Discover when and why your ancestor was admitted to the Northampton General Hospital. You will also find out whether your ancestor was cured or died from the illness.
Discover when and why your ancestor was admitted to the Northampton General Hospital. You will also find out whether your ancestor was cured or died from the illness.
The records provide a transcript created from the original hospital records. The detail in each transcript can vary but most will include the following facts:
The original hospital records can be found at the Northamptonshire Record Office. The records provide us with the individual’s ailment and the outcome of the case. For example, William Abbey was admitted on 23 April 1808 after an accident fractured his arm. Abbey was cured and discharged on 25 June 1808. Other ailments found in the records include a sore heel, scalded leg, gunshot wound, inflamed eyes, fever, and many more conditions. As the industrial revolution continued, ailments related to industry accidents increased. The Northampton Mercury reported regularly about the Northampton General Infirmary. The newspaper can be found in Findmypast’s newspaper collection.
The Northampton General Hospital was founded in 1744 by Dr James Stonhouse. The hospital was supported by local benefactors who paid for patient’s treatments through subscriptions. Within the hospital’s first six months, they treated 103 patients. People were admitted on Wednesdays and Saturdays to align with the markets days, when carts were available to bring people to the hospital. After a patient was discharged, the individual was obligated to go and thank the hospital committee for treatment. If they did not, they were not readmitted in the future. In 1793, the needs of the hospital grew and a new building was built at the cost of £15,000 at the edge of the town. Today, the Northampton General Hospital is still providing healthcare as part of the NHS Trust.