From Lost Hospitals of London: https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/newhammaternity.html The origins of this Hospital lie in the Forest Gate Industrial School, which was built in 1854 on a 12 acre site once owned by Samuel Gurney (1785-1956), a well known Quaker philanthropist. In 1890 a tragic fire resulted in the deaths of 26 boys, who suffocated because they were locked in their dormitories. (This disaster led to institutions developing 'scattered homes' rather than barrack-style schools.) Poplar Union continued to use the building as a training school until 1906. It then closed temporarily, opening again in 1908 as a branch of the Poplar Union workhouse. In 1911 the building was bought by West Ham Union workhouse. It re-opened in 1913 as the Forest Gate Sick Home, with 500 beds. There were 21 beds for mentally handicapped adults and 25 for mentally handicapped children, including epileptics. In 1930 the West Ham Borough Council took over its administration. The main buildings became the Forest Gate Hospital, with 500 beds for mental patients and the chronic sick, and 64 beds in the maternity unit. A temporary building with 200 beds for the chronic sick was added in 1931. By 1937 the Hospital had 723 patients. During WW2 the Hospital suffered damage in 1940 from two direct hits, one a high explosive bomb. Much of the accommodation for non-maternity patients was destroyed, and the patients were evacuated to the South Ockendon Colony (a mental hospital in Essex which had opened in 1932). The number of beds was reduced to 201. After the war, accommodation for 128 patients re-opened in 1945, and the building of a new maternity unit commenced in 1947. In 1948 the Hospital joined the NHS, when it had 207 beds. Further maternity wards were built in 1950. In 1974 it was renamed the Newham Maternity Hospital, by which time bed numbers had reduced to 116. By 1983 there were 106 beds. The Hospital closed in 1985 when the newly built Newham General Hospital opened.n
From Lost Hospitals of London: https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/barking.html In the early 1890s Barking Urban District Council built an infectious diseases hospital on Upney Lane, to the west of Rookery Hall. The Upney Isolation Hospital opened in 1893, dealing with those suffering from scarlet fever, diphtheria and other infectious diseases (but not smallpox). In July and August 1896 some 13 patients were admitted to the Hospital following an outbreak of typhoid fever which affected 23 people in the region. In the early part of the 20th century the Council acquired more land nearby and the Hospital was extended, with the addition of a new ward block at the southwest part of the site. By the mid 1930s Barking Corporation had acquired the rest of the land bordering Upney Lane to Upney station, and a new isolation hospital was built on Upney Meadow to the south of the original building, parallel to the railway line. In 1936, a maternity pavilion was built on the site of the original isolation hospital in response to the need for more maternity beds (the nearby Becontree Estate had a birthrate which was double the national average). The Hospital now comprised two parts on the 18 acre site - at the southern part was the Upney (Isolation) Hospital with 108 beds and, at the northern, the Upney (Maternity) Hospital with 22 beds. In 1938 an ENT Department was established, dealing mainly with the removal of tonsils and adenoids. During WW2 the Upney (Maternity) Hospital became a principal casualty hospital for the Emergency Medical Service. It had 24 beds. Both Hospitals joined the NHS in 1948 as a maternity hospital under the name of Barking Hospital, under the control of the Ilford and Barking Group Hospital Management Committee, part of the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. The Hospital had 108 beds, which had been reduced to 74 by 1951. By 1954 the Hospital had 76 beds - 54 for maternity patients and 22 for chronically sick elderly females - in the former isolation section at the south, whilst the northern building became the Out-Patients Department, also housing the Borough Chest Clinic and Physiotherapy Department. At the end of the 1950s, because of the shortage of beds, the Hospital Management Committee decided it should become a general hospital for the group. The site was to be redeveloped, as the scattered bungalow buildings used for fever patients were no longer suitable as ward accommodation. The work was to commence in 1963 and be completed by 1967. In the meantime upgrading works were carried out on the existing facilities. In January 1958 the lighting on the labour ward was improved with the installation of mobile operating lamps. The operating theatre was modernised and re-equipped for £5,000. The 4-bedded wards in both maternity units were cubicled and curtained. Glass partitioning for weather protection was erected on the verandah of Sydenham Ward (the antenatal and gynaecological ward), which had the only verandah that had remained open to all the elements. All the woollen blankets on the wards were replaced by cellular cotton blankets (which were boilable). In 1958 work began to convert Ross Ward into an up-to-date surgical ward with 16 beds, at a cost of £9,000. Je er Ward, the medical ward, was to be modernised and become a geriatric ward. The mortuary remained a problem. Post-mortems were carried out in the same room where corpses rested; relatives were only allowed to see the deceased through a window, as the body lay on a slab beside the post-mortem table. nIn May 1959 the renewed Ross Ward opened - the Hospital's first modern ward - for surgical and gynaecological patients. The Hospital then had 98 beds, used variously for maternity, surgical, gynaecological and chronic cases. In addition, there were 4 cots for premature babies. Although some 90% of nurses were non-resident, it was recognised that there was a need for a Recreation Hall; the Hospital's League of Friends raised some £25,000 towards the cost of this project. The Hall was built at the far southeastern part of the site. The Out-Patients building - the Upney Clinic - now also accommodated