LHB12  Deaconess Hospital

Collection Summary

Reference Code: GB239 LHB12
Title: Deaconess Hospital
Dates of Creation of Material: 1894-1967
Level of Description: Fonds
Extent and Medium of the Unit of Description: 10.5 shelf metres: bound volumes, papers, photographic material


Name of creator(s): Deaconess Hospital
Administrative History: Founded by the Church of Scotland in 1894 to train Deaconesses for missionary work at home and abroad, the hospital also provided a much needed medical service to the local community living in the Pleasance and Cowgate area. Deaconesses spent a year there as part of their training, or a further two if they wished to become fully qualified nurses. Extensions to the original building in 1897 and 1912 increased the number of beds available and an out-patient department was also added. Further extension occurred in the 1930s, and the Deaconess also began a home visiting or district service. In 1948 it became part of the Edinburgh Southern Hospitals within the South Eastern Regional Hospital Board. In 1974 it became part of the South Lothian District of Lothian Health Board. After 1984 it joined the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and Associated Hospitals Unit. The Deaconess closed in 1990.
Archival History: Records held within the National Health Service prior to transfer
Immediate Source of Acquisition or Transfer: Church of Scotland via Hazel Horne, Scottish Record Office, January 1983


Scope and Content: Management 1910-1948; administration 1894-1964; finance 1903-1948; publications and photographs 1894-1948; nursing 1894-1967; patients (bound and unbound records) 1894-1967
Accruals: No further accessions are expected
System of Arrangement: Chronological within record class


Conditions Governing Access: Public access to these records is governed by UK data protection legislation, the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, and the current Scottish Government Records Management: NHS Code of Practice (Scotland).
Conditions Governing Reproduction: Reproduction is subject to closure periods and physical condition
Language/Scripts of Material: English

Related Units of Description:
Edinburgh Southern Hospitals Board of Management (LHB9)
Pathology Department, University of Edinburgh (GD20)
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (LHB1)
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Samaritan Society (GD2)
South Lothian District, Lothian Health Board (LHB28)

Archivists' Notes: Compiled by Mike Barfoot and Jenny McDermott using existing handlists
Rules or Conventions: Description based on ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description International Council on Archives (2nd edition), 2000
Date(s) of Description: May 2000; updated August 2009, January 2011