1936: Appeal for Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

A reproduction of an appeal leaflet for The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, “Reprinted from ‘The Scotsman,’ Tuesday August 25, 1936.” The first sentence on the leaflet says, in large, bold letters: “Two Hundred Years Ago.” The rest of text says: “On 25th August 1736 His Majesty King George II granted the Infirmary its Charter. At that time the cost of maintenance was £100 – per annum – today it is £160,000 – per annum. Funds are most urgently needed both for General Maintenance and for the many Extensions at present in progress – the chief of which are: – 1. A New Maternity Block. 2. A New Home for Nurses. 3. Special X-Ray and Radium Apparatus for the treatment of Cancer. Please assist this great National House of Healing by sending a contribution to The Treasurer, who will most gratefully acknowledge it. [Signed] Henry Maw, Secretary and Treasurer.” The words National House of Healing are in bold.
Appeal for Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 1936. Image courtesy of Lothian Health Services Archive, University of Edinburgh (Ref. LHB1/37/4/1-13).

The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh was the first voluntary hospital in Scotland. It was founded as the Edinburgh Infirmary or the Hospital for the Sick Poor in 1729. Following an appeal for funds by the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh, funds were donated for the hospital’s establishment by Edinburgh’s wealthy donors, physicians and surgeons, and church congregations.

The appeal promoted in this image marks the 200th anniversary of the hospital being granted a Royal Charter. It highlights the substantial increase in running costs of the hospital since its inception, and appeals to the reader to donate.

This image was printed in the Scottish newspaper, ‘The Scotsman’. At the time, it was common for hospital fundraising appeals to be included in local newspapers and – for particularly large or prominent hospitals – national newspapers.