PARK HOSPITAL ORPHAN DRIVE

​FORMERLY

'THE LIVERPOOL SEAMAN’S ORPHANAGE'

In April 1870, Liverpool City Council donated a plot of land in the North East of Newsham Park for an orphanage. On the 11th September 1871, the foundation stone was laid by Ralph Brocklebank and within a few months £8,000 had been raised for the building. In January 1874, 114 children moved into the orphanage and it was officially opened on 30th September 1874 by Queen Victoria's fourth son the Duke of Edinburgh.

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On 12th May 1886, Queen Victoria visited The Seamen's Orphanage accompanied by the Duke of Connaught and Princess Beatrice. Queen Victoria agreed to become patron of the orphanage with Princess Mary and as a result it was granted the title 'Royal'.

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At the start of World War Two, preparations were made for the children at The Seamen's Orphanage to be evacuated. This took place on the 11th September 1939, exactly 68 years after the foundation stone was laid.

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After the Second World War in 1948, there were only 130 children left in the orphanage. The introduction of Family Allowance and the launch of the National Health Service enabled families to care for children in their own home. On 25th July 1949, it was decided that the orphanage should close down and two days later the doors finally shut with many of its children being sent to boarding schools.

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In 1951, the Ministry of Health bought the building and turned it into a hospital, however, this closed down in 1990 and the building is currently not in use.