#OnThisDay 10 August 1894 the new Sydney Hospital on Macquarie Street opened.
Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital is the oldest working hospital in Australia. It is located on traditional Gadigal land, on the site of the 'Rum Hospital' which opened in 1816. Macquarie had the 'Rum Hospital' built to replace the tent hospital in George Street, The Rocks. From the outset, however, there were problems with shoddy construction work and frequent overcrowding. The central building was demolished in 1879 to make way for a new Victorian Classical Revival building designed by Thomas Rowe. The two surviving wings of the 'Rum Hospital' now form Parliament House and the Mint Museum.
Problems with the budget meant the new Hospital was not finished until 1894, under a revised design by architect John Kirkpatrick.
The official ceremony of opening the Sydney hospital was performed by Sir George Dibbs at noon on Friday last in the presence of a large concourse of spectators, the building being gaily decorated. After an address by Sir Arthur Renwick, Sir George declared the building open, and unlocked the massive main doors with a gold key.
Related
- Nurses Guide
- Medical Practitioners Guide
- See information about (Agency No. 2123) the General Hospital, Sydney in Collection Search
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