Hospitals and Health Authorities

The first hospitals outside London, in the modern sense of the word, were established in the 18th century. Voluntary hospitals were normally managed by an independent body of governors, while publicly funded hospitals (opened from the mid 19th century onwards) were under the control of committees of poor law guardians, justices of the peace or local councillors. On the establishment of the National Health Service in 1948, almost all hospitals, whether publicly funded or voluntary, whether acute, mental, isolation or any other specialism, were brought together and organised into a two tier structure of regional authorities and lower level committees which controlled the groups of hospitals on a geographical basis.

Survival of records is patchy and in many cases patient records have not survived or been deposited. A good guide to the whereabouts of hospital records is available on The National Archives' website.

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies hold records for the following hospitals:

Alderley Edge Cottage (Cheshire Archives and Local Studies references NHM 4, LUAd)
Alvaston (NHCS 1, LUN)
Arclid (LGC)
Arclid Smallpox (NHM 7)
Barrowmore Hospital (ZHB)
Chester City Hospital (ZHC)
Chester Royal Infirmary (ZHI)
Congleton War Memorial (NHM 5)
Congleton West Heath (NHM 6)
Countess of Chester Hospital (ZHW)
Cranage Hall (NHC 5)
Crewe Memorial (NHCS 2)
Crewe Linden Grange Maternity (NHCS 4)
Davenham Isolation (NHC 1)
Dutton (NHH 1)
Ellesmere Port Hospital (ZHE)
Macclesfield (West Park) General (NHM 1,2)
Macclesfield Infirmary (NHM 3, NHCS 3)
Macclesfield Parkside (NHM 8)
Manor Hospital, Great Sutton (ZHM)
Mary Dendy (NHM 11)
Nantwich Cottage (NHCS 8)
Nantwich Barony (NHCS 6)
Northwich Victoria Infirmary (NHC 1)
Oakmere Rehabilitation Centre (NHC 4)
Ravensmoor (NHCS 1, LUN)
Tarporley War Memorial (NHCS 7)
Warrington General (NHW 4)
Warrington Infirmary (NHW 1)
Warrington Victoria Park Maternity (NHW 2)
Weaverham The Grange (NHC 3)
Winsford Albert Infirmary (NHC 2)
Winwick (NHW 3)