Alterations to Belle Vue House (acquired for Ladies Villa), 1878-1879

A sub-committee was appointed in 1877 to consider further accommodation for Ladies - there was a need to separate more effectively the quiet from the noisy patients, and more accommodation was needed for Higher Class Ladies. It was recommended that plans should be obtained for the erection of a new Ladies' Villa or Lodge, and Edward Taylor was appointed to do so. The plans at RET 2/1/15/1 represent his ideas However it was decided in 1878 that such a building would close in the Ladies Garden too much and damage the aspects of the existing building and grounds. Instead, the Committee took up the offer of Jonathan Burtt to sell Belle Vue House to the Retreat. This was done, and it became a Villa for a few Lady Patients. Plans RET 2/1/15/2 - 4 deal with the acquisition and alterations to Belle Vue in 1879 Later, West Villa was built for Ladies, extending the South West Wing (see RET 2/1/18) RET 1/5/5/10 has small sketch plans of Belle Vue House and the Cottage Hospital 1893.

1878 - 1879

8 plans and drawings

Open and available at the Borthwick Institute for Archives. This material has been digitised by the Borthwick Institute for Archives as part of a Wellcome Trust funded project, and can be freely accessed online through the Wellcome Library catalogue.