Doncaster Gate Hospital Rotherham

Coordinates: 53°25′48″N 1°21′07″W / 53.430°N 1.352°W / 53.430; -1.352

an early image of the Hospital

Doncaster Gate Hospital was located in Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England. The hospital was opened in 1869, as the first hospital in the town.

History

Doncaster Gate Hospital Rotherham was originally known as the Rotherham Hospital and Dispensary from 1872 to 1948, it later became the Doncaster Gate Hospital.[1] It was founded by Dr Edward James Shearman FRSE.[2]

There had been a dispensary in Rotherham since 1806. This was initially situated on Wellgate before a new dispensary was built on College Street in 1828. Forty five years later this institution along with its finances was incorporated into the new hospital at Doncaster Gate.

Architecture

Its mock Tudor/Gothic architecture was the winning design from among over ninety entries in a competition run by The Builder magazine in 1869.[3] The architects were Mallison & Bakewell of Dewsbury and Leeds. Notable for its beauty and elegance the factory owner and local historian, John Guest, was moved to describe the building as ‘this noble edifice’ when officiating at the opening ceremony.

Funding

Opened to patients in 1872 it was the first purpose built hospital in the town. At the cost of just over £9,000 it was only able to be erected and maintained as a result of subscriptions donated by every section of the community - encompassing ladies living on Moorgate to the workers in the surrounding factories.[4][5]

Name

It might appear strange that the main hospital in Rotherham for over a century carries the name of a neighbouring town. When it was finally agreed that a hospital was desperately needed, it was decided to situate the new building in Doncaster Gate, so-named because historically it marks the major gateway leaving Rotherham and linking the town's High Street to Doncaster Road in a north easterly direction.[6]

References

  1. ↑ National Archive records
  2. ↑ https://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/biogs/E003390b.htm
  3. ↑ www.Institutions.org.uk Archived 4 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine. - Architecture Competition
  4. ↑ http://rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk/data/VOLUME032-1904/page015-volume32-02ndjanuary1904.pdf - RCN Funding Article
  5. ↑ Letter regarding funding
  6. ↑ Heritage and History of the Hospital
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