Nottingham Hospital for Women
Nottingham Hospital for Women in Peel Street had its origins in two earlier women's hospitals: Castle Gate Hospital for Women which opened in September 1875, and the Samaritan Hospital in Raleigh Street which opened in March 1885. This duplication of effort was a direct consequence of a conflict of opinion in the 1880s about the best way to conduct a women's hospital.
Castle Gate Hospital for Women, 1915 [from Uhw R 1/1a]
Up to 1914 both institutions ran completely separately, but by then it was clear that this diluted the available resources. Informal negotiations led to amalgamation in 1923 and the construction of a purpose-built hospital in Peel Street.
The new building was formally opened on 5 November 1929 and received its first patients in January 1930 when the hospitals in Castle Gate and Raleigh Street were closed down. The Peel Street accommodation offered four large wards to accommodate 44 patients and smaller wards for private patients, as well as out-patient accommodation, operating theatres and staffing facilities.
Architects' drawing of new Hospital for Women on Peel Street, Nottingham, 1927 [Uhw R 1/2]
In 1945 Adbolton Hall was opened as an annexe for post-operative cases. In 1947 St Mary's Nursing Home was taken over as a Maternity Home for private patients. St Mary's closed in 1972, and Adbolton Hall in 1980.
Peel Street was finally closed down in November 1981 when the remaining obstetric and gynaecological units were transferred to the Queen's Medical Centre. The Peel Street building was converted into flats.
Records
Official records of the Hospital
The records were transferred to the University in September 1981, prior to the final closure of the Peel Street premises in November 1981. Further accruals were received at various times up to 1992.
The catalogue of the
Nottingham Hospital for Women collection (Uhw) is available on the Manuscripts Online Catalogue.
The records relate to three hospitals: Castle Gate Hospital, the Samaritan Hospital and Peel Street. The amalgamated hospital took over the administrative records of the Castle Gate hospital. Records from the Samaritan Hospital are very few in number.
Minute books form one of the most comprehensive series. There are minutes from Castle Gate Hospital for Women and Nottingham Hospital for Women (1879-1972). Minutes from the Samaritan Hospital exist only from 1885-1907. There are printed annual reports from Castle Gate Hospital for Women and the Nottingham Hospital for Women (1875-1901, 1915, 1921-1929, and 1931 to 1968). Architects' plans of the new Peel Street building are also present (1927-1954).
A ward at the Nottingham Hospital for Women, Castle Gate, 1915 (Uhw R 1/1a)
From the amalgamated hospital there are accounts (1930-1968) including wages and salaries books (1930-1949), an Inventory (1941), and Visiting Panel Reports (1968-74).
Some patient statistics (1933-1935), records of operations (1955-1974) and theatre reports (1975-1981) are also present, although since access to patient and clinical records is restricted due to the confidential information they contain, the majority of these records cannot normally be presented to users without special permission.
Administrative records, post-1948
Records of Nottingham No. 1 Hospital Management Committee (1948-1970), Nottingham University Hospital Management Committee (1970-1974), and Nottinghamshire Area Health Authority (Teaching), South Nottingham District (1974-1982) (Uh)
In 1948, Nottingham Hospital for Women was placed under the governance of the Sheffield Regional Health Board and the Nottingham No. 1 Hospital Management Committee. The Committee became the Nottingham University Hospital Management Committee in 1970, and in 1974 the Nottinghamshire Area Health Authority (Teaching), South Nottingham District. The Nottingham Health Authority was formed in 1982. Minutes and other administrative records of the Nottinghamshire Area Health Authority (Teaching), South Nottingham District and its predecessors, 1948-1982, record decisions which affected Nottingham Hospital for Women. A full catalogue of these records (Uh) is available through the Manuscripts Online Catalogue.
Fundraising records
Records of the Nottingham and District Health Fund; 1899-1948 (Nh)
Nottingham Hospital for Women was one of the local hospitals which benefited from the collections of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Hospital Saturday Fund, formed in 1873. In 1938 the Fund changed its name to the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Hospital Saturday Contributory Fund. Contributors received free medical care from the hospitals involved. In 1948 the terms of reference of the Fund changed, and the name altered to the Nottingham and District Health Fund. Minutes and financial records of the Fund, 1899-1948, provide details about the Fund and its contributors. A full catalogue of these records (Nh) is available through the Manuscripts Online Catalogue.
Bibliography
- Arblaster, Barbara (1985). Health services in Nottingham and the provision for women 1860-1940. University of Nottingham Dissertation (M.A.) [King's Meadow Campus East Midlands Collection Oversize Not 5.N4 ARB]
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