Group    From 5/12/1816 

Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital

Categories: Medicine

The wonderful Lost Hospitals of London provides information:

The Royal Westminster Infirmary for the Cure of Diseases of the Eye was founded by George James Guthrie (1785-1856). Clinics were initially held at Guthrie's house, 2 Berkeley Street. It moved first to what is now Glasshouse Street, then Warwick Street. c.1830 it was decided that this hospital and Charing Cross Hospital would construct new buildings on a shared site, where the plaques are now. The building was reconstructed in 1900, 1906 and 1912 (we assume these were refurbishments or extensions rather than complete rebuilds).

1926-8 moved to a new building in what is now High Holborn (our image). The next-door Charing Cross Hospital took over the vacated building.

In 1947 it merged with the Central London Ophthalmic Hospital in Judd Street and the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital in Moorfields, becoming the Westminster Branch of the Moorfields, Westminster and Central Eye Hospital. The group joined the NHS in 1948 and the Westminster Branch closed in 1989. The High Holborn building was demolished and the site is now (2019) occupied by High Holborn Residence a 1995 student accommodation.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital

Commemorated ati

Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital

The first stone of this hospital was laid by Charles Duke of Richmond, Knight...

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Other Subjects

Dr John Langdon Haydon Down

Dr John Langdon Haydon Down

Doctor specialising in mental illnesses who classified what is now called Down's Syndrome in 1862.  We think the family used 'Langdon Down' as their surname. Born Cornwall.  Aged 18, he came to Lo...

Person, Medicine

1 memorial
Bagnigge House

Bagnigge House

The house was built on the site of the, supposedly holy, Bagnigge Wells (mineral springs) in 1678.  Nell Gwynne was supposed to have lived in this house. The picture shows the house c. 1790. In th...

Building, Commerce, Medicine

1 memorial
King's College Hospital

King's College Hospital

Stood at Portugal Street / Carey Street from 1839 to 1913, when it moved to Denmark Hill, to a site given to it by WFD Smith, of W.H.Smiths.

Group, Medicine

2 memorials
Margaret Pyke Centre

Margaret Pyke Centre

One of the first family planning clinics, founded in 1968 in Charlotte Street, by Jean Medawar and David Pyke.

Group, Medicine

1 memorial
Edith Louisa Cavell

Edith Louisa Cavell

Edith Cavell was born on 4 December 1865 in Swardeston in Norfolk. At the age of 20 she entered the nursing profession, training at the London Hospital 1896 - 1901. Assistant Matron at the Shoredit...

Person, Medicine, Seriously Famous, Belgium

War dead, WW1
4 memorials