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"A Dispensary and House of Recovery"

The first hospital at Etruria - Key Dates and events

Date event
1802 Meeting held on Wednesday, July 28th 1802 at the Swan Inn, Hanley. 
It was decided to establish a medical dispensary and a ward for the reception of patients, the whole to be called a "House of Recovery" 
Meeting Chairman: Mr. Walter Sneyd.
1802 October 1st 1802 - further meeting held at the Swan Inn where £580 for building purposes and £187 towards annual support was pledged. 
A committee was formed to purchase a suitable site.
Mr. Josiah Wedgwood (son of the founder of the Wedgwood Pottery Works at Etruria) offered to sell a plot of land at Etruria Valve.
The purchase price was £375 for the land which had an area of "one acre, three roods and thirty-three perches".
1804 Mr. Isaac Wild appointed apothecary to reside at the house.
Mrs. Mary Birch appointed as Matron. 
1804 The house was open to the public on May 1st 1804.
1814 Because of its success demand was so great that it became necessary to discuss extending the hospital.
1867 The buildings of the original Infirmary and the surrounding land were purchased by the British Gas Light Company for £1,000. On this ground were built the extensions to the first gas works.
1878 The original Infirmary were finally demolished.  

 

 

   
Building Plans  Plans were made by Mr. David Bellhouse of Manchester (who was know for his design of mills and viaducts).
Building Work  The building of the hospital was carried out by Mr. Francis Coxon of Hanley.
Description  Good quality brick, three stories high.
Medical Officers  The first Medical Officers appointed were: F.H. Northen, MD; John Robinson MD; James Bent; Bernard Coomber' W.H. Smallwood and George Wood.
Legacy  A legacy of £800 in 3% was received from the executors of the late Isaac Hawkins of Burton - the income to be applied for the general purposes of the institution.
Patients  In the first nine years 5144 patients treated.
 5,076 people were vaccinated.
 45 fever patients admitted.

 


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