From house to hospital: The origins of Leeds General Infirmary

It depicts the city centre house where Leeds General Infirmary originated in 1767.

In May of that year a meeting, advertised in the Leeds Intelligencer, was held to 'consider of the expediency of an infirmary'.

At that time the population of Leeds was around 17,000 and there was no hospital as such.

In July of that year it was decided to rent this house, located in a yard off Kirkgate, from the owner, Andrew Wilson, at £16 per annum.

One of the founders, surgeon William Hey, (1736-1819) was appointed along with 3 other surgeons, Mr. Billam, Mr. Jones and Mr. Lucas. Doctors, Hird & Crowther were appointed as physicians and Mary Turner, aged 50, was allocated a salary of £10 per year as matron.

When the infirmary opened in October 1767 three patients were admitted - Thomas Walker, Mary Taylor and Peter Brown.

By 1768 there were 76 in-patients and 155 out-patients. By 1770 the numbers had risen to 159 and 675 respectively.

Patients were given a diet of boiled meat three times per week and rice and milk on alternate days.

Land was acquired in 1768 for the building of the new infirmary near to the Mixed Cloth Hall. It opened in March 1771 and stood on the site on what is now the former Yorkshire Bank on Infirmary Street off City Square. The yard housing the premises of the original infirmary, seen here, became known as Old Infirmary Yard and was located at number 123 Kirkgate.

Construction of the current hospital on its new site in Great George Street started in 1863 to the designs of Sir George Gilbert Scott. The building incorporated ideas from Florence Nightingale. The plan placed it in the foremost rank of European hospitals.

This image is published courtesy of photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service. They also run heritage blog The Secret Library Leeds, which provides a behind the scenes look at the Central Library and highlights from its special collections, including rare books hidden away in the stacks.

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