Adelaide Hospital (Dublin)

The hospital, which was originally named Adelaide Institution & Protestant Hospital,{{cite web|url=https://www.iar.ie/Archive.shtml?IE%20TCD%20MS/11270|title=Adelaide Hospital, Dublin|publisher=Irish Archives Resource|accessdate=2 February 2021}} intended only for Protestant patients, was founded by Dr Albert Jasper Walsh (1815–1880) when he was just 26 years old, in 1839. It was named after Adelaide, wife of William IV. The well-known physicians John T Kirby and Maurice Colles were honorary surgeons. Its first premises was at 43 Bride Street and it continued there until 1846. It was then closed for a time and, after new funding was secured, re-opened in Peter Street in 1858, close to two existing schools of medicine. One of these, the Ledwich School, was incorporated into the hospital in 1894.Mitchell, 1990 The founder of the Sunbeam House, Lucinda Sullivan, served as the first lady superintendent of the hospital from 1872 to 1875.{{Cite web|url=https://dib.cambridge.org/viewReadPage.do?articleId=a10120|title=Sullivan, Lucinda|last=Gallagher|first=Niav|date=2019|website=Dictionary of Irish Biography - Cambridge University Press|access-date=2020-04-12}}

Fetherstonhaugh House in Rathgar, designed by architect George P. Beater (1850-1928) in 1894, was built as a Convalescent Home for the Adelaide Hospital.{{cite web|url=https://www.archiseek.com/2016/1894-braemor-park-rathgar-co-dublin/ |title=Fetherstonhaugh House, Braemor Park, Rathgar, Co. Dublin|publisher=www.archiseek.com|access-date=2 January 2023}} In 1961 the Church of Ireland RCB purchased the home for its clerical training, and the Divinity Hostel, moved there in 1964.{{cite web|url=https://www.ireland.anglican.org/news/4942/archive-of-the-month-february|title=Primate opens new Divinity Hostel|newspaper=Church of Ireland Gazette|date= 21 February 1964|access-date=2 January 2023}}

The Adelaide hospital was a general teaching hospital for many years and in the forefront of medical advances. Its charter, which was one of the last royal charters granted in Ireland, dates from 1920.Fleetwood, 1983

When the Irish Hospitals' Sweepstake was set up in 1930 to finance hospitals, the Adelaide was the only hospital at the time not to accept money from the Hospitals Trust, as the governors disapproved of sweepstakes.{{Citation | last=Report | title=Irish Hospitals |newspaper=The Irish Times | page= 36 | date=25 July 1933}}

It was absorbed into the Tallaght Hospital in June 1998.{{cite news|url=http://www.echo.ie/news/article/this-day-in-1998-tallaght-university-hospital-opened-its-doors|title=This day in 1998: Tallaght University Hospital opened its doors|newspaper=Echo.ie |date=21 June 2018|publisher=The Echo|access-date=4 May 2019|author1=Mark }} The former hospital building in Peter Street has been converted into apartments and office suites known as Adelaide Chambers.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/self-contained-office-suites-on-site-of-adelaide-hospital-for-sale-and-for-rent-1.303312?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Flife-and-style%2Fhomes-and-property%2Fself-contained-office-suites-on-site-of-adelaide-hospital-for-sale-and-for-rent-1.303312|title=Self-contained office suites on site of Adelaide Hospital for sale and for rent|date=18 April 2001|newspaper=Irish Times|access-date=6 May 2019}}

Among the notable staff who have been associated with the Adelaide Hospital are:

• Dr William Alexander Gillespie (1912–2003), started his career as house officer in the hospital and returned as a consultant in 1977. He had an international reputation in the field of hospital infections.Obituary, British Medical Journal
• Minnie Pamela Hill, (1870– ), Matron 1911{{Cite journal |date=4 March 1911 |title=Appointments |journal=The British Journal of Nursing |volume=46 |pages=170 |via=rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk}} – until her marriage in 1925.Rogers, Sarah (2022). 'A Maker of Matrons'? A study of Eva Lückes's influence on a generation of nurse leaders:1880–1919' (Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Huddersfield, April 2022)Hill, Minnie Pamela, Register of Nurses, 1916–1923; The College of Nursing, 1923, 274; The Nursing Registers, 1898–1968 [Available at: www.ancestry.co.uk, accessed on 26 June 2018] {{Cite journal |date=10 October 1925 |title=A Marriage |journal=Irish Times |volume=21 |issue=1067 |pages=18 |via=RCN}} Hill trained at The London Hospital under Matron Eva Luckes from 1903 to 1905. She remained there as a Holiday Sister, Pupil Midwife, and Ward Sister until 1909. She was a member of the Irish Matrons Association.{{Cite journal |date=July 1924 |title=Irish Matrons' Association |journal=The British Nursing Journal |volume=72 |issue=1872 |pages=162 |via=RCN}}
• Dr James Little (1837–1916), physician to the hospital for a period of 46 years until shortly before his death. He served as President of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland from 1886 to 1888 and Regius Professor of Physic (Dublin) from 1898 to 1916.{{cite journal|title=Obituary - James Little |pmc=2347815 |journal=British Medical Journal |date=6 January 1917 |pages=34–35 |volume=1 |issue=2923|doi=10.1136/bmj.1.2923.34 }}{{cite web|last=O’Ferrall |first=Fergus |title=The Adelaide Hospital, 1903 |url=http://www.adelaide.ie/cms/cms/uploads/files/The%20Adelaide%20Hospital%20Dublin%201839-2008.pdf |work=The Adelaide Hospital, Dublin, 1839-2008 |publisher=www.adelaide.ie |access-date=20 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903074519/http://www.adelaide.ie/cms/cms/uploads/files/The%20Adelaide%20Hospital%20Dublin%201839-2008.pdf |archive-date=3 September 2011 }}
• Dr Richard Dancer Purefoy (1847–1919), was Obstetrical Surgeon in the hospital for 21 years. He became President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and one of the leading obstetricians and gynaecologists in Ireland.Obituary, The Lancet, 12 July 1919
• Dr Sir Henry Swanzy (1843–1913) was a distinguished eye specialist and ophthalmic surgeon to the hospital.{{cite journal|title=Sir Henry Rosborough Swanzy|last=Fitzgerald|first= C.E. |journal=The Dublin Journal of Medical Science |date=1 June 1913|volume= 135 |issue=6 |pages=408–413 |doi=10.1007/BF02939683|s2cid=74868744 }}
• Dr Ella Webb (1877–1946), appointed anaesthetist in 1918, was the first female member of the staff. She immediately established a dispensary for sick children in the hospital. She became an MD in 1925 and then worked with Kathleen Lynn in St. Ultan's hospital which Lynn had founded.Kearney, N and Skehill, C (2005). Social work in Ireland: historical perspectives. Institute of Public Administration. {{ISBN|1-904541-23-2}}, {{ISBN|978-1-904541-23-3}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Fleetwood|first= John F |year=1983|title=The History of Medicine in Ireland|publisher =Skellig Press|location=Dublin|isbn=978-0946241026}}
• {{cite book|last=Mitchell|first= David|title=The Adelaide Hospital, Dublin, 1838-1989|publisher =the Blackwater Press|year =1990|location= Dublin|isbn =0-905471-16-4}}

{{Irish hospitals}}

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Category:Teaching hospitals in Dublin (city)

Category:1839 establishments in Ireland

Category:Hospitals established in 1839

Category:Defunct hospitals in the Republic of Ireland

Category:1998 disestablishments in Ireland

Category:Hospitals disestablished in 1998

Category:Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen