Hospitals

An infirmary was added to the Workhouse in 1734. The (General) Hospital was begun in Summer Lane, 1765. It stayed half-built, 1769-76, money for completion being raised by Town Hall music festivals. Opened in '79, the Hospital was enlarged in 1790. A Dispensary was begun in Temple Street, 1792, and moved to Union Street 16 years later. Between 1817 and '28 were opened the Institute for Bodily Infirmity in New St., the Eye Infirmary in Cannon St., the Self-Supporting Dispensary, and the Fever Hospital, Holloway Head. A Medical School began in Edmund St., and the Queen's Hospital in Bath Row, 1841. The General Hospital was enlarged, 1857-65. The Rector of St. Martin's founded the Hospital Saturday Fund in '69. Foundation dates for other hospitals were: Orthopaedic, Gt. Charles St., 1817, Eye Hospital '24, Ear and Throat '44, Dental '59, Women's (Sparkhill) '71, Skin Diseases '81, Children's (Moseley Hall) '92. Public Health Act required boroughs to provide hospitals for epidemic diseases: Fever and Smallpox Hospitals built off Lodge Road, Diphtheria & Enteric Fever Hospital at Little Bromwich (1874, 1895).

In 1911 Birmingham acquired 5 suburban hospitals. It did not take over B'ham Infirmary (Dudley Road '89, Guardians of Poor) until 1931. Workhouse and Infirmary site cleared for Corporation St. building. New General Hospital opened in Steelhouse Lane 1897. Victorian hospital not capable of development or enlarging. Birmingham United Hospitals formed, new site sought. Calthorpe and Cadbury land acquired at Metchley for Hospitals Centre: Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Medical School opened 1938. Recent additions, ultimate transfer of all city centre hospitals thither.