The Doll's Hospital (or Dolls' Hospital) was a toy shop at 16 Dawes Road, Fulham, London that was in operation for over 100 years[1] and repaired dolls sent by postal mail. The business eventually acquired an international reputation for its restoration workshop, including media coverage in the Illustrated Sydney News, "Patients are admitted for broken heads, or fractured limbs, loss of hair, eyes, nose, teeth, fingers, hands, toes, and wasting away of the body. Operations take place every day between 9am and 8pm."[2]
In 1948, the owners of the Doll's Hospital building were victims of the serial killer John Haigh, the so-called Acid Bath Murderer, who was himself hanged the following year.[1]
History
In the 1800s, a "doll's hospital" opened in the nearby Fulham Road.[3][4] The hospital eventually came into possession of Herbert Wicks. In 1937, the address 16 Dawes Road was listed in the Kelly's Directory as a toy shop associated with toy dealer Albert E. Wickes,[5] son of Herbert Wicks.[6] The younger Wicks ran the hospital from 1930 to 1949.[6]
In April 1937, Dr. Archibald Henderson's first wife died and he inherited more than £20,000.[7] In July 1937, Henderson married Mrs. Rose Erren, who was recently divorced from Rudolf Erren, a German inventor and engineer.[7] Sometime after 1937 the building which housed the toy shop and the Doll's Hospital was bought by Dr. Archibald and Mrs. Rose Henderson.[8] In February 1948, the Hendersons vanished without trace.[5][9] They had become the penultimate victims of serial killer John Haigh, who was known as the Acid-Bath Murderer because he dissolved the bodies of his victims in concentrated sulphuric acid.[5] Haigh invited them to his basement workshop in Crawley, where he shot them with a revolver stolen from Henderson's own house.[5][10] With the aid of forged documents, Haigh emptied the couple's bank accounts, and sold their jewellery, car and property.[10] Using a forged deed of transfer, Haigh sold the Doll's Hospital to Albert Clarke.[5] Investigators visited the Doll's Hospital more than once while investigating the murders; for example a March 1949 story in the Portsmouth Evening News read "Detectives At Dolls' Hospital Again...detectives paid another visit to the doll's hospital at Fulham to build up the Yard's rapidly-growing dossier on five missing persons."[11] The person who sold Clarke the business under false pretences (Haigh) was originally described as "Mr. X."[12]
Despite the eventual revelation of the murder of the building owners by an infamous serial killer, the business known as the Doll's Hospital continued.[5] Notable local customers included Janet Street-Porter, who had her only doll repaired there, and others from around the world sent their dolls to be repaired there.[5] In its latter years, the Doll's Hospital was run by John Smith, Clarke's son-in-law, until it closed down sometime after 1989,[1] to be replaced with a non-descript bar.[5]
References
^ abcLewis, Ron, Blood-Curdling History of a Doll's Hospital, Middlesex County Times - Friday 25 August 1989, page 13, via British Newspaper Archive
^"All Dolled Up". LBHF Libraries. 22 October 2013. from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
^Brown, Kenneth D. (1996). The British Toy Business: A History Since 1700. A&C Black. p. 48. ISBN9781852851361. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
^How, Harry (1895). "A Day in the Doll's Hospital". The Strand Magazine. London (July–December): 633.
^ abcdefgh"All Dolled Up". LBHF Libraries. 22 October 2013. from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
^ ab"Man Who Ran Doll's Hospital," Friday 28 May 1976, Fulham Chronicle London, England, Page: 20, BNA.co.uk
^ abLefebure, Molly (1958). Murder with a Difference: Studies of Haigh and Christie. London. p. 58. ISBN9781141610709. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
^Jackson, Stanley (1953). John George Haigh. Odhams Press.
