Sheffield Children’s, one of Sheffield’s longest-standing institutions and one of only three dedicated children’s trusts in the UK, opened 148 years ago today.
It opened for the first time on Brook Hill, not far from the current Western Bank site, on November 15, 1876, with a rent of £63 per year.
In its first year, the hospital saw just 29 inpatient admissions, a figure which has grown substantially to 10,214 in 2022/23.
The hospital’s first X-Ray machine was installed in 1907, while electric radiators replaced open fires and the operating theatre opened its doors during the 1920s.
The pictures below show a journey through history, as the leading hospital enters its 149th year of supporting young people.
1. The original hospital
The original hospital opened in November 1876 in Brook Hill. Since 1948, its services have been provided under the NHS. Photo: Sheffield Children's
2. The hospital, pictured in 1880
The Children’s Hospital Charity was formed 100 years after the hospital in 1976. Money raised through donations funds four key areas; medical equipment, research, new facilities and improvements to the environment. Photo: Sheffield Children's
3. The hospital in 1903
The hospital pictured four years before its first X-Ray machine was installed, in 1907. Photo: Sheffield Children's
4. The Cleaver Ward
In the 1970s, the hospital extended what became the Emergency Department. Photo: Sheffield Children's