Story: A History of the Hospital

LT.2022.8.5 Leanchoil hospital plan detail

STORIES

A History of the Hospital

Before Leanchoil was built the only medical care service was a cholera hospital located on the west side of Forres Burn between the Castle Bridge and Lee Bridge. In 1880, a public meeting was held to discuss the possibility of founding of a new hospital to treat the sick.

“…it is undoubtedly the duty of every civilised community to provide for the human and successful treatment of the sick, and for preventing the spread of available disease and death.”

Provost Loch Stuart, 1880

A 9.5 acre site was chosen on Chapelton Muir, to the south-east of Forres and renowned local architect John Rhind was asked to provide plans. The project was later taken over by Henry Saxon Snell, a London architect who specialising in public and institutional buildings.

“… most picturesque and secluded, the trees in rear of the building sheltering them from East winds and forming an excellent background to a noble pile of buildings.”

Description of the site of Leanchoil Hospital, 1890s

The original plan was designed around a two storey centre block with and matron’s and surgeon’s rooms at either side of a main entrance. [Fig 1]. The ward pavilions had round Baronial towers which originally rounded off the design although extensions were later added to both ends. [Fig 2]. The floors were laid with hard Canadian wax polished maple wood and upstairs were bedrooms for the matron, nurses and servants. The detached building at the rear of the hospital contained a washhouse, laundry, ambulance house and mortuary.

Funds to build the hospital came from public subscription and nearly £3000 was raised from local donors. The largest donation came from philanthropist and railway magnate Sir Donald Alexander Smith, later 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal. Smith was born in Forres but made his fortune in railway construction across Canada. He gifted the land at Chapelton and gave a further £8000 to the construction costs. [Fig 3]. The hospital’s name was chosen by Lord Strathcona after the name of the farm in Strathspey where his mother was raised.

The Hospital opened to the first patients on 24th April 1892 with the arrival of matron Miss Gertrude Seagrave, an experienced nurse who previously served at Ashford Cottage Hospital in Kent.

With thanks to Harriet Richardson Blakeman for use of her research on Historic Hospitals.

Find out more at https://historic-hospitals.com/