Records of Nottingham Children's Hospital, 1869-1978

The archive is primarily concerned with the management and administration of the institution. Administrative records include minutes of various committees (1869-1978), such as the Board of Management Committee and the House Committee; accounting papers include income and expenditure accounts (1930-1972) and wages and salaries registers (1928-1977). There are also inventories and other papers relating to stock (1944-1976) and plans of parts of the hospital (1939-1974). A series of nursing and ward reports is present (1943-1976), and records relating to the training and employment of staff (1929-1976). Patient and clinical records have, unfortunately, not survived for the nineteenth century but the archive includes admissions and discharge records (1926-1976) and operations registers (1922-1973).

Nottingham Children's Hospital was founded as a charitable institution in 1869 by public subscription, with the aim of providing 'for the reception, maintenance and medical treatment of children of the poor under ten years of age'. Its official title was the Free Hospital for Sick Children but it was also known as 'St Lucy's', as the first nursing staff were recruited from the Sisters of St Lucy. Its first home was Russell House, Postern Street, Nottingham, a property presented by the daughter of the architect, T.C. Hine.

Despite the additions of a new wing and an isolation block, the property was soon found to be inadequate and, in 1899, the hospital moved to Forest House, Chestnut Grove,off Mansfield Road, to accommodation given by the lace manufacturer, Thomas Birkin. A new wing was opened by H.R.H. Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles, in 1927. In 1978, the Children's Hospital closed and its occupants became the first in-patients of University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre. The premises occupied by the Children's Hospital became the headquarters of Nottingham Health Authority.

A copy of the history of the hospital by Lucia Crothall, 'Let's begin with the Children', (1978) can be found at Uhc Pr 20.

The papers are listed chronologically within series arranged according to form; e.g. accounts, minutes, patient registers.

Parts of the collection are accessible to all registered readers but all unpublished records are closed to general access for a minimum of thirty years. All patient and clinical records are closed to general access for a period of 100 years from date of creation. Please contact the department for further advice.

Copyright in all Finding Aids belongs to the University of Nottingham.

In the Reading Room, King's Meadow Campus:

Typescript Catalogue 48 pp

At the National Register of Archives, London:

Typescript Catalogue 18 pp [Please note that the catalogue at King's Meadow Campus, and the online version on the Manuscripts Online Catalogue, is more up to date]

On the World Wide Web:

Catalogue available through the website of Manuscripts and Special Collections, Manuscripts Online Catalogue. This catalogue includes descriptions of newer accruals than are noted in the typescript catalogues.

Photocopies and photographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on the access status and the condition of the documents.

Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk).

Records from the Nottingham Children's Hospital were transferred to the University by Nottinghamshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) South Nottingham District upon the closure of the Children's Hospital in 1978. Further small accruals were made at various times up to 1995.

Other Nottingham hospital collections held at The University of Nottingham; Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections (Nh, Uh, Uhe, Uhf, Uhg, Uhh, Uhne, Uhw, Uht, MS576)

Nottinghamshire Archives.