| Description | Administrative records of St Bartholomew's Hospital, 1547-1976, comprising minutes of the Board of Governors, 1549-1974, including Churchwardens' accounts for St Nicholas Shambles, 1526-1546, and Christ Church Greyfriars, 1546-1548; draft and duplicate minutes of meetings of the Board of Governors, 1552-1557, 1710-1717, 1863-1905, 1948-1958, and memoranda, 1597-1702; letter books, 1801-1939, containing copies of Clerks' and Treasurers' out-letters, including annual returns of patients, 1830-1863; Treasurers' letter books, 1905-1939, containing letters from the Clerk to the Treasurer; notes and extracts from the minutes of the Board of Governors, 1549-1974; papers relating to staff and Governors, 1547-1984, notably regulations and duties, including clothing allowances for staff, [1880]; rules and orders of the Hospital, 1557-1971;
instructions for air raids, 1915-1917; lists of staff, 1547-1960; wartime preparations, [1939]; charges (orders) to the staff, 1912-1959; correspondence relating to disabled staff, 1949-1953; lists of Governors, 1827-1946; notices of memorial services, 1920-1984, including list of men killed in the First World War; pension scheme for staff, 1899, 1913; leave books for staff and consultants, 1885-1950; correspondence not in letter books, 1855-1961, including with the Royal family, 1903-1904; Governors, 1866, 1938; concerning staff resignations; damage caused by aircraft, 1915; Pneumothorax Clinic, 1939-1940; Solicitors' letter books, 1901-1939;
papers relating to the Second World War, 1927-1943, including correspondence concerning hospital beds in case of war, 1927-1928; Fire watch books, 1942-1943; allocation of beds, 1940; medical treatment, 1939; emergency plans, 1939; notices of bomb damage and casualties, 1940-1941;
correspondence relating to insurance, 1897-1939;
'feast books', 1684-1774, 1812-1903, containing copy menus, catering accounts and lists of stewards for the Anniversary Dinner or Buck Feast; papers relating to building work on the hospital site, 1713-1771, mainly concerning rebuilding from 1730 according to James Gibbs' designs, including estimates and bills; cash and receipt books, 1732-1758;
papers relating to the treatment of soldiers and sailors, 1666-1719, comprising decrees, warrants and petitions, 1666-1710, concerning payment for treatment; accounts, 1689-1719, recording amounts owed to St Bartholomew's for the treatment of individual soldiers and including admission and discharge details;
miscellaneous papers, [1684]-1953, including speeches, [1904-1927], papers relating to dinners, [1684]-1885, invitations for View Day, 1935-1942; notices for the General Courts and House Committees, 1925-1966; papers relating to the City of London and the Greater London Council, 1782-1958;
papers of the Planning Department, 1950-1969, including correspondence relating to the Butcher's Hall, 1950-1955; papers relating to complaints, praise and accidents, 1939-1959, including cases against the Hospital; papers of the Service Department relating to Porters, 1940-1969, comprising correspondence concerning Trade Unions, pay and working conditions; papers relating to the Ministry of Health, including correspondence, 1947-1954; quarterly and annual returns, 1948-1954, including for Alexandra and Hill End Hospitals; papers and reports relating to the Guillebaud Committee, 1954-1957; reception and welfare of in-patients, 1954-1955; clinical research, 1953-1954;
correspondence relating to finance and the Public Accounts Committee, 1956-1962; statistics of gas and electricity consumption at the Hospital, 1924-1938; papers relating to area supplies, 1966-1971, including organisation and policy; agreements between the Hospital and Medical College, 1965-1966; papers relating to the National Association of Hospital Secretaries, 1970-1971; papers concerning the 1974 NHS reorganisation, including correspondence concerning the designation of hospitals, 1965-1970, reports, 1965-1970;
papers relating to legal case brought by the Churchwardens of St Bartholomew the Less concerning income, 1669-1670; legal case brought by the Governors, [1707]; relating to a robbery, [1810];
minutes of the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board Church of England Advisory Committee, 1951-1961; Estates minutes of the Special Trustees, 1974-1976.
