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Cold Arbour Hospital

The Oxford City isolation hospital was built in about 1884-1885 to accommodate infectious and fever cases previously housed in the fever wards at the Radcliffe Infirmary. The Slade Hospital, opened in 1939, was intended to replace Cold Arbour, but the outbreak of war made this impracticable. Cold Arbour continued in use until 1954, mostly as an additional tuberculosis hospital, supporting the work of the Osler Pavilion. The Osler took the patients who could be given treatment, Cold Arbour caring for those beyond this stage. In 1954 Cold Arbour ceased to be an isolation hospital and passed in to the hands of Oxford and District Hospital Management Committee (dissolved on 1st October 1956). The remaining patients were transferred to Sunnyside. The site was renamed Rivermead.

Records of Cold Arbour Hospital

  • Report book of the Committee of Visitors 1918-1948 Plans 1880s
  • Register of nursing and domestic staff 1933-1952
  • Admission register 1934-1947

There may be information in the records of the United Oxford Hospitals

There are letters and a petition relating to the foundation of a Memorial Hospital at Cold Arbour 1882-1883 at Oxfordshire History Centre

Cold Arbour Hospital is featured in this Tale from the Archives

Pretty awful today, Matron

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Last updated: 29 August, 2018