Hope Hospital

When a new Salford Workhouse on Eccles Road was opened in 1853, the old workhouse was adapted for use as a hospital. However, the hospital was overcrowded and at risk from the spread of infectious diseases. Salford Guardians decided to erect an isolation hospital and purchased an estate on Stott Lane for this purpose. However, the isolation hospital was not used and infectious cases were sent elsewhere. This estate was later used for Hope Hospital. The Salford Union Infirmary was opened in 1879, and by 1882 was called Hope Hospital. It was a general hospital built for over 800 patients, largely for the chronic sick. Hope Hospital was built in a pleasant site and disassociated from the Workhouse. It was built in the modern pavilion style, but was very cheaply built and run. Compared to other Poor Law Hospitals, Hope was primitive with poor facilities and little surgical work. Although the Hospital was large, it had become extremely overcrowded by the 1920s. This was due to a number of factors, including the treatment of people who were not destitute and the rapid growth in maternity and surgical cases. In 1924 an old person's was built home on the site, called 'The Homestead'. Salford Guardians agreed to build a large extension in 1928 and this was completed in 1931, bringing the number of beds to nearly a thousand. Soon after this opening Hope Hospital was taken over by Salford Corporation. This period heralded a development of specialisms. Unfortunately, much of the hospital was destroyed during the second war. Under the NHS, management of Hope Hospital transferred to Salford Hospital Management Committee, except for the Homestead which remained with Salford Corporation. Hope Hospital redeveloped in the mid-twentieth century; a new Maternity Block was opened in 1966, and a residential block in 1972. The early 1970s saw a period of rapid change for Hope Hospital. Despite plans for two large district general hospitals at Hope and Salford Royal, no suitable site could be found for redeveloping Salford Royal. A new plan was decided for one large hospital at Hope. This was followed by decision to make Hope Hospital a university hospital, which it became in 1974. Following this decision Salford Corporation sold the buildings of the Homestead to the Hospital. There was further rebuilding in 1983 and from 1994 Hope Hospital merged with Salford Royal Hospital and became the main site of Salford Royal Hospital NHS Trust.

See also MMC/12/4/6, Salford Hospital Department reports 1889-1896 for reports of infectious diseases hospitals in Salford, including 'Hope Sheds'.

Note: the Medical Collection does not include any official records of this hospital. This includes any records relating to patient admissions, treatment and discharge. The Hospital's birth registers are held by Manchester Archives and Local Studies, Central Library, St. Peter's Square, Manchester (ref. AGHR/Addl).

Hope Hospital: Centenary 1880-1980 Salford Area Health Authority, 1980.