Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital. John McKean Brydon (1840-1901). 1890. 144 Euston Road, London. Photograph and text 2011 by Jacqueline Banerjee. [You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
The original foundation of the hospital was in 1866, as proclaimed on a shield, together with the founder's name, on the front elevation. It was then in Seymour Place, Marylebone, where it was a dispensary for women and children. It became the New Hospital for Women in 1872, when Lord Shaftesbury opened its ten-bed ward, and then it was moved to this site in 1888, and rebuilt to the designs of the well-known Scottish architect John McKean Brydon (1840-1901). It was completed in 1890, had 42 beds, and "was staffed entirely by women" (Weinreb et al. 269). By the founder's own wish, it was not called after her in her own lifetime. After early 20c. extensions, and the incorporation of the Hospital for Woman, Soho Square, its services were eventually transferred to the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing at University College Hospital. In 2006 the building had looked derelict, but it has since been repaired and refurbished for its current use as part of the Unison Centre, with a public gallery celebrating Anderson's life. In this way, both its services to the community and its founder's name are being preserved. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson's remarkable contribution to women's medicine, women's role in the medical profession, and women's professional status in general, continues.
Related Material
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836-1917): A Brief Biography
- University College Hospital in the early 20c.
Sources
"Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital.". Donald Insall Associates News. No. 39. Autumn 2011, pp.1-2. Web. 12 March 2012.
Weinreb, Ben, et al. The London Encyclopaedia. 3rd ed. London: Macmillan, 2008. Print.
Last modified 9 June 2016