an orthopaedic clinic. By 1960 the Hospital admitted mainly female patients. Plans were prepared for the expansion of the Hospital from its current 102 beds to 250 general beds by the erection of a 4-storey block at a cost of £1m. In the meantime, improvements to the existing wards continued. Stainless steel sinks were provided on all wards and in the main kitchen. The verandah to Je er Ward, now the female geriatric ward, was made into a pleasant sitting room and fitted with Venetian blinds. During the 1950s a severe shortage of nursing staff, especially midwives, meant that some beds had had to be closed but, in June 1960, deliveries resumed in Harvey Ward, relieving the pressure on Williams Ward, the main maternity ward. A Special Baby Care Unit for premature babies opened in Williams Ward (babies were also accepted from other hospitals). The need for a Leg Unit had been recognised, and this opened in April 1961 in Paget Ward. The 15-bedded unit had cost £5,500. Patients were seen in the Out-Patients Department at King George Hospital, Ilford, and operated on at Barking Hospital. A special X-ray service was supplied by Chadwell Heath Hospital. In 1965 the Hospital had 110 beds for mainly female patients. The new £1m building, built just to the north of the existing ward buildings, was officially opened by Princess Alexandra in April 1967. In 1970 the Hospital had 286 beds for mainly acute and maternity cases. Following a major reorganisation of the NHS in 1974, the Hospital came under the control of the East Roding District Health Authority, part of the North East Thames Regional Health Authority. The Hospital was rebuilt during the 1980s and, in 1987, a new maternity wing was opened, built on the site of the old Out-Patients building. The Hospital then had 314 beds for mainly acute and maternity patients. In 1990 the Hospital was under the control of Redbridge District Health Authority and had 362 beds for acute and maternity cases. In 1993 it came under the Redbridge Health Care Trust, when it had 254 beds for acute care and rehabilitation. By 1995 it had 96 beds for acute care and geriatric patients. In 1999, most of the site was sold off to Wilcon Homes for housing development, and a small part to Hanover Housing for apartments with associated care facilities for elderly people. In 2000 the Hospital had 96 beds, but only three of its four wards were operational as services began to be run down. In 2003 it came under the control of the Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust; there were notionally 105 beds. In 2007 medical and surgical in-patient services moved to King George Hospital in Barley Lane, while mental health in-patients were transferred to Grays Court, an intermediate care centre in Dagenham.n
From Lost Hospitals of London: https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/oldchurch.html Oldchurch Hospital originated from the Romford Union workhouse, which had been built during 1838 and 1839 to the southwest of Romford. The 5-acre site on Oldchurch Road was purchased by the Union from a Mr Philpot at £160 an acre. The 2-storey workhouse building was cruciform, a popular design with the dormitory blocks laid out in a cross-shape. It could house 450 inmates. The administration block was at the south of the site, while the main accommodation blocks radiated from a central hub. Observation windows in the hub enabled the workhouse master to observe the inmates in each of the four exercise yards. The dormitories and Day Rooms for the female inmates were on the eastern side in the northeast and southeast arms of the cross, while the males occupied the western side in the northwest and southwest arms. The kitchens and dining rooms were located at the north of the building. In 1893 the workhouse was renamed the Romford Poor Law Institution. An infirmary block was added at the north of the site. During WW1 the infirmary of the Institution became the Romford Military Hospital, an auxiliary hospital for the Colchester Military Hospital, with 82 beds for wounded and sick servicemen. In 1924 further additions were built at the north and east of the site. In 1929, following the abolition of the Poor Law Guardians, the workhouse and its infirmary came under the administration of Essex County Council, who converted the buildings into the Oldchurch County Hospital. The Hospital, which incorporated the old workhouse buildings, was much expanded during the 1930s to have over 800 beds. Hainault Lodge became an a exe to provide accommodation for elderly chronically ill female patients. During WW2 it joined the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) with 868 beds, of which 96 were EMS beds for air-raid casualties. In 1948 the Hospital joined the NHS under the control of the Romford Group Hospital Management Committee, part of the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. In 1950 it had 750 beds for general and maternity cases but, by 1952, some 718 beds. It remained an acute hospital and, by 1962, it had 651 beds for acute and maternity patients. In 1974, following a major reorganisation of the NHS, the Hospital came under the control of the Havering District Health Authority, part of the Barking and Havering Area Health Authority of the North East Thames Regional Health Authority. Its maternity services had closed and it had 629 beds for acute cases. In 1980 it had 600 beds. In 1982, after another NHS reorganisation, it came under the control of the Barking, Havering and Brentwood District Health Authority. By 1986 it had 530 beds. In 1993, following another NHS reform, the Hospital was under the control of the Havering Hospitals NHS Trust. In 2000 it had 473 beds. Despite local opposition, the old cruciform workhouse building was demolished so that a temporary single-storey building could be erected in its place. In 2003 the Hospital was administered by the Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust. By 2005 there were 565 beds. The Hospital closed in 2006, with the last patient being seen on 15th December. Services were transferred to the nearby newly built Queen's Hospital and to the King George Hospital in Chadwell Heath.
