Liverpool Hospitals - Olive Mount Hospital

Olive Mount is on Old Mill Lane in the Wavertree ward of the city and is located next to the former Millstead Primary School, approximately 3.6 miles from Liverpool City Centre by car.

Olive Mount was a mansion house built in the early 1790's for James Swan, a grocer and tea dealer, with the location, no doubt, chosen for its elevated position with views across open countryside. The house was typically Georgian in style and built of local cream sandstone. Whether this 18th century mansion gave its name to the hill on which it stood, or vice versa, is not known.
In 1897 the hall and estate was purchased by the Liverpool Select Vestry, for the building of Cottage Homes for the pauper children of Wavertree and it was in 1898-9 that a cottage home village (Poor Law accomodation for children) was built in the grounds. Sixteen homes and two schools were built in the extensive grounds and opened in 1901. Initially, the homes accommodated children of all ages but, in later years, only those aged under eight were taken in, with older children being sent to the Fazakerley Cottage Homes which, at that time, were also run by West Derby Union. In 1905 it was enlarged, to designs by Edmund Kirby, with the addition of 2-storey cottages and special hospital blocks to the north of the site, with blocks in an X formation added for infants. 

The Cottages, with the main house, far left, in 1925 

 

 

With the children sent up from the workhouse, a report published in 1909 stated, 'each cottage can accommodate 14 children and the 'Foster Mother' in charge has the help of a half timer to assist her with her work. She is expected to make all do some little things and make the life as homelike as possible. There are separate cottages for boys and girls and one for babies, the very small children who require more individual care; here the 'mother' has an assistant as the children need attention and can give no help. The Committee hope and believe that the cottage home life will assist the children in training them for work and that the girls who have taken share of work in their own cottage will have received good training for service.

Cottage Home infants circa 1908

When the Poor Law was abolished on the 5th of July, 1948, with the passage of the National Assistance Act 1948, the building was bought by the NHS (National Health Service), and re-opened as a Children's Hospital called Olive Mount Children's Hospital. 1955 saw Olive Mount Children's Hospital close and re- opening as a specialist care hospital for people with learning difficulties, called Olive Mount Hospital.
The disabled people's home was eventually closed down, and other than the original house, lodge and superintendent's house, virtually all of the buildings were demolished in 1991. The original house - which had been used as the administrative centre of the hospital - was retained by the Health Authority as offices.   
The NHS closed Olive Mount Hospital in 2012.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2025/07/liverpool-hospitals-new-hall-hospital.html