Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1825-1940 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2.45 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Royal Chest Hospital was founded in 1814 as the Infirmary for Asthma, Consumption and other Diseases of the Lungs by Dr Isaac Buxton of the London Hospital, with the support of the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Sussex. It opened in a house, no. 36 Union Street (now Brushfield Street), in Spitalfields, later the Prince Albert Public House. In 1833 the hospital moved to 10 Artillery Street, Spitalfields. The affairs of the hospital reached a low ebb with the resignation of its physician, Dr Francis Ramadge, and lack of money prevented it from admitting in-patients. In 1848 Queen Victoria's patronage was secured whereupon the hospital became known as the Royal Infirmary for Asthma, Consumption and other Diseases of the Lungs. After two or three years in temporary accommodation at 4 Dean Street, Finsbury Square, it moved to City Road in 1850, where it reopened to in-patients under the name of the Royal Infirmary for Asthma, Consumption and other Diseases of the Chest. Its name was shortened in 1859 to the Royal Infirmary for Diseases of the Chest.;In 1863 the hospital acquired its first purpose built premises in City Road. These were extended by the addition of a new outpatients department in 1863, a new ward block in 1886, and a nurses' home in 1900. In 1867 the hospital adopted a new constitution and changed its name again to become the Royal Hospital for Diseases of the Chest. The Department for the Prevention of Consumption was established in 1912. The hospital entered into agreements with the Metropolitan Boroughs of Finsbury, Islington and Shoreditch, whereby a tuberculosis dispensary at the Royal Chest Hospital treated patients from Finsbury, Shoreditch and the southern part of Islington.
The hospital adopted yet another name in 1919 becoming the Royal Chest Hospital. At the same time, constrained by lack of space for expansion and financial difficulties, the governors entered into negotiations with the Great Northern Central Hospital, Holloway Road, leading to the amalgamation of the two hospitals in 1921. The work of the Royal Chest Hospital continued as before in City Road, but the hospital was now administered from the Great Chest (renamed the Royal Northern) Hospital. The intention of moving the Royal Chest Hospital to a separate block of the rebuilt Royal Northern Hospital remained unfulfilled on the outbreak of war in 1939. In 1941 the Royal Chest Hospital was badly damaged by combing. Although outpatient work at the hospital continued, it was no longer able to admit in-patients. In 1948 it became part of the National Health Service as one of the Northern Group of hospitals under the authority of the North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. The hospital closed in 1954.
Repository
Archival history
H33/RCH 1825-1940 subfonds 2.45 linear metres Royal Chest Hospital
The Royal Chest Hospital was founded in 1814 as the Infirmary for Asthma, Consumption and other Diseases of the Lungs by Dr Isaac Buxton of the London Hospital, with the support of the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Sussex. It opened in a house, no. 36 Union Street (now Brushfield Street), in Spitalfields, later the Prince Albert Public House. In 1833 the hospital moved to 10 Artillery Street, Spitalfields. The affairs of the hospital reached a low ebb with the resignation of its physician, Dr Francis Ramadge, and lack of money prevented it from admitting in-patients. In 1848 Queen Victoria's patronage was secured whereupon the hospital became known as the Royal Infirmary for Asthma, Consumption and other Diseases of the Lungs. After two or three years in temporary accommodation at 4 Dean Street, Finsbury Square, it moved to City Road in 1850, where it reopened to in-patients under the name of the Royal Infirmary for Asthma, Consumption and other Diseases of the Chest. Its name was shortened in 1859 to the Royal Infirmary for Diseases of the Chest.;In 1863 the hospital acquired its first purpose built premises in City Road. These were extended by the addition of a new outpatients department in 1863, a new ward block in 1886, and a nurses' home in 1900. In 1867 the hospital adopted a new constitution and changed its name again to become the Royal Hospital for Diseases of the Chest. The Department for the Prevention of Consumption was established in 1912. The hospital entered into agreements with the Metropolitan Boroughs of Finsbury, Islington and Shoreditch, whereby a tuberculosis dispensary at the Royal Chest Hospital treated patients from Finsbury, Shoreditch and the southern part of Islington.
The hospital adopted yet another name in 1919 becoming the Royal Chest Hospital. At the same time, constrained by lack of space for expansion and financial difficulties, the governors entered into negotiations with the Great Northern Central Hospital, Holloway Road, leading to the amalgamation of the two hospitals in 1921. The work of the Royal Chest Hospital continued as before in City Road, but the hospital was now administered from the Great Chest (renamed the Royal Northern) Hospital. The intention of moving the Royal Chest Hospital to a separate block of the rebuilt Royal Northern Hospital remained unfulfilled on the outbreak of war in 1939. In 1941 the Royal Chest Hospital was badly damaged by combing. Although outpatient work at the hospital continued, it was no longer able to admit in-patients. In 1948 it became part of the National Health Service as one of the Northern Group of hospitals under the authority of the North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. The hospital closed in 1954.
Acc/2180, Acc/2210, Acc/2934
Records of the Royal Chest Hospital, 1825-1940, including minutes, annual reports, registers of sisters, nurses and servants, regulations for staff, registers of subscribers and donors, visitors books and publications.
The records are arranged as follows: A = Administration, C = Staff Records, D = Finacial Records, Y = Related Documentation.
These records are open to public inspection, although under section 5(4) of the 1958 Public Records Act administrative records are closed for 30 years and patient records for 100 years.
Copyright Depositor
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
For further information on the history of the hospital, see articles written by Dr Norah H. Schuster, pathologist to the Royal Chest Hospital 1927-1954, and her copious notes (ref.: Acc/2180).
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. February 2009 Royal Chest Hospital x Royal Infirmary for Diseases of the Chest x Royal Hospital for Diseases of the Chest Royal Chest Hospital x Infirmary for Asthma, Consumption and other Diseases of the Lungs x Royal Infirmary for Asthma, Consumption and other Diseases of the Lungs x Royal Infirmary for Asthma, Consumption and other Diseases of the Chest Buxton , Isaac , 1773-1825 , physician Actinomycetales infections Diseases of body regions Lung diseases Pathology Diseases Tuberculosis Medical institutions History Personal history Medical history Health services Hospitals Hospital administration
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Acc/2180, Acc/2210, Acc/2934
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Royal Chest Hospital, 1825-1940, including minutes, annual reports, registers of sisters, nurses and servants, regulations for staff, registers of subscribers and donors, visitors books and publications.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The records are arranged as follows: A = Administration, C = Staff Records, D = Finacial Records, Y = Related Documentation.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are open to public inspection, although under section 5(4) of the 1958 Public Records Act administrative records are closed for 30 years and patient records for 100 years.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright Depositor
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English