Focus on city hospitals

Today Peterborough residents have a modern hospital to provide them with their medical needs (a burst pipe notwithstanding).

This week’s Looking Back features some of the hospitals that came before Peterborough City Hospital.

The pictures and information come courtesy of Stephen Perry and his book Peterborough’s Hospitals.

Researching his fascinating book, Stephen discoverd there had been 33 hospitals in the city through the ages. The first recorded one was at the Roman fort in Longthorpe – sadly there is no picture of that one!

The plan right shows the proposed site of the Peteborough And District Memorial Hospital which was funded by public donation and opened in 1928.

It is pictured top left.It closed in 1970 but its familiar facade remains to this day.

Most people will recognise the picture top centre. It is Thorpe Hall which served as the city’s maternity hospital. The first birth took place on Monday, June 21, 1943.

Less familiar will be the picture top right which is the Fever Hospital which opened in the 1860s in Trinity Street and later become the Corporation Slipper Baths.

The first picture on the next row is of the Infirmary in Milton Street which was built in 1845 and used until 1857 when it moved to Priestgate and into the building which is now the museum.

The next picture along is of the first Peterborough Dispensary, which essentially aimed to provide medical care for the poor.

It was located in Cowgate and opened in 1816. The first physician was the wonderfully named Dr Fenwick Skrimshire.

The final picture shows the opening ceremony of military hospital, the Bishop’s Palace Rehabilitation Hospital in the cathedral grounds. The date written on the picture is September 7, 1918.

Next week I will publish some more hospital pictures.