In July 2003, Noble’s Hospital relocated from its previous location at Westmoreland Road to where it stands now in Braddan.

The building is the third hospital of this name to be built on the Island - the original (now the Manx museum) was opened on September 4, 1888.

The first baby born in the Jane Crookall Maternity Ward of the new building after the move, Bonnie Papper, celebrated her 18th birthday this Monday (July 12).

Bonnie’s mum, Melanie Caple, worked on Ward 8 back in 2003, and still works for Manx Care in the housekeeping team based at Noble’s today.

She recalled the hectic atmosphere surrounding the day as staff dealt with the move.

She said: ’It was just sort of crazy because everything was new, with moving in [to the new building], and [everyone was] just trying to work things out and stuff. The staff were busy.’

One anecdote that cued laughter throughout the room was the memory that shower heads had yet to be fitted throughout the new hospital building in the patient rooms.

Melanie said: ’I went to go and get a shower and there was no head, and so I’m sort of on the bed, and in walks the plumber saying "I’m just putting the head on the shower!".’

Bonnie was delivered by midwife Liz Vipond, who is now retired, but who met with both mother and ’baby’ on Monday to celebrate this landmark with them.

She also recalled the atmosphere on the day 18 years ago, saying: ’It was just really exciting. Everyone was on edge obviously because it was the new building - [we were] making sure we had all the right equipment and everything out - it was just really exciting.’

She described the delivery as business as usual, just in a new setting, and said: ’It’s just really good to see Bonnie now and [see] all that she’s done in the last few years.’

Bonnie is a sixth form student at Ballakermeen High School, where she recently completed her A-levels.

Outside of school, she is an excellent ballroom dancer and competed regularly off-island before travel was halted because of the pandemic.

She has also recently taken up motorsport navigating, and competes in local car rallies. She also spent two years participating in the police’s youth scheme, which she described as ’quite interesting’.

She said: ’Before I did that, I did work experience there and then I did the two years with the police. I ran a work experience course [which] was really good.

’I felt really responsible. So I could always go back in like 20 years. There’s always the opportunity there.’

Melanie described the experience of being able to take Bonnie into the room she was born to ’see where it all began’ as weird but lovely - something which Bonnie echoed, describing the experience as ’really cool’.

When asked if the 18 year-old had any other plans for the big day, mum Melanie said: ’Bonnie’s not an outgoing type of person, she doesn’t like go to the pubs or anything.

’She’s quite happy going out for a drive in her car’.

The staff at Noble’s Hospital had provided tea, coffee and cake to mark the special occasion, and mum Melanie summarised the feelings of everyone in the room when she said: ’The [18 years has] gone way too quick... [She’s] still the baby though.’