Book · Published 11 November 2026
The Sheffield Royal HospitalA History of a City's Quest for Healthcare
By Glynn May, Sheffield historian and lorewright. The most comprehensive account to date of the Sheffield Royal Hospital on West Street, from the 1832 public dispensary to its closure in 1978.
- ISBN
- 978-1-915045-61-4
- Publisher
- 1889 Books
- Published
- 11 Nov 2026
- Pages
- 146
Watch
Glynn May introduces the book.
About the book
Through extensive archival research and original source material, The Sheffield Royal Hospital: A History of a City's Quest for Healthcare presents the most comprehensive account to date of the Sheffield Royal Hospital. It charts the hospital's development, its achievements and its contribution to healthcare in Sheffield.
Richly illustrated and meticulously researched, it captures the stories of the institution and the people who dedicated their lives to serving the city.
Inside the book
The Sheffield Royal Hospital began as the Sheffield Public Dispensary, founded in 1832. It was extended in 1860 and again in 1870, becoming the Sheffield Public Hospital. In the early 1890s it was rebuilt on West Street, and the new building was opened by the Duchess of York on 11 May 1895 as the Sheffield Royal Hospital.
The hospital joined the National Health Service in 1948. In 1978 its services moved to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and it closed; the buildings were demolished in 1981.
Among the people whose stories the book tells is Annie Louisa Earle RRC, matron of the Royal from 1903 to 1924, who left Sheffield in 1916 to nurse the wounded in India and Mesopotamia and was twice decorated with the Royal Red Cross. The book gives the first full account of her life.
Book details
- Title: The Sheffield Royal Hospital: A History of a City's Quest for Healthcare
- Author: Glynn May
- Publisher: 1889 Books
- Publication date: 11 November 2026
- ISBN: 978-1-915045-61-4
- Pages: 146, illustrated
- Subjects: Sheffield Royal Hospital; hospitals in Sheffield; history of medicine in Sheffield
Where to buy
Any bookshop can order a copy. Just quote ISBN 978-1-915045-61-4.