A little of our history

This famous hospital on the Cornish Cliffs was founded in 1928 by the Misses Dorothy and Phyllis Yglesias. Initially called "The Jackdaws Hospital", it soon became apparant that it would not just cater for Jackdaws. Pens were added in the 1930's to accomodate Gulls and sea birds, and in 1945, the Hospital was re-named "Mousehole Wild Bird Hospital & Sanctuary". The sisters approached the RSPCA in 1951, about gifting the site to them, provided that the RSPCA took over the running of the Hospital. The official handover came in 1953, 28 years after the birth of the Hospital. Staff were employed and the financial burden was lifted, at last, from the sisters' shoulders.

During the next few years the Hospital was run on the same lines as the sisters has run it for all those years before. The Sanctuary has received the recognition it deserves and has become quite famous, especially so, during the Torrey Canyon disaster in 1967, when over 8,000 oiled sea birds passed through the Hospital. However, at the end of February 1975 the RSPCA withdrew all financial support due to their own monetary difficulties. The Misses Yglesias and many of their friends were determined that the hospital would not close and a public appeal was opened to which there was a tremendous response. At a public meeting held in February 1975 a committee was selected to run the Hospital again on the same lines as before. On the 28th July 1976 the Sanctuary became a charity in its own right funded entirely by voluntary contributions. July 1978 saw a turning point when Mobil Oil Co, presented a cheque for £10,000. This amount covered the expenditure for 1 year.

In the same month Miss Dorothy's second book was published "In Answer to the Cry". Her first book "The Cry of a Bird" was printed in 1962 and came out in paper back in 1989. Sadly in 1977 the death occured of Miss Phyllis or Pog as she was affectionately known. January 1980 saw Miss Dorothy's many years of dedication recognizes when she was bestowed with the MBE in the New Years Honours List. On February 14th 1980 came the saddest blow to the Bird Hospital when its Founder and President Miss Dorothy died. She died as she had lived, still taking an active interest in the daily care of birds and her ashes were laid to rest at the Hospital.

One of the founder5s of the Hospital: Miss Dorothy Yglesias MBE