From Lost Hospitals of London: https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/connaught.html In the late 19th century Walthamstow residents Mr and Mrs Tudor opened a 'Cottage for Sick Children' in a private house in Brandon Road. The Hospital moved to larger premises in Salisbury Road in 1880 and became known as the Leyton, Walthamstow and Wanstead Hospital. In 1894 the gift of Holmcroft in Orford Road enabled the hospital to expand so that it could also provide general services, and it was duly renamed the Children's and General Hospital for Leyton, Leytonstone, Walthamstow and Wanstead. It was enlarged in 1897 and again in 1903. By 1925 it had 50 beds. The Leyton and Leytonstone War Memorial Ward was added in 1927. In 1928 it was renamed the Co aught Hospital, as the Duchess of Co aught had been patron since 1866. The Duke of Kent had helped to raise £17,000 for its ru ing costs. By this time it had 100 beds. Comely Bank in Orford Road was acquired as a clinic in 1930. In 1934 the Hospital was enlarged again and by 1939 had 118 beds. Although mooted in 1945, the prospect of building a larger hospital never materialized and, in 1959, the old Walthamstow Town Hall, built in 1866, was incorporated into the Hospital and became its main entrance. This expanded it to 128 beds. In 1948 the Hospital joined the NHS under the control of the Forest Group Hospital Management Committee, part of the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. In 1974, following a major reorganisation of the NHS, it came under the auspices of the Enfield District Health Authority, part of the North East Thames Regional Health Board. The Hospital finally closed in 1977 due to financial cutbacks in the NHS.
King George Hospital, Ilford, Essex, started in 1912 as the Ilford Emergency Hospital to serve the Ilford, Barking and Dagenham areas with 20 beds. During WW1 it became an approved military hospital with 56 beds.
Claybury Hospital opened in 1893 as the London County Lunatic Asylum, Ilford. At the end of the 20th Century with the Care in the Community Programme and decline in patient numbers from its peak of 4,000 patients, Claybury closed in 1997 and the historic buildings converted into luxury flats.
From Lost Hospitals of London: https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/rushgreen.html The Romford Isolation Hospital opened in April 1901 with 24 beds. It had been built by the Romford Rural and Romford Urban District Councils and served the Romford, Dagenham and Hornchurch areas. It was enlarged in 1906, after which it had 70 beds. A new pavilion ward block with 8 beds for TB patients was built in 1914. After the Becontree Estate was built by the LCC during the 1920s the Hospital was much enlarged in the 1930s to cater for the greatly increased population. During WW2 it joined the Emergency Medical Service and became the Rush Green Emergency Hospital - a general hospital with 230 beds available for military and air-raid casualties. The Hospital buildings themselves suffered some bomb damage and, on 16th June 1944, a flying bomb destroyed a ward. Six patients and two nurses were killed. After the war, in June 1947, a plaque commemorating the staff and patients who lost their lives in the incident was unveiled by the Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevan. In 1948 the Hospital joined the NHS under the control of the Romford Group Hospital Management Committee, part of the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. It was renamed Rush Green Hospital and became a general hospital with 180 beds. The old open wards were considered unsuitable for fever patients, but one remained open, under protest, for scarlet fever patients, while two became used for TB patients, and one was closed due to insufficient staff (but probably would have been used for TB patients if there had been enough nurses). In 1957 the Hospital had 301 beds. A Polio Unit was established as there had been an epidemic of the disease during the 1950s. By 1966 there were 316 beds for general and infectious diseases patients, including the Polio Unit. In May 1969 a new 5-story maternity unit with 115 beds was officially opened by the Duchess of Kent. It had cost £829,000 to build and equip. In 1972 there were 409 beds. The maternity block contained 78 obstetric and 55 gynaecological beds. A Special Care Baby Unit for premature babies had also been established.