Records of Committees of St Bartholomew's Hospital, 1653-1974, comprising Treasurer and Almoners' minute books, 1838-1948; order books, 1653-1739; orders of the Treasurer and Almoners, 1915-1929; draft minutes and agendas of the House Committee, 1905; Treasurer and Almoners, 1927-1928, 1939;
minutes of Committees created before 1948, comprising minutes of the Visiting Governor's Committee, 1905-1925; Finance Committee, 1908-1945; meetings of the Treasurer, Almoners and Medical Council, 1891-1902; papers and minutes relating to Hospital buildings and extensions, 1891-1938, including the Reconstruction Committee, 1922-1929, 1937; minutes, reports and agenda papers relating to the Medical Economy sub-committee, 1908-1932; Sanitary Officers' reports, 1901-1939;
minutes, reports and agenda papers of Committees created after 1948, notably the Executive and Finance Committee, 1948-1974; Drugs, Instruments and Appliances Committee, 1961-1973; Archives' Committee, 1937-1974; Joint Pathological Committee, 1952-1970; Planning Committee, 1943-1969; Kitchen Committee, 1959-1963; Voluntary Board of Governors, 1952-1973; Medical Illustration Joint Committee, 1950-1974; Estates Committee, 1957-1974; Medical Establishment Committee, 1949-1974; Accounts' Committee, 1948-1970; Supplies Sub-Committee, 1963-1974; Development Sub-Committee, 1962-1973; Joint Research Board, 1961-1968; Joint Nursing Services Study Group for Hackney and the City of London, 1970-1973; Joint Hospital Study Group on Child Care, 1971-1972; Joint Hospital Services Committee for Tower Hamlets, 1970-1972; Treasurers' Post-War Planning Committee, 1943-1955; Joint Committee of the Computing Unit for Medical Sciences, 1967-1974; Research Committee, 1953-1960; Patient Services Panel, 1971-1973; Church Restoration Committee, 1970-1974; Occupational Health Committee, 1969-1973; Maintenance Committee, 1963-1970; Medical Records Sub-Committee, 1968-1974; Space Allocation Working Party, 1963-1968; Joint Committees, 1963-1974; correspondence, agendas and papers relating to the Executive and Finance Committee, 1946-1969, including Medical Council correspondence, 1963-1974; reports to the Committee, 1963-1974; correspondence relating to the Voluntary Board of Governors, 1968-1974; agenda
papers relating to Committees created before 1948, comprising papers relating to the Election committee, 1906-1946, including appointments of physicians and surgeons, 1906-1946; biographies; applications for posts, 1946; agenda papers for the Board of Governors, 1939, 1948; House Committee, 1939, 1948.
Records relating to the legal dispute between St Bartholomew's, the City of London and Christ's Hospital, 1539-1782 (the 'case of the 500 marks'), comprising petitions from the President, Treasurer and Governors of St Bartholomew's Hospital concerning the money owed from Christ's Hospital and the City of London, 1600-[1710]; answers from Christ's Hospital and the City of London to St Bartholomew's Hospital petitions, and St Bartholomew's Hospital responses, [1681-1711]; court orders, mainly from the Court of Aldermen, relating to the case, 1557-1711; proposals made by committees concerning the payment of the money, 1711-1712; reports from Common Council and committees, 1548-1775; demand to inspect Christ's Hospital's minute books, 1711; depositions of witnesses, 1711; breviates (briefs) of the case, summarising acts, agreements and court action, 1546-1711; copies of acts, [1548]-1713; accounts, receipts and bills concerning the profits from the Beams, Christ's Hospital's and the City of London's debts, [1664]-1713; correspondence, [1710]-1712; related miscellaneous papers, [1539]-1782, including articles of agreements, bond and printed booklets. |
| Administrative history | In 1546/7 St Bartholomew's Hospital was refounded as a secular institution, and placed under the control of twelve unpaid governors elected from the Corporation of London (four Aldermen and eight Common Councillors). The most senior governor, frequently the Lord Mayor, was president of the Hospital. Next in seniority was the treasurer, responsible for overseeing the income and expenditure of the Hospital, and ultimately responsible for all paid staff. The other governors served as surveyors (looking after the hospital lands and properties), almoners (responsible for the admission, treatment and welfare of the patients) and scrutineers (with duties relating to gifts, legacies and bequests to the Hospital).
This system of governance of St Bartholomew's Hospital changed little until the creation of the National Health Service in 1948.
The Clerk was the main administrator of the Hospital; the post was originally combined with that of the Renter, who also had to write minutes of the meetings of the Governors and provide an index. A separate official was appointed to undertake these duties from the end of the sixteenth century, who was also responsible for carrying out certain instructions from the Governors, such as collecting evidence for legal cases. This post increased in importance over the following centuries, and the Clerk to the Governors was the main executive officer of the hospital until the post was abolished on 1 April 1974. |