UCL BLOOMSBURY PROJECT

History

It originated in a meeting held on 27 May 1897 at the Midland Grand Hotel, proceeding from the idea of a perceived “great need” for a skin and genito-urinary hospital; those present at this meeting were Charles Oliver, Frederick Chatterton, W. St Vincent Mercier, Christopher Withers – and according to a note added later to the Minute Book, Dr Felix Vinrace was also present (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

The founders were clear even at this early stage about how to proceed: they recorded the need to find suitable premises and advertise for 1 or 2 Honorary Surgeons and no more than four Honorary Assistant Surgeons, with Mr St Vincent Mercier already decided upon as the Secretary, because of his extensive experience and knowledge (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

St Vincent Mercier had been Secretary of St John’s Hospital for Diseases of the Skin, Leicester Square, of which his father was Treasurer; he had overseen this Hospital through some troubled times, including two libel cases, and eventually resigned as Secretary in 1896 (The Times, 23 July 1896)

On 10 February 1898 the Hospital was incorporated under the Friendly Societies Acts (1896) as a Benevolent Society, and on 12 May 1898 a special meeting was held, at which Felix Vinrace was appointed Hon. Surgeon and Alfred Allport Hon. Assistant Surgeon; premises had already been taken for the Hospital at 13A Red Lion Square (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

At the meeting of 19 May 1898 it was resolved that Alfred Allport should be promoted to Surgeon, and he was also granted permission to attend Vinrace’s outpatients while the latter was living in Birmingham (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

The meeting of 29 July 1898 outlined the details of loans made by Felix Vinrace to the builder, Mr Greenwood, on the Society’s behalf, at 3%, repayable on demand once the hospital “shall have been thrown open to the public” (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

The outpatients department was to be opened on Monday 15 August 1898, and male outpatients would be seen at 7pm on Monday and 2pm on Wednesday and Saturday, with women and children seen at 2pm on Tuesday and 7pm on Thursday and Friday; Vinrace’s days were Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, while Allport had Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

By 5 September 1898 there were 66 registered and 113 attending patients; however, the Hospital’s presence in Red Lion Square was already causing concern, with a letter written to them by T. F. Halsey, MP, on 14 September 1898 (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

The Halsey family owned various houses in the area, including Halsey House opposite the Hospital; the Hospital’s response was to point out to Halsey that for the two years prior to their purchase of 13A Red Lion Square, the property had been in disrepair and was undoubtedly an eyesore to the occupants of Halsey House, and that its present state was a significant improvement (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

One of Halsey’s objections was to the Hospital’s name being so prominently displayed on the façade of the building, which he apparently found shocking, but the Hospital was unrepentent: “The words ‘St Paul’s Hospital for Skin & Genito-Urinary Diseases’ constitute the precise and absolute name of our Institution. The Committee feel that it would be incongruous to possess a home for the hospital and suppress its name” (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

More problems followed soon afterwards; in the meeting of 26 September 1898 it was reported that the Hospital had had to dismiss their dispenser, Mr Jefferson Dodd, following an advertisement of his in The People, and an article of his, entitled ‘For the Honor of – Journalism’ in Truth; he had been severely censured by the Coroner, Mr Roamiles, at an inquest in Godalming into the death of a woman from poisoning (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

In the meeting of 3 October 1898 it was reported that Dodd had asked for £40 for a year’s work as a Dispenser. The Hospital thought they should only pay him for the period from 15 August to 26 September 1898, and sent the request to their solicitors (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

There was, however, no shortage of patients for the Hospital; up to 1 October 1898 there were 65 new skin patients and 64 new genito-urinary patients, making a total of 129, with total patient attendance now up to 337, while on 7 November 1898 it was reported that new genito-urinary patients were outnumbering new skin patients (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

The London School of Medicine for Women was also interested in the new Hospital, requesting permission to send its students for practice; while the request was refused, it was on the basis that it was too soon and the School should reapply in a few months’ time when it was better established (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

By the meeting of 6 February 1899, increased patient numbers had led to increased outpatient hours; however, the Hospital was still encountering local resistance, including from the Holborn Public Library, who declined to let the Hospital staff use their lending library, because of the nature of the Hospital’s patients, and in May, Holborn Board of Works refused permission for the name of the Hospital to be placed on certain lamp posts (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

The Hospital was also experiencing financial difficulties; at the meeting of 9 February 1900 it was reported that Felix Vinrace had “offered to take over the lease of 13^a Red Lion Square from Mr Allport subject to the sublease to the hospital & then not to press for the rent whilst the hospital was in difficulties”, and he had also volunteered to provide half the money the Committee needed for expenditure (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

Soon afterwards, there was more trouble, as one of the Hospital’s Trustees, Mr Savage, was not paying his rent and had given the Hospital as a reference; there was a special meeting on 2 March 1900 and Savage resigned as a Trustee (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

Undeterred, the Hospital proceeded with both necessary repairs to the building and further medical appointments; Dr Tice Budden was appointed Honorary Anaesthetist on 20 July 1900, and Dr D. Dhingra (PhD Edin) was appointed Chemical Assistant on 9 November 1900 (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

It was still being supported by Felix Vinrace’s personal funds; on 8 February 1901 it was reported that he was continuing to advance money to the Hospital, hoping to get it back when the Hospital ultimately succeeded, as he was sure it would (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

In 1902 the Hospital also applied to the Hospital Saturday Fund, and the Secretary, St Vincent Mercier, agreed to various different arrangements for his salary between 1901–1903, dependent on the amount of money the Hospital made (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

In 1903 the Hospital targeted its Jewish patients in an attempt to raise money from their richer co-religionists; it was also practising strict economy, managing to persuade the Electric Supply Co to reduce their charge by 4d per unit, receiving donations of fuel, and holding collections (SPA/1/1, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives; with kind permission of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Archives)

Its name was changed to St Paul's Hospital for Diseases (including Cancer) of the Genito-Urinary Organs and Skin in 1927

It amalgamated with St Peter’s Hospital in 1948, when the National Health Service was founded, and following the foundation of a single Institute of Urology

It closed in 1992, when all urology services were transferred to the Middlesex Hospital, which itself closed in 2006, all its services moving to University College Hospital