The hospital's first Birth Register was opened on 1/4/1889 and there is an unbroken series, in various formats, to the present day. Birth Registers succeeded the Midwifery Books which were primarily a clinical record, but also served as a Register. The Birth Registers were introduced at much the same time as the Labour Ward Case Books, when there was considerable reorganisation of the Midwifery and Infirmary Departments.

The Registers provide virtually the same information as an official birth certificate, and were at times the source of information for formal birth registration. They give brief details relating to the mother, father and baby but neither current addresses nor where the mother or baby went after discharge are given. The births are entered chronologically and are not indexed.

Care must be taken in relying on the details found in these records, especially those from the 19th and early 20th centuries, as there are many discrepancies between this information and that given in Birth Certificates and other hospital records of the same period - for example, names are spelled differently, mothers’ ages vary and even birth dates are inconsistent. There are instances where a birth is recorded in a Labour Ward Case Book, but not in the Birth Register.

Access Conditions: Strict patient confidentiality provisions apply. Refer to to the Archivist or the Freedom of Information Officer in Health Information Services.

Microfilm is always to be used for reference in preference to the originals, except to clarify illegible text on the film. Access to the originals will be under supervision of the Archivist.