^"The Dolls Hospital In Dawes Road Fulham Where Three People Were Killed. These Killing Have Been Linked To The Acid Bath Murders Committed By John Haigh". Shutterstock. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
^ abCrozier, Graham (26 June 2020). "Book Review – "John George Haigh. The Acid Bath Murderer" by Jonathan Oates". Crawley Museum. from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
doll, hospital, dolls, hospital, shop, dawes, road, fulham, london, that, operation, over, years, repaired, dolls, sent, postal, mail, business, eventually, acquired, international, reputation, restoration, workshop, including, media, coverage, illustrated, sy. The Doll s Hospital or Dolls Hospital was a toy shop at 16 Dawes Road Fulham London that was in operation for over 100 years 1 and repaired dolls sent by postal mail The business eventually acquired an international reputation for its restoration workshop including media coverage in the Illustrated Sydney News Patients are admitted for broken heads or fractured limbs loss of hair eyes nose teeth fingers hands toes and wasting away of the body Operations take place every day between 9am and 8pm 2 Doll s Hospital on Fulham Road Pall Mall Gazette 1889 In 1948 the owners of the Doll s Hospital building were victims of the serial killer John Haigh the so called Acid Bath Murderer who was himself hanged the following year 1 History EditIn the 1800s a doll s hospital opened in the nearby Fulham Road 3 4 The hospital eventually came into possession of Herbert Wicks In 1937 the address 16 Dawes Road was listed in the Kelly s Directory as a toy shop associated with toy dealer Albert E Wickes 5 son of Herbert Wicks 6 The younger Wicks ran the hospital from 1930 to 1949 6 In April 1937 Dr Archibald Henderson s first wife died and he inherited more than 20 000 7 In July 1937 Henderson married Mrs Rose Erren who was recently divorced from Rudolf Erren a German inventor and engineer 7 Sometime after 1937 the building which housed the toy shop and the Doll s Hospital was bought by Dr Archibald and Mrs Rose Henderson 8 In February 1948 the Hendersons vanished without trace 5 9 They had become the penultimate victims of serial killer John Haigh who was known as the Acid Bath Murderer because he dissolved the bodies of his victims in concentrated sulphuric acid 5 Haigh invited them to his basement workshop in Crawley where he shot them with a revolver stolen from Henderson s own house 5 10 With the aid of forged documents Haigh emptied the couple s bank accounts and sold their jewellery car and property 10 Using a forged deed of transfer Haigh sold the Doll s Hospital to Albert Clarke 5 Investigators visited the Doll s Hospital more than once while investigating the murders for example a March 1949 story in the Portsmouth Evening News read Detectives At Dolls Hospital Again detectives paid another visit to the doll s hospital at Fulham to build up the Yard s rapidly growing dossier on five missing persons 11 The person who sold Clarke the business under false pretences Haigh was originally described as Mr X 12 Despite the eventual revelation of the murder of the building owners by an infamous serial killer the business known as the Doll s Hospital continued 5 Notable local customers included Janet Street Porter who had her only doll repaired there and others from around the world sent their dolls to be repaired there 5 In its latter years the Doll s Hospital was run by John Smith Clarke s son in law until it closed down sometime after 1989 1 to be replaced with a non descript bar 5 References Edit a b c Lewis Ron Blood Curdling History of a Doll s Hospital Middlesex County Times Friday 25 August 1989 page 13 via British Newspaper Archive All Dolled Up LBHF Libraries 22 October 2013 Archived from the original on 20 March 2023 Retrieved 20 March 2023 Brown Kenneth D 1996 The British Toy Business A History Since 1700 A amp C Black p 48 ISBN 9781852851361 Retrieved 28 March 2023 How Harry 1895 A Day in the Doll s Hospital The Strand Magazine London July December 633 a b c d e f g h All Dolled Up LBHF Libraries 22 October 2013 Archived from the original on 20 March 2023 Retrieved 20 March 2023 a b Man Who Ran Doll s Hospital Friday 28 May 1976 Fulham Chronicle London England Page 20 BNA co uk a b Lefebure Molly 1958 Murder with a Difference Studies of Haigh and Christie London p 58 ISBN 9781141610709 Retrieved 28 March 2023 Jackson Stanley 1953 John George Haigh Odhams Press The Dolls Hospital In Dawes Road Fulham Where Three People Were Killed These Killing Have Been Linked To The Acid Bath Murders Committed By John Haigh Shutterstock Retrieved 20 March 2023 a b Crozier Graham 26 June 2020 Book Review John George Haigh The Acid Bath Murderer by Jonathan Oates Crawley Museum Archived from the original on 28 March 2023 Retrieved 28 March 2023 Portsmouth Evening News Friday 04 March 1949 via British Newspaper Archive Riddle of Mr X Published Friday 04 March 1949 Newspaper Daily News London County London England page 1 https www britishnewspaperarchive co uk viewer bl 0003214 19490304 005 0001 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Doll 27s Hospital amp oldid 1153769786, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
