This 1950s child's chair is taken from the waiting room of Dr F. Barber at
38 Brookfield Park in Dartmouth Park. Many of Dr Barber's patients were
children from immigrant families. This is one of several plywood chairs
for children that came from his surgery. As they waited for their
appointment, children could play with dolls dressed in their national
costume. The dolls were donated to Dr Barber by his patients, many of whom
were Jewish.
New to London
Dr Barber was a Jewish immigrant who escaped Czechoslovakia during the
Second World War. He arrived in London in 1949 with his wife and set up
his own doctor's surgery. In 1956 he and his family moved to Brookfield
Park.
Life as a busy doctor
Until 1978 Dr Barber also worked at a doctor's surgery on Essex Road in
Islington. He later moved back to work full-time at Brookfield Park.
