London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1925
The annual report on the health of the Borough for the year1925
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23
GENERAL HOSPITAL.
Although Kensington may be regarded as a central London Borough, it is curious that there
is only one General Hospital within the Borough boundary, namely, the Kensington, Fulham and
Chelsea General Hospital. There are, however, the West London Hospital, St. Mary's Hospital and
St. George's Hospital just outside the Borough.
The work performed at the Kensington, Fulham and Chelsea General Hospital for the year
1925 is as follows :—
| Number of Beds available for use | 19 |
| Average number of Patients resident daily throughout the year | 16 |
| Number of In-Patients in the Hospital at the beginning of year | 16 |
| „ ,. „ admitted during year | 315 |
| „ „ ,, in the Hospital at the end of the year | 17 |
| Average number of days each Patient was resident | 1856 |
| (a) Numbers. | |
| Total number of new Out-Patients | 6,440 |
| Total number of Out-Patient Attendances | 28,730 |
| Number of Patients on books at the beginning of the year | 431 |
| Number of Casualty Patients | 1.818 |
| Number of Casualty Attendances | 1,818 |
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
A hospital for the treatment of children's diseases is probably the most urgent requirement
in the Health Services of Kensington. Until August, 1925, there was a Children's Hospital in
Church Street, established in 1840, with eleven beds, an out-patient department and a dispensary
for women. At a Conference at Kensington Palace, convened in 1924 by Her Royal Highness
Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, it was reported that the Church Street building had become
worn out, that high buildings had grown up around it which blocked out much sunlight and fresh
air, that Church Street had become a noisy thoroughfare and that there was a great need of a
children's hospital in the northern part of the Borough. In view of these circumstances it was
resolved to dispose of the Church Street premises and transfer the hospital to North Kensington.
Her Royal Highness Princess Louise, President of the Church Street Institution, graciously
consented to become the President of the Hospital Re-Establishment Committee. Alderman A. J.
Allen, M.A., the then Mayor of the Borough, became the Chairman, with Alderman Sir Alfred
Rice-Oxley as Vice-Chairman, Lord Balfour of Burleigh as Hon. Treasurer and Miss Davenport
as Hon. Secretary.
The intention of the Committee is to build a general hospital for children with fifty beds and
a large out-patient department and, if funds allow, an out-patient department for women.
A very excellent site tor the hospital has been secured in St. Quintin Avenue and, as the site
adjoins the Kensington War Memorial Playing Fields, it will have plenty of fresh air and sunlight.
Indeed, it would be difficult to find a more open and suitable position in the Borough.
The hospital will lie midway between those two areas, Kensal Town and Notting Dale, where
the majority of the poor in North Kensington live and for whose children hospital facilities are
urgently needed ; it will be easily accessible from each of these districts.