St Michael's Hospital
19 Chase Side Crescent, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 6JB
Medical dates:
Medical character:
Geriatric, long-stay, GP
In 1948 Enfield House, the former Enfield workhouse, joined the NHS as St Michael's Hospital for elderly female patients.
The buildings had a long history. The workhouse had been built in 1827, with the entrance of the 3-storey main building facing west. The site also contained a chapel and a mortuary. Control of the workhouse was taken over in 1836 by the Edmonton Board of Guardians. The building became a school for orphans. It was extended in 1839, when it could house 150 children.
Outbreaks of infectious diseases - smallpox, scarlet fever, ophthalmia, measles, tuberculosis - were common among the children and the Board decided to build an infirmary to isolate infectious cases. Thus, an infirmary block with 40 beds was added in 1844.
By 1881 the school had become overcrowded and the Board debated whether to enlarge the premises again, but decided instead to build a new school on a new site at Chase Farm (this later became Chase Farm Hospital). The new school opened in 1886 and the children were transferred there. The old school became the Edmonton Union Infirmary.
When the new Edmonton Union Infirmary opened in Silver Street in 1910, the buildings were renamed Enfield House and were used to accommodate the elderly and infirm.
In 1930 the Boards of Guardians were abolished and control of the institution passed to the Middlesex County Council. The buildings then became Enfield House Public Assistance Institution, with 250 beds (100 for the chronic sick, 100 for able-bodied adults and 50 for mentally handicapped boys). In 1939 more accommodation blocks were added to provide an extra 200 beds.
During WW2 it became part of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS), under the control of the London Hospital, with 464 beds.
In 1948 the institution joined the NHS under the control of the Enfield Group Hospital Management Committee, part of the North East Thames Regional Health Board. It was renamed St Michael's Hospital and became a geriatric hospital.
By 1971 it had 310 beds, mainly for elderly women.
Following a major reorganisation of the NHS in 1974, the Hospital came under the administration of the Enfield District Health Authority, part of the North East Thames Regional Health Authority. In 1976 it had 273 beds.
By 1982 it had 183 beds and, by 1990, 151 beds for geriatric patients and 12 for G.P. patients.
The Hospital closed in 1995.
Present status (April 2008)
The Hospital was demolished in 1995 after a fire destroyed the roof and the top floor.
The site now contains St Michael's Primary Care Centre and several apartment blocks.
The buildings had a long history. The workhouse had been built in 1827, with the entrance of the 3-storey main building facing west. The site also contained a chapel and a mortuary. Control of the workhouse was taken over in 1836 by the Edmonton Board of Guardians. The building became a school for orphans. It was extended in 1839, when it could house 150 children.
Outbreaks of infectious diseases - smallpox, scarlet fever, ophthalmia, measles, tuberculosis - were common among the children and the Board decided to build an infirmary to isolate infectious cases. Thus, an infirmary block with 40 beds was added in 1844.
By 1881 the school had become overcrowded and the Board debated whether to enlarge the premises again, but decided instead to build a new school on a new site at Chase Farm (this later became Chase Farm Hospital). The new school opened in 1886 and the children were transferred there. The old school became the Edmonton Union Infirmary.
When the new Edmonton Union Infirmary opened in Silver Street in 1910, the buildings were renamed Enfield House and were used to accommodate the elderly and infirm.
In 1930 the Boards of Guardians were abolished and control of the institution passed to the Middlesex County Council. The buildings then became Enfield House Public Assistance Institution, with 250 beds (100 for the chronic sick, 100 for able-bodied adults and 50 for mentally handicapped boys). In 1939 more accommodation blocks were added to provide an extra 200 beds.
During WW2 it became part of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS), under the control of the London Hospital, with 464 beds.
In 1948 the institution joined the NHS under the control of the Enfield Group Hospital Management Committee, part of the North East Thames Regional Health Board. It was renamed St Michael's Hospital and became a geriatric hospital.
By 1971 it had 310 beds, mainly for elderly women.
Following a major reorganisation of the NHS in 1974, the Hospital came under the administration of the Enfield District Health Authority, part of the North East Thames Regional Health Authority. In 1976 it had 273 beds.
By 1982 it had 183 beds and, by 1990, 151 beds for geriatric patients and 12 for G.P. patients.
The Hospital closed in 1995.
Present status (April 2008)
The Hospital was demolished in 1995 after a fire destroyed the roof and the top floor.
The site now contains St Michael's Primary Care Centre and several apartment blocks.
St Michael's Primary Care Centre (above and below).
New housing in Gater Drive on the northern part of the site (left) and John Keats Lodge in Chase Side Cresent on the south (right).
New housing as seen from the south.
The former Hospital site as seen from across the green in Chase Side Crescent.
London Borough of Enfield. Local History Sheets. Hospitals in Enfield a History: www.enfield.gov.uk
London Borough of Enfield. Local History Sheets. Poor Relief in Enfield a History: www.enfield.gov.uk
www.british-history.ac.uk
www.enfieldsociety.org.uk
www.geograph.org.uk
www.workhouses.org.uk
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