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Thread: Smithdown Road GP Surgery

  1. #1
    Newbie ajspaceman's Avatar
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    Default Smithdown Road GP Surgery

    Hi, new here and was wondering if anybody has any information, photographs (internal / external) of this Grade II listed building which dominates the junction of Earle Road / Smithdown Road? Alternatively if anybody has any memories of the place feel free to tell all!

    I used to go there as a child in the 1980's and was under a GP called Dr.Walsh, and later, Dr.Cockerton. I always remember the long wooden seats around the outside of the waiting area and in the centre. There were often old paintings hungs from the walls above the reception window too (if I remember rightly, one was and old man in white pyjamas lying in bed by candlelight). Patients were buzzed in and an orange light lit up next to the doctor's name on the wall near the front door to let the patient know they were to go and see the doctor.

    Doctor Walsh's room was down the corridor to the side of the reception (last room on the left) and there was a small toilet I remember going to once down some steps right at the back of the surgery - I was probably about 5 or 6 at the time and can only vaguely recollect some things here!

    Doctor Cockerton was downstairs down a winding staircase in the basement of the surgery.

    It would be interesting to see what remains of the original features inside and every time I pass, the gates are normally locked so it's hard to see how photos can be obtained nowadays. (No pics on here I don't think and nothing on Google etc).

    Any info gratefully received!

  2. #2

    Default Old building at top of Smithdown Road.

    Quote Originally Posted by ajspaceman View Post
    Hi, new here and was wondering if anybody has any information, photographs (internal / external) of this Grade II listed building which dominates the junction of Earle Road / Smithdown Road? Alternatively if anybody has any memories of the place feel free to tell all!

    I used to go there as a child in the 1980's and was under a GP called Dr.Walsh, and later, Dr.Cockerton. I always remember the long wooden seats around the outside of the waiting area and in the centre. There were often old paintings hungs from the walls above the reception window too (if I remember rightly, one was and old man in white pyjamas lying in bed by candlelight). Patients were buzzed in and an orange light lit up next to the doctor's name on the wall near the front door to let the patient know they were to go and see the doctor.

    Doctor Walsh's room was down the corridor to the side of the reception (last room on the left) and there was a small toilet I remember going to once down some steps right at the back of the surgery - I was probably about 5 or 6 at the time and can only vaguely recollect some things here!

    Doctor Cockerton was downstairs down a winding staircase in the basement of the surgery.

    It would be interesting to see what remains of the original features inside and every time I pass, the gates are normally locked so it's hard to see how photos can be obtained nowadays. (No pics on here I don't think and nothing on Google etc).

    Any info gratefully received!
    The building was used as a bank before it became the doctors surgery. I think it was built as a bank for the Midland. I lived up that way as a child and young man in the 40's, 50's and 60's my parents and relatives lived there right up until the 1980's. My Dad grew up around there in the early part of the century As did my Grahdfather and Grandmother. Funnily enough I was a patient of Dr Walsh at one time.

  3. #3
    Newbie JayUU's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bernie2 View Post
    The building was used as a bank before it became the doctors surgery. I think it was built as a bank for the Midland. I lived up that way as a child and young man in the 40's, 50's and 60's my parents and relatives lived there right up until the 1980's. My Dad grew up around there in the early part of the century As did my Grahdfather and Grandmother. Funnily enough I was a patient of Dr Walsh at one time.
    My Dad (Dr Terry Walsh) was the Head of Practice (head GP) at 1 Smithdown Rd - he retired in 1992. They moved there in about 1980 having previously been at 13 Smithdown Rd. It was indeed an old bank (our family called it "The Bank" and not "the surgery"!) and on many a quiet weekend we'd drive over and he'd check up on something while I got the chance to visit what were the old bank vaults in the basement, with their HUGE metal doors.

    Great place and nice memories. Shame it's closed now.

    JayUU

  4. #4
    Senior Member xkopite's Avatar
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    I lived on the corner of Earle Rd and Hawdon St from 1953 to 1963,.
    it was originaly a Bank of Liverpool Ltd then in 1918 Martin,s Bank then in 1969 Barclay,s Bank.
    Glad to see it still standing,

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by JayUU View Post
    My Dad (Dr Terry Walsh) was the Head of Practice (head GP) at 1 Smithdown Rd - he retired in 1992. They moved there in about 1980 having previously been at 13 Smithdown Rd. It was indeed an old bank (our family called it "The Bank" and not "the surgery"!) and on many a quiet weekend we'd drive over and he'd check up on something while I got the chance to visit what were the old bank vaults in the basement, with their HUGE metal doors.

    Great place and nice memories. Shame it's closed now.

    JayUU
    if this message comes from one of Terry and Ingle Walsh's children, I would very much like to hear from you. I was an old friend of Inge's in Oxton and later in Prenton. Kind Regards

    ---------- Post added at 02:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:16 PM ----------

    if this entry was put in by one of terry and inge's children I would dearly like to hear from you, as I am one of Inge's friends in oxton and prenton. kind regards

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    Newbie JayUU's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rosemount View Post
    if this message comes from one of Terry and Ingle Walsh's children, I would very much like to hear from you. I was an old friend of Inge's in Oxton and later in Prenton. Kind Regards

    ---------- Post added at 02:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:16 PM ----------

    if this entry was put in by one of terry and inge's children I would dearly like to hear from you, as I am one of Inge's friends in oxton and prenton. kind regards
    Hello,
    yes it was.
    Please send me a private message if you can. I suspect we probably know each other quite well!

  7. #7
    Newbie JayUU's Avatar
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    Photograph of of 1 Smithdown Road, former GP Surgery here:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/44435674@N00/3831469162/

    Grade II listed as well, in 1975 according to this:

    http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co...34-1-liverpool


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  1. Smithdown Road GP Surgery
    By ajspaceman in forum Liverpool South Central
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-02-2009, 04:50 PM

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