Westmoreland Lock Hospital

Context

Creator(s): Westmoreland Lock Hospital, Dublin

• Administrative History ↴

  In 1755 George Doyle established a hospital for the treatment of venereal diseases (sexually transmitted diseases) on Rainsfort Street in Dublin. After several changes in location the hospital moved to Townsend Street in 1792 when it was renamed The Westmoreland in honour of the Lord Lieutenant at the time. Originally opening with 270 beds, the number was reduced to less than 200. In 1819 men were no longer admitted to the hospital, receiving treatment at Sir Patrick Dun's or Dr Steevens' Hospital instead. The hospital continued to treat women with sexually transmitted diseases, may of whom were prostitutes, partly a result of the large British garrisons in Dublin in the nineteenth century. In 1946 the hospital was renamed St. Margaret of Cortona, but ten years later the hospital closed as its services were no longer needed and the building had fallen into a state of disrepair.

• Archival History ↴

  The records of the Westmoreland Lock Hospital were donated to the archive on the closure of the hospital. It seems that the majority of twentieth century records were destroyed.

• Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

  Donation