Devonshire hospital and Buxton Bath charity : instituted for the relief of poor persons from all parts of Great Britain and Ireland suffering from rheumatism, gout, sciatica, and neuralgia ; pains, weakness or contractions of joints or limbs, arising from these diseases, or from sprains, fractures, or other local injuries ; chronic forms of paralysis ; dropped hands, and other poisonous effects of lead, mercury, or other minerals ; spinal affections ; dyspeptic complaints, uterine obstructions, etc. etc. ; supported by annual subscriptions and voluntary contributions : annual report for the year 1868 ; management, history, annual statement, accounts, rules and regulations, list of subscriptions and benefactions &c., and a copy of conveyance of hospital from the Duke of Devonshire to the trustees.

Devonshire Royal Hospital (Buxton, Derbyshire, England)

Date:: 1869

Credit: Devonshire hospital and Buxton Bath charity : instituted for the relief of poor persons from all parts of Great Britain and Ireland suffering from rheumatism, gout, sciatica, and neuralgia ; pains, weakness or contractions of joints or limbs, arising from these diseases, or from sprains, fractures, or other local injuries ; chronic forms of paralysis ; dropped hands, and other poisonous effects of lead, mercury, or other minerals ; spinal affections ; dyspeptic complaints, uterine obstructions, etc. etc. ; supported by annual subscriptions and voluntary contributions : annual report for the year 1868 ; management, history, annual statement, accounts, rules and regulations, list of subscriptions and benefactions &c., and a copy of conveyance of hospital from the Duke of Devonshire to the trustees. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

7/48 page 7

Beyond this somewhat vague earlier history, there is no record of the Buxton Bath Charity until the year 1785, of which date there is extant a document, apparently an annual report of the Institution; from which time the use of the baths and waters and pecuniary aid had been regularly given to the poor patients until the year 1859, when the Devonshire Hospital was provided for the reception of the patients. It has been gathered from the annual reports that in the eighteen years from ] 820, 14,906 patients were admitted to the benefits of the Charity, of which number 12,608 were discharged as cured or much relieved. In the twenty following years, from 1838 to 1858,23,319 patients were admitted; and of these, 16,575 were cured or much relieved; 5,859 were reheved in some degree ; and 885 were no better at the time of discharge. The Devonshire Hospital was opened for the reception of the patients of the Charity in the year 1859. It is the successful result of the con- version of a very extensive range of building, erected and used as stables since the commencement of the present century. The structure, which is of important and substantial character, surrounds a parterre of consi- derable extent, and contains a colonnade of handsome proportions, is situated on a commanding eminence, presenting views of the town and valley of Buxton, and is near to the baths, the railway stations, and the principal buildings. From the year 1820, then, to the beginning of September, 1858, when the Hospital was opened, or in 38 years, the Institution had received 38,225 patients; of which number, 35,042 were beneficially treated, and 2,183 were very partially if at all relieved. During those 38 years the Buxton Bath Charity received, on an average, upwards of 1,000 patients every year, and afforded cure or marked relief to 922 of that number. To a very large proportion of this important number of poor sufferers, chiefly from chronic rheumatism, the Charity gave a weekly allowance of 6s. during their stay in Buxton, in addition to all other benefits; until the funds became so seriously impaired, that the weekly money allowance was necessarily reduced to 5s., at which sum it remained until the opening of the Hospital. From the time of reducing the weekly money allowance, the pecuniary prosperity of the Buxton Bath Charity may be dated. The funds accumulated year by year, until the time of rebuilding the Buxton baths on the part of the Duke of Devonshire, when a capital of nearly £3,000 had been gathered together by the scrupulous manage- ment of the Trustees. The names may be mentioned, first and particularly, of Bishop Spencer, at one time Trustee and Incumbent of Buxton, and more recently one of the Vice-Presidents of the Hospital; of Mr. Heacock and Mr. Smithers, its successive Treasurers ; and of Sir Charles Scuda- more, Mr. Page, Mr. Cumming, and Dr. Carstairs,—as being no longer alive to witness and take part in the present development of the Charity; and also in order of seniority as to connection with the Institution, of Dr. Eobertson, the Hon. and Kev. F. R. Grey, Mr. Darwin, and the Rev.

Licence and re-use

Contents