Royal Liverpool Infirmary

[snappel]

[Please Not - These image have been moved and can be found: HERE]


The Royal Liverpool Infirmary (designed by Alfred Waterhouse) closed in 1978 and was unused until 1994 when the University of Liverpool bought

it. Some of it is used as department/lecture buildings, there is a doctors surgery at the front and some other admin offices, and a conference

center.

I noticed not long ago that a large proportion of the building was unused, and it looked particularly interesting with its Gothic architecture

and circular ward blocks. With some help, I managed to get a look inside in March this

year...

By the time the infirmary was built, the area around Brownlow Hill, Brownlow Street and Pembroke Place had become a 'medical quarter' - here had

existed the first two Liverpool Infirmaries along with the lunatic asylum and maternity hospital. Also the nearby School of Medicine and nurses homes

presented more reasons to build the new infirmary here.

One of the main corridors running across the hospital

When finished in 1889, the hospital included an impressive range of facilities. These included a

chapel, mortuary, administration block, kitchens eight pavilion-style wards and two blocks of circular

wards.

Staircases in the infirmary

The hospital was extended

in 1909-1911 with the addition of the outpatients department. Although not designed by Waterhouse, it was created in the same style, and today nicely matches

the former administration block.

During the design stage, Waterhouse had consulted with Florence Nightingale who was of the opinion that ventilation

was of upmost importance. Consequently all the wards were designed with this in mind, using a draft system to draw fresh air from the outside into the ward

and then up through an outer flue in the fire place. The rather unique circular ward blocks were created to give more room and light to patients, and one of

these blocks remains in 'original' condition.

A ward in the circular

'F' block


Standard pavilion-style 'Nightingale' ward

The

interior of the infirmary was beautifully decorated with glazed brickwork, and is similar in style to the Tate Hall in the University of Liverpool's

Victoria Building (also designed by Waterhouse).

Entrance to ward

1


Missing floor in 'B' block

Of particular interest in the

hospital are the bed plaques. Originally the hospital was voluntarily run, and so funding was a problem. Wealthy Liverpudlians sometimes made donations to

the hospital, sponsoring a bed. The remaining wall-mounted plaques give us a clue as to who was being treated in the hospital at various times. Unfortunately

some of the plaques were damaged when the hospital was taken over by the NHS - when fitting wall lamps, they simply drilled and screwed into the

plaques!

Plaque showing donation by Bruce Ismay, Chief Engineer on

Titanic


Dennis Bayley Fund donation

Some evidence of

sanitation facilities remains, with some toilets and a rather eerie looking shower still there. Aside from this, most fittings have been removed from the

hospital, including the mortuary and chapel

interiors.

I expect before long the rest of the hospital will be converted, so I hope to try and get back in there. Although the University

are preserving the original brickwork and layout, it will never be quite the same. I just wish I'd had a look round in 1994 when it was still totally

empty...

Thanks to the 'Liverpool Royal Infirmary - A History' booklet produced by the University of Liverpool for

information