Catalogue description VICTORIA INFIRMARY, NORTHWICH

Records

The collection consists of 16 volumes of minutes, reports and other administrative records, 1887 - 1965, 1 volume of accounts, 1895 - 1900 and 2 volumes of staff registers 1941 - 1959. There are no records of patients in the collection.

(See NHC 2).

For further records of Davenham Isolation Hospital see NHC 6.

For annual reports 1928 - 1936 see NCH 119/5; for extracts from reports 1888 - 1944 see SF: MEDICINE

Victoria Infirmary, 1886-1982

Acc 3846

Note: NHC 1/3846/13 and 14 have been transferred from a Record Office subject file.

• Northwich, Cheshire
• Health services

The Infirmary was a voluntary hospital, opened in 1886 for the treatment of accident victims; its principal benefactor was Robert Verdin, M.P., who presented the building for the use of the town in 1887. Other wealthy industrialists, such as the Brunners and the Monds also supported it generously. In 1898 a branch was opened at Winsford, called the Albert Infirmary.

In 1896 the Infirmary could accommodate 14 patients; this figure grew to 25 in 1910 and 36 by 1928. A new wing was added in 1902, a children's ward in 1924, and there were further extensions in 1931, 1937 and 1939. The bed complement in 1983 was 44.

From its foundation until 1948, the Infirmary was administered by a Board of Management. With the advent of the National Health Service, in 1948, it became part of North and Mid Cheshire Hospital Management Committee, being transferred to the South Cheshire HMC in 1968. From 1954 to 1968, the Infirmary was linked with Davenham Isolation Hospital under one House Committee. With the reform of the NHS in 1974, it became part of the Crewe Health District of Cheshire Area Health Authority. On the abolition of that body in 1982, it became a part of Crewe District Health Authority.