Collection CLA/069 - SAINT THOMAS' HOSPITAL

Identity area

Reference code

CLA/069

Title

SAINT THOMAS' HOSPITAL

Date(s)

  • 1580-1894 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

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.

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

Related descriptions

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

London Metropolitan Archives

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area