Report : 1926 / Middlesex Hospital.

  • Middlesex Hospital
Date:
1926
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report : 1926 / Middlesex Hospital. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    978/1046 page 494
    The second President. Building Fund. Laying the Foundation Stone, 1755. Chronicle of the building. the Hospital into a Lying-in Institution, a proposal favoured by the President and other officials, was only frustrated by a compromise. It was resolved that 10 Beds should in future be assigned to the Sick and Lame, 10 to Lying-in Women, and 4 to Cases of Accident. The crisis led to numerous resignations, including that of the President, who was succeeded by Hugh, Earl (afterwards Duke) of Northumberland. It is gratifying to record that this office has from that time always been filled by the head of the Noble House of Percy, whose members have been amongst the most generous and . zealous supporters of the Hospital. In 1750 the number of Beds was increased to 40, but the incommodious and inadequate character of the Windmill Street premises, jparticularly shown in the growing claims of the Maternity Dej)artment, caused the Governors to appeal for Subscriptions to a Building Fund. At length they were in a position to carry out the scheme which had been long in view. A convenient sight in the locality was selected in the Marylebone Fields, and a lease of the same having been obtained from Charles Berners, Esq., for the term of 999 years at a Ground Rent of £15 per annum, the Building was commenced after the design of J. Paine, Esq., Architect. The contract for its erection was £2,250. On the 15th of May, 1755, the first stone was laid by the Earl of Northumberland, to whose unwearied exertions and personal influence the accomplishment of this great object is principally to be ascribed. The following contemporary account of the proceedings is taken from the monthly chronicle of events in the Gentleman’s Magazine for June, 1755:— Thursday, 15. The lanniverary fermon of the Middlefex hofpital was preached at St. Anne’s church, Wejtminjter, by the rev. Dr. Nichols, rector of the Temple. After divine fervice the right hon. the E. of Northuniherland, prefident, Sir Wm. Beaucham Procter, Bart., and Col. Cormoallis, vice- presidents, with the ftewards and governors, walked from the church to the ground appointed for erecting the new building for the Middlefex hofpital in Maryhon field, where the president, affifted by the two vlce-prefidents, laid the firit ftone. They returned to the great concert room in Dean-ftreet, where, at the chamber door, the collection amounted to 400^. Sir Wm. Beauchamp Procter gave lOOZ. A picture by Robert Edge Pine, representing the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone, was placed in the Board Room in 1768, where it still remains. II. The history of the Institution in the century and a half that has elapsed since its first stone was laid can almost be followed in a simple recital of the changes wrought in its fabric, indicative as these are of unwearied endeavour to keep the Hospital abreast of every advance made in the care of the sick and the treatment of disease. It may even be said that the gradual growth of this building, and its eventual and well-nigh entire internal recoqstruction.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3