WHEN we published a photograph taken in 1946 of a new family leaving Bolton General Hospital we thought it could be a tall order tracking down the tiny baby.

But Dot Hayes came forward to reveal she was the new baby being carried from Townleys Hospital — as it was known locally.

Dot, aged 70, got in touch to let us know she was pictured with her parents, Elsie and Albert Atkinson as part of a promotion by the Bolton Journal and Guardian newspaper.

It was used as part of a feature on the role of the nurses and midwives at the hospital.

The family lived in the Tonge Bridge area of Bolton and baby Dot was taken back to Smethurst Street to join brother Eddie, who was aged five at the time. The family later moved to The Haulgh.

Elsie and Albert had two children, Eddie and Dot.

“They lived to celebrate 65 years of married and were devoted to each other to the end,” explains Dot.

Dot, who is happily married to Phil goes on to say: “Elsie and Albert were loving parents with a strong work ethic and good standards.

“Being brought up in post-war austerity was very different to today.

“However, we had a very happy childhood and what we couldn’t afford we did without.

“I was one of the baby boomers and like millions of others I have seen tremendous changes in my lifetime — some good and others not so good.

“But on reflection I feel that it was a great time to be born.”

Dot and Phil, who live in Horwich, have one married daughter who lives in the Midlands.

Nursing, especially midwifery, was very different in the 1940s compared with today. Fathers would not be present at the birth of their children and nurses would carry babies out of the hospital where they would be delivered into the arms of their parents.

They were the responsibility of the hospital until that moment. Wards were ruled with an iron fist by matrons who did not miss a thing. Cleanliness was of paramount importance and although hospitals did not have the modern cleaning facilities they do today superbugs were unheard of.

Here in Bolton we had Bolton General Hospital and Bolton Royal Infirmary but we also had maternity homes too.

Do you have any nursing memories?Get in touch with Gayle McBain on 01204 537269 or email gayle.mcbain@nqnw.co.uk to share your memories with other Looking Back readers.