THE birth of the quadruplets at Rochford Hospital in 1962, is to be commemorated in a display at Southend Hospital’s neo-natal unit.

The birth of the Meacham quads, from Leigh, made headlines around the world as they were the lightest ever to survive.

Now, photographs of Yana, Edward, Lucille, Christopher and mother Phoebe, will be unveiled in the hospital’s new foetal medicine unit on Thursday.

Phoebe Meacham, of Woodcutters Avenue, Leigh, gave birth to the quadruplets, who between them weighed just 12lbs 11oz, at Rochford Hospital on January 3, 1962.

She died aged 86 last year.

Edward, 53, who still lives in Leigh, said: “The work done at the unit was pioneering and professional and my late mother had happy memories of the staff and team.

“The photos to be hung at Southend Hospital in memory of my late mother are taken from the family archive.

“She was a wonderful mother and a fantastic lady.”

Trust chairman Alan Tobias and the head of midwifery will join Edward as the photographs are unveiled in the main maternity corridor.

An all-woman team, led by consultant gynaecologist Flora Bridge, delivered the premature girls and boys by caesarean and placed them in incubators.

Edward, also of Woodcutters Avenue, said: “On first seeing us, my mother said: ‘I couldn’t believe they were all mine.’ “Quads where extremely rare in the Sixties and the news was given out on the radio.

“Our family had to fight their way into the hospital through crowds of onlookers, reporters and photographers and the news went around the world.”

The quads, who were entered into the Guinness Book of Records as the lightest surviving quads conceived naturally, were allowed home in March.

But the media followed the quads as they grew up, marking their christening, their first day at Fairways Infant School in Leigh and other milestones.

The family opened Colchester Zoo and advertised Cowand Gate baby products.

Coleen Begg, Head of Midwifery at Southend University Hospital, said: “We would like to thank Mr Meacham for his kind donation of these four pictures that will take pride of place, rather fittingly, on our maternity corridor wall before the central delivery suite.

“As the first naturally born quads delivered at Southend Hospital it’s nice to be able to celebrate that historical moment on our walls so that everyone can enjoy the Meacham quads story.”