Born and Bred
In 1886 the Vicar of St Mary’s Church, Thomas Given Wilson, established a welfare clinic and a day nursery in London Road, Plaistow. In 1889 one of its nurses, Miss Katherine Twining, moved from London Road and established the St Mary’s Nursing Home in Howards Road. The Home provided midwifery and nursing support to poorer residents of the district in their own homes, as well as training women of every social class in nursing, and prepared them for the London Obstetrical Society’s examination.
In 1894 two houses, Nos.17 and 19 Howards Road, were purchased as a District Nurses Home. A midwifery Training School and District Nursing training School were also established there. A committee of management was then formed and nearby land bought with a view to extending the premises in 1898. In 1901 branches of the Home were established in other poorer areas including East Ham, Stratford, Victoria Docks and North Woolwich, and three years later, in Barking, Essex.
In 1904 two more Houses – Nos.24 and 26 Howards Road – were bought and these were used for in-patients. The Home had 12 beds, by 1911 the bed number had increased to 20. In 1915 Chesterton House in Howards Road was purchased and used as a centre for antenatal and postnatal care. In 1919 my father-in-law, George, was born at No.26 in May of that year.
During WW2 the Hospital building suffered damaged from bombing and the in-patients were evacuated to Suntrap House at High Beech in Loughton, Essex. In 1940 the East Ham District Nursing Association took over the work of the Hospital's District Nurses.
After they were married my mother and father-in-law moved to Romford and then later to Hornchurch, before settling down comfortably in Harold Hill in Essex. They both enjoyed the setting of Harold Hill, which although close to London is a very rural area still. Two of their sons (including my husband, Malc) were born at home, by a midwife whose name was Nurse Rooks, as were my two younger brothers. Nurse Rooks delivered many of the babies born in the area.
The scriptures state that being born once though, is not enough. The bible makes it clear that we need to be born again.
When Jesus was on this earth, 'A man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.
So even the religious men (and women) of the time of Jesus were not good enough to get to heaven on their own merit - and neither are we. We must be born again.
And how does this happen? Through recognising that we are not good enough, but are all sinners - we come short of God's standard - ALL of us. 'as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10)
And then recognise that when Jesus died on the cross He was bearing our sin in His own sinless body and paying the price for our sin. His blood was then poured out to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Repentance of our sins and faith in Jesus brings the forgiveness of God. Do not refuse God's grace. Jesus is not willing that anyone should perish but sinful man cannot enter into God’s presence and so we need to be born again.
Anyone who dies in their sins (unrepentant) cannot enter heaven.
Don't leave it too long and don't turn away from the only way to find peace and joy - now and for eternity.