Gogarburn Hospital

Management 1922-1999; administration 1925-1998; finance 1923-1962; patients (bound records) c1914-1991; patients (unbound records) 1940s-1965

The Mental Deficiency and Lunacy (Scotland) Act of 1913 required District Boards of Lunacy to provide institutions for the mentally handicapped separate from asylums which henceforth concentrated on the treatment of the mentally ill. In 1924 the Edinburgh District Board of Control opened the Hospital on Gogarburn estate. In 1929 after the Local Government (Scotland) Act, the Edinburgh District Board of Control was disbanded and the administration of Gogarburn was transferred to the Public Health Committee and City Medical Officer of Health of Edinburgh Town Council. The hospital expanded steadily in the 1930s and subsequently it was used by all South East Scotland authorities. During World War II, it served as an emergency hospital. In 1948 it was transferred to the South Eastern Regional Hospital Board under its own Board of Management and continued to offer a regional service. In 1969 the Board of Management was disbanded and the Hospital transferred to the Board of Management of the Royal Edinburgh and Associated Hospitals and in 1974 it became part of the South Lothian District of Lothian Health Board, and subsequently part of the Mental Health Unit in 1986. The hospital closed in May 1999.

Chronological within record class

Normal 75 year Scottish closure rules apply

Ian Ramage, Gogarburn Hospital, February 1988

Compiled by Mike Barfoot and Jenny McDermott using existing handlists

Manual item-level descriptive list available

Records held within the National Health Service prior to transfer

No further accessions are expected

Public Health Department of the City of Edinburgh (LHB16) Public Health Department of the City of Edinburgh (LHB16) Royal Edinburgh and Associated Hospitals Board of Management (LHB14) Royal Edinburgh and Associated Hospitals Board of Management (LHB14) Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Samaritan Society (GD2) Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Samaritan Society (GD2) South Lothian District, Lothian Health Board (LHB28)