LXII—UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL
In 1828, when the College in Gower Street (which at first represented
the New University of London and was to become University College (fn. *) ) was
built, a small Dispensary was opened in George Street, Euston Square, in
connection with the medical classes of the University, which were to develop
into the Faculty of Medicine. The Dispensary soon proved inadequate for
its purpose and the College opened a public fund and gave a site opposite its
own buildings in Gower Street to erect a hospital. The architect was Alfred
Ainger, and the foundation stone was laid by the twelfth Duke of Somerset
on 20th May, 1833. Lord John Russell, who distributed the prizes to the
students of the Medical School, was also present at the ceremony. (fn. †) In 1836
the University of London was reconstituted and the title of University
College was given to the Gower Street institution; in the following year the
hospital, which had so far been known as the North London Hospital,
changed its name to University College Hospital. In 1851 the former title
was added and it has since remained the North London or University College
Hospital.
In 1838 the south wing was added and in 1846 the north wing, the
foundation stone of which was laid by Lord Brougham. Thereafter the
hospital rapidly developed and was enlarged several times, until it became
evident that rebuilding on a greater scale was necessary. The Council of
University College raised the money to purchase an extension of the site, by
public subscription, and Sir John Blundell Maple built and equipped the
new hospital at a cost of £250,000. The architect was Alfred Waterhouse
who worked on the suggestions of the Secretary, Mr. Newton H. Nixon,
and Dr. G. V. Poore, a physician on the staff. It was planned with four
diagonal wings, in the form of St. Andrew's Cross, radiating from a central
block, and was built 1897–1906.
When in 1898 the University of London was again reconstituted,
University College remained an integral part of the new educational body,
but it was not possible for the hospital to be included in the same way.
University College Hospital and Medical School became, therefore, an
independent corporation by the University College London (Transfer) Act
of 1905.
The hospital already occupied the island site contained by Gower
Street, Grafton Way, Huntley Street and University Street. In 1907 a new
Medical School, designed by Paul Waterhouse, was erected on the south side
of University Street, between Huntley and Gower Streets, the gift of Sir
Donald Currie, who gave £100,000 for its construction. Many other buildings for the various specialist branches of the hospital's work have since been
built in the vicinity, and, outside the area, the National Dental Hospital in
Great Portland Street has been acquired.
In its inauguration University College Hospital assisted in revolutionizing the whole system of medical education and at a later date (1920)
the hospital and its medical school, as well as the Institute of Medical Sciences
at University College, were enabled to take a leading part in the further
advancement of medical teaching. This was at the instance of the Rockefeller
Foundation which allocated a sum of more than three-quarters of a million
to the two institutions (supplemented by a further grant of £435,000 to
endow a Medical School) for this purpose. The names of distinguished men
connected with the School include William Sharpey, Robert Liston, Sir
William Jenner, Lord Lister, Sir William Gowers and Sir Victor Horsley. (ref. 79)