| Summary : The hospital was founded in converted premises in Guinea Street in 1832 and provided 20 beds but soon proved to be unsuitable. In 1845 Joseph Eaton, a member of the Society of Friends, made an offer of £5000 towards a new purpose-built hospital, on condition that a further £10,000 was raised for construction. By 1852 the money had been found and a suitable site purchased for the new hospital. The architect William Bruce Gingell was chosen to design the hospital. Construction started in 1852 and the hospital was completed in 1855. In 1888 construction began on new wing in the northwest corner of the site. This building matched the style of the main hospital building and was designed by the partnership of Henry Crisp and Sir George Herbert Oatley. It opened in 1891. Other additions included the Pathology Department of 1898, and the Isolation Block and Nurses Accommodation built in 1907 by Sir George Herbert Oatley and George Churchus Lawrence The King Edward VII Wing was built in 1914 and was a large ward wing containing medical, maternity and dental departments, and also accommodation for residents, students and night nurses. The last significant addition to the hospital was the out-patients's department in 1931. All these were designed by Oatley and Lawrence.During World War II the hospital suffered bomb damage to the mansard roof of Gingell's buildings. The roof and top floor including that of the octagonal tower was subsequently removed and replaced with a flat roof. The hospital buildings developed organically, loosely arranged around a central courtyard with the principal entrance to the north. The principal building is Italianate with a French Empire style roof and construction is of blue pennant stone with Bath stone dressings, with slate roofs.The hospital closed in April 2012. It is proposed that the buildings will be restored and included in a mixed residential and commercial redevelopment of the site. |
More information : Originally founded in 1832 and established in converted premises in Guinea Street, this general hospital moved to a new purpose-built home erected in 1856-7. The three-storey building, designed by William Bruce Gingell, was faced with Pennant stone rubble with Bath stone dressings. The hospital contained an out-patients department and adminastrative and staff rooms on the ground floor, with general wards for males and females on the two floors above, the nurses were accommodated in the attic. An additional ward and staff wing, also of Pennant and Bath stone, was added in 1888-91, it was designed by Crisp and Oatley. Subsequent additions include: a two storey detached isolation block and a further nurses' home extension (1907); a large women's and maternity ward wing (1914), with open sun balconies and a roof garden; a pathological laboratory (1914); a chapel (1915); and a new outpatients department (1931). (1-2)
Bristol General Hospital was founded in converted premises in Guinea Street in 1832. It provided 20 beds but soon proved to be unsuitable, and in 1845 Joseph Eaton, a member of the Society of Friends, made an offer of £5000 towards a new purpose-built hospital, on condition that a further £10,000 was raised for construction. By 1852 the money had been found and a suitable site purchased for the new hospital. The architect William Bruce Gingell (1819-1899) was chosen to design the hospital. Construction started in 1852 and the hospital was completed in 1855.
In 1888 construction began on new wing in the northwest corner of the site. This building matched the style of the main hospital building and was designed by the partnership of Henry Crisp (1826-1896) and Sir George Herbert Oatley (1863-1950). It opened in 1891. Other additions included the Pathology Department of 1898, and the Isolation Block and Nurses Accommodation built in 1907 by Sir George Herbert Oatley and George Churchus Lawrence (1872-1938).
A major addition to the site was the King Edward VII Wing which was built in 1914. This was a large ward wing which contained medical, maternity and dental departments, and also accommodation for residents, students and night nurses. The last significant addition to the hospital complex was the out-patients's department in 1931. All these additions were designed by Oatley and Lawrence.
During World War II the hospital suffered bomb damage to the mansard roof of Gingell's buildings. The roof and top floor including that of the octagonal tower was subsequently removed and replaced with a flat roof. The 1916-1919 metal balconies were also removed due to bomb damage.
The hospital buildings developed organically and are loosely arranged around a central courtyard with the principal entrance to the complex to the north (Monument HOB UID 1231035). The principal hospital building is Italianate with a French Empire style roof. Construction is of blue pennant stone with Bath stone dressings, with slate mansard and gabled roofs.
Bristol General Hospital closed on 4 April 2012, replaced by the South Bristol Community Hospital which opened on 30 March 2012. It is proposed that the old hospital buildings will be restored and included in a mixed residential and retail redevelopment of the site. (3-5)
|