Childer Chaine Hospital, Belgravia, London

[barrysutton]

Does anybody have any info about this hospital , as I have two badges and a medal for this hospital.

[myk1066]

I don't, sorry but please make sure you post pics if you haven't already.
Mike

[backman]

There is no hospital of this name,rather the badges relate to the fund raising group associated with the Belgrave Children's Hospital in London.The only mention I can find for this is in the British Journal of Nursing in 1913;
http://www.rcn.org.uk/development/library_and_heritage_services/library_collections/rcn_archive/historical_nursing_journals/browse_journals?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZyY25hcmNoaXZlLnJjbi5vcmcudWslMkZkYXRhJTJGVk9MVU1FMDUwLTE5MTMlMkZwYWdlMDkzLXZvbHVtZTUwLTFzdGZlYnJ1YXJ5MTkxMy5wZGYmYWxsPTE%3D

There are a number of similar category charity and finding badges,some of which crop up quite regularly.Amongst these are the Clacton and Western Super Mere extension badges,Southampton Honorary Collector badges,Cardiff Lady Aberdare Fund,Shrewsbury Immunity Badges,etc,etc. Separate from badges awarded to recognise training or achievement they are often sold as such by unwitting vendors.I have learnt this the hard way,including a very small Southend on Sea badge which I paid far too much for but was luckily able to get refunded.To complicate matters there are some Hospital badges which aren't hospitals at all but schools,I can think of Old Swinford and Christ's Hospitals as examples.If anybody is unsure of a hospital and want to check it out I then try the Hospitals Record Database which covers many locations but is not comprehensive;http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/search.asp

I also have several volumes of the Burdett's Hospital & Charities Annual/Hospitals Year books for 1889,1895,1935,1958,1965,1972 and 1989 and these list all hospitals for those years with key details,so if anyone wants any checked please just ask.Hope that Helps?

[barrysutton]

Thank you for the replies, I'll post the pictures when I get the third badge (only just acquired it), fortunately I do collect fund raising/immunity badges Etc. relating to medical/workhouses.

[backman]

There is an increasing trend for vendors to list badges as having a medical or nursing connection, I presume to benefit from collectors.For example there is a St Bernard's Badge on Ebay at present that the seller says might be a school or a hospital.I have emailed him to confirm that it is a Catholic Grammar School yet he has not amended his listing accordingly.Similarly another vendor lists a Manchester 1934 badge as belonging to the Para Medical Ophthalmic Assistants!!!! Whilst such a profession may in fact exist I have real doubts as to whether it did in Manchester in 1934 and ever issued badges.
The Latin Motto "Caveat Emptor" applies- Let the Buyer Beware

Another reason why there should be some form of guidance booklet for collectors of Nursing badges.

[backman]

Similarly the Kings Hospital Dublin is in fact a school:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King's_Hospital

[barrysutton]

There is a St. Bernard's Hospital but its in Gibraltar and another establishment that has a hospital but is not in itself that being the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.

[backman]

The other St Bernards Hospital,for which there was a badge issued,was the former Hanwell Asylum at Southall. The badge features the gatehouse of the original hospital.