Jessop Hospital

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The Jessop Hospital for Women was a hospital in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.

Video Jessop Hospital

History

The Jessop Hospital for Women was opened in 1878 with funds from Thomas Jessop, a wealthy steelworks-owner. The architect was John Dodsley Webster. It was built to replace the old Sheffield Hospital for Women at Figtree Lane, which had only nine beds. The building cost £26,000 - a lot of money at the time - all paid for by Jessop. Initially it had fifty-seven beds, and was built in the classic Gothic Revival style. An Edwardian wing was built later, the hospital now accommodating 151 beds. Between 1927 and 1972 the hospital had a 45 bed annexe at Norton Hall known as the Firth Auxiliary Hospital. A further wing was added in the 1970s, increasing this number to the 217 present at closure in 2001.

The main maternity hospital in Sheffield is now the Jessop Wing of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

In 2007 the majority of the 1970s wing was demolished by the University of Sheffield as part of their Jessop West development. The Victorian Wing of the original hospital was converted to house the Department of Music, who occupied it in 2009.

Despite being a Grade II listed building, demolition of the Edwardian wing started on 30 July 2013. Demolition was pursued in favour of renovation as it provides the University of Sheffield with a greater floor area for new development at a lower cost.

Maps Jessop Hospital

Diane Blood

The hospital was in the news in 1998 when Diane Blood gave birth to a baby boy, having been inseminated using her husband's sperm, which had been taken from his body while he was unconscious on life support, shortly before his death. A prolonged legal case gave her the right to do this, despite not having the written consent of her husband.