Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you know your exact place of birth?

156 replies

Toffeesgirl · 07/09/2023 17:31

Not the City but the name and address of the hospital (assuming, of course, you were born in hospital).

I ask because I am filling in a form which asks just this. Now I was born nearly 60 years ago in a non-UK but European city (I am British). I do know the hospital was knocked down about 50 years ago but as Mum is no longer with us and my Dad is very confused, I don't have a clue which one. Google tells me that there was a mass building post-war clearance in the 1970s but, oddly enough, not a list of all the hospitals (sarcasm). I was registered at the British Consulate which just lists the city name as place of birth.

The form which asks for it, is an important document I need for a new job (bit like a dbs) but apparently this piece of information is vital! The office I spoke to is checking with a higher authority but in case I need to argue my case, I just wondered if this is a piece of information that everybody else is aware of.

OP posts:
Whataretheodds · 07/09/2023 18:16

Is there a library in the town/city? They may have a lovely history section or know someone who will know.

muddyford · 07/09/2023 18:20

The hospital where I was born is still there, as a hospital, but I don't think it has a maternity unit, sixty years on.

AnSolas · 07/09/2023 18:20

MariaVT65 · 07/09/2023 17:42

Yes I know which hospital I was born in, but in all fairness that’s because I’m on only 35 and the hospital still exists, and in fact is making headline news today for criminal investigations in the maternity services!

But i completely think it’s fair enough you don’t know the hospital in your circumstances.

I do sometimes consider the situation on my CV where I previously worked in shops that no longer exist. How am i supposed to prove I worked there?

In a pinch the tax man will always have your work history and can could pe asked to do a letter.

mouse70 · 07/09/2023 18:21

Yes I do born abroad (Dad in Navy). What would they do with the information. What if you where a foundling baby!! Born on a ship!!. Born in a Taxi!! Birth certificate should be enough having said that I do not have a British birth certificate NEVER had a problem in 50++years.

FoodFann · 07/09/2023 18:22

Yes. It was drummed into me as a child as one of the many things I may need to know for forms etc.

TragicMuse · 07/09/2023 18:23

I do, but it's not there anymore. Or rather, the building is there but it's not a hospital now.

cakecoffeecakecoffee · 07/09/2023 18:23

I do but it has been knocked down since and the exact address no longer exists as the land was redeveloped.

CoreopsisEverywhere · 07/09/2023 18:23

Yes

my dad worked there for 35 years and I worked there for a couple of years in university holidays

Lemonyfuckit · 07/09/2023 18:23

Yes I know the name of the hospital I was born in (in London). The hospital isn't still there but I imagine knowing the name I would be able to find the address, if I needed it (I hope).

iolaus · 07/09/2023 18:24

My British Consulate birth certificate says the hospital where I was born - my driving license and passport both state the town where the consultate was - 60km away

I know the name of the hospital where I was born, the hospitals of my husband (my kids school is on the old site), my sister in law (because it came up in conversation that it was the same hospital as I was born) - I think I know for my brother (know the town and I think theres only one hospital), know my dad's - used to be a mental hospital, which he thought was funny, don't know my mums (will have to ask), know my grandmothers (but not the rest of my grandparents)

Three of my kids (born at home) all know the room and rough place in the room where they were born

SleepingStandingUp · 07/09/2023 18:24

Lydiala · 07/09/2023 17:41

Can you just pick one of the old hospitals and say it’s that one? If you can’t work out for sure which one it is, it’s not like anyone else can either to confirm.

Edited

My thoughts exactly.

Ask on here,FB whatever if anyone knows any hospitals open on 19XX in X city. Then find an address and declare it's that one.

Soontobe60 · 07/09/2023 18:24

Toffeesgirl · 07/09/2023 17:41

I don't have any medical records (other than vaccination certificates) which pre-date us coming to live in the UK. Would someone born here still have their records from the mid-1960s?

I have never, ever needed this piece of information before.

Show quote history

The thing is, if no address now exists, theres no way that anyone else could find out either. Just say you were born at home!

justbraisi · 07/09/2023 18:27

I know the name of the hospital because my mum used to work there. does it not say on your birth cert? mine does but its not a british birth certificate.

Ohhelpicantthinkofaname · 07/09/2023 18:27

I know the name of the hospital and know it’s still there so could Google the address if needed. Do you definitely need to put the whole address? Seems a bit excessive.

Caswallonthefox · 07/09/2023 18:28

I was born in an RAF hospital abroad, I know the country and the base, but the address, I have no idea. Although I'm sure the hospital still exists.
This was 50 years ago and the only birth certificate I have is a crap photocopy that's been stamped and dated.

thesugarbumfairy · 07/09/2023 18:28

Yes but only because i know the town and that the hospital no longer exists so i could figure it out. Ive only ever been asked once, when i tried to join a gp in london. They wanted the actual address of the no-longer-existing hospital. I guessed the street name and they seemed happy with that...

ibblebibbledibble · 07/09/2023 18:28

Yes I know

trevthecat · 07/09/2023 18:28

Yes, me, dh and all 3 dc all born on the same ward!

Lemonyfuckit · 07/09/2023 18:29

I don't think you'd be able to 'prove' it either way surely, if they asked for that, and neither would they be able to prove or disprove. Seems such a strange piece of information to require when your birth certificate shows which city you were born in, I can't imagine why it really is so important to know more precisely. If you know the address or roughly where in the city your parents lived at the time, would you be able to work out which hospital (of those in existence at the time) was closest to where they lived, as as a guess it's probably a pretty accurate one! And just say (if asked, although can't imagine you would be) my parents told me it was that one.

I only 'know' the hospital I was born in because it's the one my mum told me, I don't have anything more concrete than that.

Butteredtoast55 · 07/09/2023 18:29

Yes I know the exact house and in which bedroom!

Emeraldrings · 07/09/2023 18:29

My children were born in the same hospital as me. The old maternity unit (where I was born) has been extended and isn't maternity anymore but I know exactly what building it is.
My parents picked me up from hospital after DD1 was born and my mum pointed out the actual building where I was born.
Really strange the old hospital isn't listed.

ResponsibleWalrus · 07/09/2023 18:31

Yes but there's only one hospital in the city I was born in and it still exists. If it had been knocked down and there were several hospitals I wouldn't have a clue.

MysteriousShopper · 07/09/2023 18:31

I still live in the town I was born in. The hospital where I was born was knocked down 20 years ago and is a housing estate now

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 07/09/2023 18:32

We were ( Bro/Sis/me) all born at home .
Bro was downstairs in the back room (dining room) .
I was in the back bedroom.
Don't know about Sister .

Pretty exact yes? Grin

Roseyleaf · 07/09/2023 18:32

The name of the hospital is on my birth certificate.

It was the closest maternity hospital to the registry office where the birth was registered.