Futurian 1989 by Michael Kenny (Addenbrooke’s Hospital)

Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge

Notes on the history of Addenbrooke's Hospital

Information about the history of Addenbrooke’s Hospital can be found here:

http://www.cuh.org.uk/corporate-information/about-us/our-profile/history

Pevsner’s Cambridgeshire p 304-5 (2014) describes it as ‘a vast, confusing, ever-growing complex by the city’s boundary, visible for miles in the flat landscape.’ The only part singled out for praise is the ‘giant, fluted, ever-roaring chimney.’

Sketching Cambridge by Michael Large

1951 03 03
Title: Land acquired for the new Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Summary: The Ministry of Health authorised Addenbrooke’s Hospital to acquire nearly 44 acres between Hills Road and Long Road for a proposed replacement hospital. Financial restrictions postponed other projects, including new operating theatres, delivery wards and a premature-baby unit.
Location: Land between Hills Road and Long Road
People/organisations: Addenbrooke’s Hospital; Ministry of Health
Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Cherryhinton Road Area Scrapbook 1897–1990, reference 51 03 03c.

1958 06 03

Addenbrooke’s Hospital Governors say it is ‘reasonable’ for the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company to buy land opposite the proposed new hospital in Hills Road for a bus stop. But they will provide a stop near the main entrance with parking room for three buses and a shelter for passengers. The Bus Company should consider additional services along the Perne Road – Fendon Road route to save passengers from Newmarket and Mill Road from having to travel by way of the city centre. 58 06 03

Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Hills Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1959 07 28

Work has begun on the new Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Hills Road. The first stage will include a ward block of 100 beds and although the final size has not yet been decided it will be between 600 and 800 beds. “Our responsibilities are to the future and we shall be very much to blame if in 20 years’ time we find ourselves looking for a bigger hospital”, said the Chairman of the Governors’ building committee. It will stand in a landscape planned by a woman architect, Mrs J.M. Hayward, in collaboration with the Director of the University Botanic Garden. 59 07 28

Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Hills Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1964 04 24

‘Cambridge New Architecture’ criticises the Addenbrooke’s Hospital buildings in Hills Road. No doubt these bleak buildings work efficiently but the bungaloid growth of the out-patients building cannot mitigate the overall barrack-room atmosphere, it says. Bradwell’s Court shopping centre is attractively self-effacing and the Snowcat is one of the few well-designed modern pubs. But other Arbury building is weak with prim brick terraces with utility steel or concrete doorways of modish design. It is a squandering of Cambridge’s short-supply of housing land 64 04 24b

Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Hills Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1974 04 26

Plans are being discussed for another hospital to serve the Cambridge area in a bid to ease staff and administration problems at the giant new Addenbrooke’s in Hills Road, Cambridge. The Department of Health have indicated that they think the ultimate 1,700-bed hospital is too big to be managed satisfactorily and too difficult to staff adequately. Officials have been studying surveys with a view to siting the new hospital near where it could best recruit nursing and ancillary staff. Ideally this would be near a big housing estate such as Arbury

Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Hills Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1979 01 16

The heart transplant operation at Papworth Hospital came within a month of the decision to close down its cardiac unit. The Regional Health Authority wants to start work on a new unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital because they say Papworth is inconveniently located and uneconomic in its running costs; a substantial range of improvements would be needed if it was to remain in use. The new cardiac unit at Hills Road would have 90 beds with operating theatres and support facilities. Work could begin in 1985

Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Hills Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1980 02 16

A major row over whether Papworth Hospital’s heart unit should be moved to Cambridge has escalated. Consultants want it to be moved to Hills Road with all its specialist and support facilities but officials from two Area Health Authorities say the site is already overcrowded. There is an upper limit of 950 beds at New Addenbrooke’s and already have to fit in a replacement for Mill Road Hospital and a psychiatric unit. They believe Papworth should be transferred to the new Hinchinbrook Hospital 80 02 16

Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Hills Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.

1986 04 02

Papworth Hospital, Britain’s premier heart transplant centre, is to be replaced by the end of the decade. Health chiefs are considering upgrading the ancient buildings which date back 40 years to TB Isolation days, moving the entire hospital to Hinchingbrooke or rebuilding it on a quite separate site. An earlier suggestion that Papworth could be moved to the Addenbrooke’s Hospital site has been put on one side because of the present congestion on the Hills Road site. Its major function is as a heart and chest disease centre, not a heart transplant unit and many of the heart physicians refuse to take part in the transportation programme 86 04 02

Credit: Mike Petty, Cambridge Hills Road Scrapbook 1897 to 1990.