Liverpool Infirmary was founded in 1743, took 6 years to build, and was opened by the Earl of Derby

Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby

Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby , known as Sir Edward Stanley, 5th Baronet, from 1714 to 1736, was a British peer and politician....

 on March 25, 1749. The first Infirmary stood on the site of the present day St George's Hall, and cost £2,600 to build. It was expanded in 1771.

The Infirmary was brought about due, in part, to the unsanitary conditions of the town at the time. In 1700 the population was about 5000, by 1749 it had quadrupled to 20,000. With the population growing fast the people were housed in ill drained streets. The unsanitary conditions led to widespread illness and it was decided to open the Infirmary.

The Infirmary was built of brick and faced with stone. It was three storeys high. On the ground floor there were two exam rooms, a lodging room, an apothecary

Apothecary

Apothecary is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist and some caregivers....

, and the Hospice Chapel. The second floor held four wards, an operating room and two bedrooms for nurses. The kitchen, wash-house, laundry and laboratory were situated in the cellar.

Liverpool Royal Infirmary

In 1823 a new hospital and lunatic asylum was built on Brownlow Street and renamed the Liverpool Royal Infirmary in 1851. The old Infirmary was closed in 1826 and eventually demolished in 1842 to make way for St George's Hall.

Waterhouse Building

In 1890 a new Infirmary building by Alfred Waterhouse

Alfred Waterhouse

Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...

 was constructed on the Brownlow Street site. The building is an impressive example of Victorian

Victorian architecture

The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...

 design, in red brick. In 1978 the building closed and was replaced by the Royal Liverpool University Hospital

Royal Liverpool University Hospital

The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Liverpool, England. Along with Broadgreen Hospital, the hospital operates on behalf of the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital NHS Trust and is associated with the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John...

. In 1994 it was bought by Liverpool University and was restored after being left empty since its closure, and is now used by Liverpool Medical school for clinical skills teaching and examinations. The Royal Infirmary has since been used by the BBC for 'Casualty 1907' in 2006/2007.

External links

• http://www.mersey-gateway.org/server.php?show=ConNarrative.186&chapterId=1009
• Aerial
• http://www.foresightcentre.co.uk/about_us.html
• http://www.priory.com/homol/livpsy/Royal.htm