Great Ormond Street: Hospital for Sick Children

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W. J. Loftie, adding to the incomplete work of Sir Walter Besant, in The Fascination of London, published in 1903, continues his survey of Holborn with this look at the Great Ormond Street and the Hospital for Sick Children:

The Working Men's College began at the instigation of a barrister in 1848, and was fathered by the Rev. F. D. Maurice, who was Principal until his death.

It grew rapidly, and in 1856 became affiliated to London University.

The adjacent house was bought, in 1870 additional buildings were erected, and four years later the institution received a charter of incorporation.

Maurice was succeeded in the principalship by Thomas Hughes, and Hughes by Lord Avebury, then Sir John Lubbock.

The Hospital for Sick Children is a red-brick building designed by Sir C. Barry.

Within, the wards are lined by glazed tiles, and the floors are of parquet.

Each ward is named after some member of the Royal Family - Helena, Alice, etc.

The children are received at any age, and the beds are well filled.

Everything, it is needless to say, is in the beautifully bright and cleanly style which is associated with the modern hospital.

The chapel is particularly beautiful; it is the gift of Mr. W. H. Barry, a brother of the architect, and the walls are adorned with frescoes above inlaid blocks of veined alabaster.

The Homeopathic Hospital, which is on the same side of the street nearer to Queen Square, is another large and noticeable building.

This is the only hospital of the kind in London.

The present building occupies the site of three old houses, one of which was the residence of Zachary Macaulay, father of the historian.

There are in all seven wards, two for men, three for women, one for girls, and one for children.

The children's ward is as pretty as any private nursery could be. The hospital is absolutely free, and the out-patient department exceptionally large.

In Great Ormond Street there are also one or two Benefit Societies, Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows for the North London District, and many sets of chambers.

This district seems particularly favourable to the growth of charitable institutions.

Lamb's Conduit Street is called after one Lamb, who built a conduit here in 1577.

This was a notable work in the days when the water-supply was a very serious problem.

Thus, a very curious name is accounted for in a matter-of-fact way.

In Queen Anne's time the fields around here formed a favourite promenade for the citizens when the day's work was done.

Next: St George's Bloomsbury