Following a major reorganisation of the NHS in 1974, the Hospital came under the control of the Barking District Health Authority, part of the North East Thames Regional Health Authority. In 1982, after another reorganisation of the NHS, the Hospital was administered by the Barking, Havering and Brentwood District Health Authority. It had 397 beds. By 1990 it had 345 beds. Maternity services were moved to Harold Wood Hospital and, in 1994, the local Health Authority decided to close the Hospital, despite local opposition.
The first meeting of the Governing Body was held on 23 October 1891 at the offices of the London School Board. It was originally made up of 12 members:
5 members nominated by the Committee of the South London Polytechnic Institutes;
3 members nominated by the Central Governing Body of the City Parochial Foundation;
2 members nominated by the London County Council;
2 members nominated by the School Board of London.
The Chair of the first meeting was Sir Philip Magnus. The Chair was shared between Sir Philip Magnus, Evan Spicer and Edric Bayley until Edric Bayley was chosen as the permanent Chair at the meeting of 18 February 1892.
At its meeting of 31 March 1892 the Governing Body appointed three committees of seven members each. A Finance Committee, Educational Committee and Recreational Committee. The Educational and Recreation Committee sat together as the General Purposes Committee. The General Purposes Committee advised on the classes to be provided and the teaching staff.
With the formation of the Polytechnic of the South Bank a Council of Governors was created, whose first meeting was held on 24 September 1970, with Harold Shearman as Chairman. The last meeting of the Governing Body of the Borough Polytechnic was held on 12 November 1970.
This became the Board of Governors in 1989.
In 1970 the Borough Polytechnic Institute merged with the Brixton School of Building, City of Westminster College and National College for Heating, Ventilating, Refrigeration and Fan Engineering to form the Polytechnic of the South Bank. The Designation Ceremony took place at the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank on 22nd November 1971. Margaret Thatcher, the Education Secretary at the time was the special guest.
As a result of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 thirty-five polytechnics were permitted to become universities. South Bank Polytechnic was one such institution and as a result was redesignated South Bank University.
The Council of the Polytechnic agreed to establish the awarding of Honorary Fellowships in 1976. The Polytechnic then began creating honorary graduates in 1989 and once it became a University in 1992 it started awarding honorary degrees. Candidates are required to demonstrate a notable contribution to either the University, education and academia in general or the local community.
The Joint Committee on Honorary Fellowships was established in 1980 comprising four members: two nominated from the Polytechnic of the South Bank Council and two from the Academic Board. The terms of reference were to consider nominations and submit names for the award of Honorary Fellow. Honorary Degrees were award after the Polytechnic was granted university status, but recipients were decided by a committee of the Academic Board.
In March 2002 the Joint Committee's terms of reference amended to create a single committee responsible for both the Honorary Fellowships and Degrees. This was named the Honorary Awards Joint Committee.
The Board of Directors is more commonly known as the Board of Governors. For a time they were known as the Board of Directors when organising and holding the Annual General Meetings but those present still attended as members of the Board of Governors, rather than as Directors.
The Charitable Funds Committee was a committee of the Board of Governors which exercised custodianship over originally the Polytechnic and then the University's charitable funds and ensured that these were allocated appropriately. The final meeting was held in December 2012.
The Policy and Resources Committee was established in 1989 and contained the Finance and General Purposes Committee (LSBU/2/1/1). In 2001 the Finance Committee became a separate committee. In 2003 it was subsumed back into the Policy and Resources Committee.
The Policy and Resources Committee was a committee of the Board of Governors and advises the Board on the University's policies, its solvency and the use and safeguarding of its resources and assets. It also ensured that the University operated within the law and implemented matters delegated to it by the Board.
On 14 May 2015 the Board closed the committee as part of the governance effectiveness review.
The Policy Committee was established in 1981 as a sub-committee of the Council with the following terms of reference:
-To review the Polytechnic's activities;
-To determine strategic policy for the development of the Polytechnic;
-To work in co-operation with the Strategic Planning Committee of the Academic Board;
-To review general provision for student support services.
The Committee for Student Affairs acted as an advisory forum at which representatives of the Student Union could raise matters of concern to senior management. It had the right to make recommendations to the Executive Board, Board of Governors and the Academic Board. The Committee was originally called the Joint Committee for Student Affairs, but was renamed the Committee for Student Affairs in September 1992 after revising its membership and terms of reference. The Committee was disbanded and the final meeting held in June 2011.
The Audit Committee oversees the University's audit activities including auditing the financial statements, appointing the internal and external auditors and advising the Board of Governors on the effectiveness of the internal control system. It is a committee of the Board of Governors.
The terms of reference for the Library Committee in 1968 were "to formulate general Library policy" and to ensure that the Librarian sought the advice from the Departments for the selection of books suitable for the courses run by the Polytechnic.