Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1580-1894 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.01 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
St Thomas's Hospital originated in a small infirmary attached to the Augustinian Priory of St Mary the Virgin (St Mary Overie). The infirmary assumed the name of St Thomas the Martyr shortly after his canonization in 1173. The hospital was destroyed by fire in 1212 and was re-built at the south end of London Bridge. During the Reformation in 1540 the hospital, along with many other religious foundations, was dispossessed of its revenues and closed. Edward VI restored St Thomas's estates and revenues after the citizens of London petitioned for the hospital to be reinstated. The hospital re-opened with 120 beds and three Barber Surgeons, assisted by apprentices, were appointed. A royal charter of 1553 made the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of London perpetual Governors of the Hospital. The hospital underwent an extensive building programme between 1693 and 1709, and about 300 beds were provided.
In 1866 the extension of the railway from London Bridge to Charing Cross forced the Hospital to move to a temporary site at Newington until a permanent home was purchased in Lambeth, at the foot of Westminster Bridge. The land was bought from the Metropolitan Board of Works for £95,000. Queen Victoria opened the new building in 1871. Florence Nightingale, chose St Thomas's as the hospital in which to found her training school for nurses. During World War One the hospital has a military ward of 200 beds known as the 5th London (City of London) General Hospital.
St Thomas's Hospital was seriously disrupted by World War Two, when it was changed into a casualty clearance station, with sixteen wards closed and a limited out-patients' service. By March 1940 the anticipated aerial bombing had not taken place, and the out-patients' service resumed, 250 civilian beds reopened at Lambeth and the students of the medical school were recalled. However bombing raids in the Autumn severely damaged the hospital. Arrangements were made to move staff and patients to a hutted hospital at Hydestile, near Godalming. By 1943 St Thomas's Hospital comprised 184 beds at the London site, 334 in Hydesville and 50 maternity beds in Woking. By the end of the war four ward buildings, three operating theatres, most of the nurses' accommodation and a large section of the out-patients department had been destroyed by bombing.
In 1948 the hospital became part of the NHS. On 1 April 1974 St Thomas' Hospital became part of the St Thomas' Health District (Teaching) of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Area Health Authority. On further reorganisation in 1982 this became West Lambeth Health Authority.
Repository
Archival history
CLA/069 1580-1894 Collection 0.01 linear metres Corporation of London
St Thomas's Hospital originated in a small infirmary attached to the Augustinian Priory of St Mary the Virgin (St Mary Overie). The infirmary assumed the name of St Thomas the Martyr shortly after his canonization in 1173. The hospital was destroyed by fire in 1212 and was re-built at the south end of London Bridge. During the Reformation in 1540 the hospital, along with many other religious foundations, was dispossessed of its revenues and closed. Edward VI restored St Thomas's estates and revenues after the citizens of London petitioned for the hospital to be reinstated. The hospital re-opened with 120 beds and three Barber Surgeons, assisted by apprentices, were appointed. A royal charter of 1553 made the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of London perpetual Governors of the Hospital. The hospital underwent an extensive building programme between 1693 and 1709, and about 300 beds were provided.
In 1866 the extension of the railway from London Bridge to Charing Cross forced the Hospital to move to a temporary site at Newington until a permanent home was purchased in Lambeth, at the foot of Westminster Bridge. The land was bought from the Metropolitan Board of Works for £95,000. Queen Victoria opened the new building in 1871. Florence Nightingale, chose St Thomas's as the hospital in which to found her training school for nurses. During World War One the hospital has a military ward of 200 beds known as the 5th London (City of London) General Hospital.
St Thomas's Hospital was seriously disrupted by World War Two, when it was changed into a casualty clearance station, with sixteen wards closed and a limited out-patients' service. By March 1940 the anticipated aerial bombing had not taken place, and the out-patients' service resumed, 250 civilian beds reopened at Lambeth and the students of the medical school were recalled. However bombing raids in the Autumn severely damaged the hospital. Arrangements were made to move staff and patients to a hutted hospital at Hydestile, near Godalming. By 1943 St Thomas's Hospital comprised 184 beds at the London site, 334 in Hydesville and 50 maternity beds in Woking. By the end of the war four ward buildings, three operating theatres, most of the nurses' accommodation and a large section of the out-patients department had been destroyed by bombing.
In 1948 the hospital became part of the NHS. On 1 April 1974 St Thomas' Hospital became part of the St Thomas' Health District (Teaching) of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Area Health Authority. On further reorganisation in 1982 this became West Lambeth Health Authority.
Corporation of London Records Office.
Administrative records of St Thomas's Hospital, 1580-1894, including reports, staffing information, petitions, leases and legal papers.
In sections according to catalogue.
Available for general access.
Copyright: City of London
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Further records relating to St Thomas' hospital can be found in the London Metropolitan Archives under the code H01/ST. Records are also held at King's College London Archives, the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine and the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
For Corporation of London records relating to hospitals, almshouses and workhouses, see CLA/064: Almshouses and Hospitals, CLA/065: Bethlem Hospital, CLA/066: Bridewell Hospital, CLA/067: Christ's Hospital, CLA/068: Royal Hospitals, CLA/069: Saint Thomas' Hospital, CLA/070: Saint Bartholomew's Hospital, CLA/071: Emanuel Hospital, CLA/075: London Workhouse, COL/CC/EHC: Court of Common Council Emanuel Hospital Committee, COL/CC/LUC: Court of Common Council Lunatic Asylum Committee, COL/CC/RHC: Court of Common Council Royal Hospitals Committee, COL/CHD/IC: Chamberlain's Department: Institutions and Courts, COL/CT: Charities, and COL/PL, COL/PLD/PL, COL/SVD/PL and COL/TSD/AD for building plans. There are also various papers in the Corporation of London collection relating to public health.
See the Hospital Records Database on The National Archives website for the locations of hospital records held in other repositories.
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 St Thomas' Hospital , Corporation of London x 5th London (City of London) General Hospital Medical institutions Health services Hospitals Hospital administration People People by occupation Personnel London England UK Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Corporation of London Records Office.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Administrative records of St Thomas's Hospital, 1580-1894, including reports, staffing information, petitions, leases and legal papers.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
In sections according to catalogue.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright: City of London
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Further records relating to St Thomas' hospital can be found in the London Metropolitan Archives under the code H01/ST. Records are also held at King's College London Archives, the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine and the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
For Corporation of London records relating to hospitals, almshouses and workhouses, see CLA/064: Almshouses and Hospitals, CLA/065: Bethlem Hospital, CLA/066: Bridewell Hospital, CLA/067: Christ's Hospital, CLA/068: Royal Hospitals, CLA/069: Saint Thomas' Hospital, CLA/070: Saint Bartholomew's Hospital, CLA/071: Emanuel Hospital, CLA/075: London Workhouse, COL/CC/EHC: Court of Common Council Emanuel Hospital Committee, COL/CC/LUC: Court of Common Council Lunatic Asylum Committee, COL/CC/RHC: Court of Common Council Royal Hospitals Committee, COL/CHD/IC: Chamberlain's Department: Institutions and Courts, COL/CT: Charities, and COL/PL, COL/PLD/PL, COL/SVD/PL and COL/TSD/AD for building plans. There are also various papers in the Corporation of London collection relating to public health.
See the Hospital Records Database on The National Archives website for the locations of hospital records held in other repositories.
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