched them onto the boat to start them journey to London.
They landed on the doorstep on the Romford Road and were greeted with open arms. Once my father settled in and began working, his real interest would soon come to the surface, football and his beloved West Ham United. The cockney had lit the match for my dad on his first journey and now he would be taken to the promised land of Upton Park by his aunt’s husband. The first game he attended was on the 8th September 1958 where West Ham played Manchester United.
Romford ceased to be a part of Essex in 1965. Ever since it has been a part of London.