Stafford General Infirmary

Image: © Simon Huguet Taken: 26 Jul 2008

Stafford General Infirmary was founded as a Voluntary Hospital in a rented house on this site in Foregate Street and opened for patients on 27 June 1766, making it one of the oldest hospitals in the country. It was funded through subscriptions and bequests. According to the Staffordshire County Archive Service the Hospital had a paid apothecary, a matron and a porter but local doctors gave their services for free. The infirmary was funded by voluntary annual subscription, patients were admitted on the recommendation of those who made donations. An infirmary cow supplied milk and fruit was provided from the surrounding orchards. The building shown is the second hospital. It cost £3,000, which was raised by public subscription, and was designed by Benjamin Wyatt. It opened in 1772 and in 1776 a Dr Erasmus Darwin of Lichfield was appointed 'physician extraordinary'. He was Charles Darwin's grandfather. The hospital building substantially restored and enlarged in 1897 and a nurse's home, built by the shoe magnate David Hollins was added in 1911. The hospital was then much extended and altered over the years until it was replaced by the Stafford District General Hospital in 1981. The hospital itself is now offices, and all the surrounding buildings were demolished in 1999 and are now a business park.

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