Smedley Hydro
Encyclopedia
Smedley Hydro is a former Victorian Hydropathic Spa and Hotel which is now home to the UK national registration offices, situated in Birkdale
, Southport
, Merseyside
.
.
The Spa treatments were a popular luxury in Victorian times which the Smedley became well known for.
In 1881 the Birkdale Palace Hotel
was refurbished and was re-opened as a hydropathic spa and proved to be a great rival to the Smedley. By 1882 the Smedley had two wings built, firstly the west wing holding the dining room and then the east wing holding the drawing room which lead to the ballroom.
Between 1924 and 1928, the hotel was closed while the main building had its roof raised to form a third storey and to be in line with the roof of the east and west wings.
In 1932 the hotel became known as the "Smedley Hydro Hotel" and had Turkish and plunge baths, with all guest rooms having hot and cold running water and either gas or coal fires. The hotel also boasted conservatories, a sun lounge and a ballroom that had a theatre stage and resident dance hostesses.
It is also rumour that from 1935 to 1939, the hotel was the official headquarters for the ‘Ladies Open Championship’.
. When VE Day came, Smedley Hydro was not returned to the owners therefore the building has never served holidaymakers since 1939.
.
In 1991 the General Register Office
for all births, deaths and marriages, officially took up residence at the Smedley Hydro site.
Birkdale
Birkdale is a village and district in the southern part of the conurbation of the town of Southport, within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, though historically in Lancashire, in the north-west of England. The village is located on the Irish Sea coast, approximately a mile away from...
, Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
.
Birkdale College
Smedley Hydro started out as "Birkdale College" with 47 rooms, for the education of young gentlemen.Hotel
John Smedley formed the 'Smedley Hydropathic Company' for £25,000 at £5 a share on August 1876. The company purchased the building for £7,500 and extended the building to accommodate 140 visitors as a hotel. The Hotel offered luxurious facilities to guests, one of which was the Spa which opened a five acre site on 1 May 1877, and was the first and only Hydropathic Hotel in Birkdale and the fourth out of six in Southport to offer hydrotherapy. The resident physician being Dr BarnadoThomas John Barnardo
Thomas John Barnardo was a philanthropist and founder and director of homes for poor children, born in Dublin. From the foundation of the first Barnardo's home in 1870 to the date of Barnardo’s death, nearly 100,000 children had been rescued, trained and given a better life.- Early life :Barnardo...
.
The Spa treatments were a popular luxury in Victorian times which the Smedley became well known for.
In 1881 the Birkdale Palace Hotel
Birkdale Palace Hotel
The Birkdale Palace Hotel was a luxury hotel located in the coastal resort of Birkdale, Southport, on the north-west coast of England. It was opened in 1866 and demolished in 1969. During the Second World War it was a rehabilitation centre for US airmen, and in the last two years of its existence...
was refurbished and was re-opened as a hydropathic spa and proved to be a great rival to the Smedley. By 1882 the Smedley had two wings built, firstly the west wing holding the dining room and then the east wing holding the drawing room which lead to the ballroom.
Between 1924 and 1928, the hotel was closed while the main building had its roof raised to form a third storey and to be in line with the roof of the east and west wings.
In 1932 the hotel became known as the "Smedley Hydro Hotel" and had Turkish and plunge baths, with all guest rooms having hot and cold running water and either gas or coal fires. The hotel also boasted conservatories, a sun lounge and a ballroom that had a theatre stage and resident dance hostesses.
It is also rumour that from 1935 to 1939, the hotel was the official headquarters for the ‘Ladies Open Championship’.
World War II
In September 1939 the government took over management of the hotel building turning it into a centre for the registration of the British population. The plan was originally intended only for the duration of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. When VE Day came, Smedley Hydro was not returned to the owners therefore the building has never served holidaymakers since 1939.
Post WWII
In 1952 the national registration and rationing ended, it was then planned that operations at Smedley Hydro would be wound down. However, the government decided to continue to use the centre to handle the administration for the unique identification numbers (now known as NHS numbers) which have been given to each person in the country under the never-ending programme of national registration. This was the start of the National Health ServiceNational Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
.
In 1991 the General Register Office
General Register Office
The General Register Office for England and Wales is the section of the UK Identity and Passport Service responsible for the civil registration of births , adoptions, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths in England and Wales and for those same events outwith the UK if they involve a UK citizen...
for all births, deaths and marriages, officially took up residence at the Smedley Hydro site.