Melbourne Hospital minute book, ca. 1845-1855

MLMSS 9987/Box 1X

fonds

ca. 1845-1855

1012290

0.37 metres of textual material (1 outsize box)

In early 1841, a group of community-minded citizens came together to give the people of a rapidly growing village access to critical medical treatment - housed in a humble cottage. Only a decade after Melbourne was first settled, the hospital’s foundation stone was laid with much fanfare and a public procession on 20 March 1846. In contrast, there was little celebration when the hospital opened two years later. The hospital continues to this day as one of Victoria’s oldest public institutions, predating The University of Melbourne and the State Library of Victoria, both founded in 1854. Indeed it is older than Victoria itself, which became a separate colony from New South Wales in 1851, three years after the hospital opened. Originally called the Melbourne Hospital, and situated in a 10-bed, two-storey cottage on the corner of Lonsdale and Swanston Streets, the hospital expanded and was then completely rebuilt on that site in 1913. It moved to its present location in 1944, but remnants of the old buildings still exist on its original site within the QV Centre. Renamed The Royal Melbourne Hospital by Royal Charter on 27 March 1935, the hospital in 2005 amalgamated with the former Mount Royal Hospital and now encompasses a second campus at Royal Park.
Professor Bryan Gandevia saved this minute book from destruction. He was among the most significant individuals to be involved in the study of the history of medicine in Australia and his network of influential and bureaucratic contacts in Australia and overseas was probably unrivalled. Professor Gandevia chose not to include the Melbourne Hospital minute book in his collection of research papers and specified that it be given to the Mitchell Library.
Reference:
https://www.thermh.org.au/about/our-history (accessed 19 September, 2017)
Library correspondence file

By descent to the creator’s son

Bound volume containing manuscript records of annual meetings and minutes of the Building Committee to establish the Melbourne Hospital in 1845, during the erection of the first buildings, and until 1855.

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Research & study copies allowed: Applies only to material in which the author has been deceased for more than 50 years.
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales