The hospitals of London: administration, refoundation, and benefaction, c.1500-1572
<p>This thesis studies the organisation and government of the hospitals of London in the first three quarters of the sixteenth century. Particular emphasis is laid on the changes in the network of church-affiliated hospitals during the period of the Dissolu- tion of the Monasteries, and the su...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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1993
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| _version_ | 1826309788891348992 |
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| author | Daly, CT |
| author2 | Heal, F |
| author_facet | Heal, F Daly, CT |
| author_sort | Daly, CT |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | <p>This thesis studies the organisation and government of the hospitals of London in the first three quarters of the sixteenth century. Particular emphasis is laid on the changes in the network of church-affiliated hospitals during the period of the Dissolu- tion of the Monasteries, and the subsequent reorganisation of several of these institu- tions in the reign of Edward VI. Mainly through the use of the contemporary records of the hospitals and the City, the different but complementary functions of St. Bartholomew's, St. Thomas's, and Christ's Hospitals are analysed over the span of the first twenty-five years after their reorganisation. The implementation of the Elizabethan Poor Laws in 1572 is adopted as the terminus point for this study.</p>
<p>In 1547, the Crown ceded to the City control over St. Bartholomew's Hospital and Bethlem Hospital. In 1552, the City also successfully negotiated with the royal government for possession of St. Thomas's Hospital, Christ's Hospital, and Bridewell. All of these institutions were administered by the City, and each had distinctive tasks, which included the general tending of the sick (St. Bartholomew's and St. Thomas's), treatment of the mentally disturbed (Bethlem), the care and education of the children of the poor of London (Christ's), and the incarceration and rehabilitation of the idle poor (Bridewell). St. Bartholomew's, St. Thomas's, and Christ's are studied in depth. This thesis attempts to demonstrate the way in which these hospitals fit into the larger efforts of the government of the City to combat poverty, stem the flow of the poor into London, provide wide access to institutional care, and reduce the risks of crime, social friction, and the spread of communicable diseases. The problems of funding these institutions were severe and persistent for much of the sixteenth century; demand for a place within one of the hospitals frequently exceeded capacity. However, the promises the hospitals of London made of helping the poor in ways both pragmatic and com- passionate ensured that they remained institutions of intense interest and growing civic pride to all ranks of residents within the metropolis.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:40:58Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oxford-uuid:6fbbba97-3cb6-4c7e-bfd2-533f38f66cd6 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:40:58Z |
| publishDate | 1993 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:6fbbba97-3cb6-4c7e-bfd2-533f38f66cd62023-04-24T08:34:06ZThe hospitals of London: administration, refoundation, and benefaction, c.1500-1572Thesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:6fbbba97-3cb6-4c7e-bfd2-533f38f66cd6Hospitals -- England -- London -- History -- 16th centuryEnglishHyrax Deposit1993Daly, CTHeal, F<p>This thesis studies the organisation and government of the hospitals of London in the first three quarters of the sixteenth century. Particular emphasis is laid on the changes in the network of church-affiliated hospitals during the period of the Dissolu- tion of the Monasteries, and the subsequent reorganisation of several of these institu- tions in the reign of Edward VI. Mainly through the use of the contemporary records of the hospitals and the City, the different but complementary functions of St. Bartholomew's, St. Thomas's, and Christ's Hospitals are analysed over the span of the first twenty-five years after their reorganisation. The implementation of the Elizabethan Poor Laws in 1572 is adopted as the terminus point for this study.</p> <p>In 1547, the Crown ceded to the City control over St. Bartholomew's Hospital and Bethlem Hospital. In 1552, the City also successfully negotiated with the royal government for possession of St. Thomas's Hospital, Christ's Hospital, and Bridewell. All of these institutions were administered by the City, and each had distinctive tasks, which included the general tending of the sick (St. Bartholomew's and St. Thomas's), treatment of the mentally disturbed (Bethlem), the care and education of the children of the poor of London (Christ's), and the incarceration and rehabilitation of the idle poor (Bridewell). St. Bartholomew's, St. Thomas's, and Christ's are studied in depth. This thesis attempts to demonstrate the way in which these hospitals fit into the larger efforts of the government of the City to combat poverty, stem the flow of the poor into London, provide wide access to institutional care, and reduce the risks of crime, social friction, and the spread of communicable diseases. The problems of funding these institutions were severe and persistent for much of the sixteenth century; demand for a place within one of the hospitals frequently exceeded capacity. However, the promises the hospitals of London made of helping the poor in ways both pragmatic and com- passionate ensured that they remained institutions of intense interest and growing civic pride to all ranks of residents within the metropolis.</p> |
| spellingShingle | Hospitals -- England -- London -- History -- 16th century Daly, CT The hospitals of London: administration, refoundation, and benefaction, c.1500-1572 |
| title | The hospitals of London: administration, refoundation, and benefaction, c.1500-1572 |
| title_full | The hospitals of London: administration, refoundation, and benefaction, c.1500-1572 |
| title_fullStr | The hospitals of London: administration, refoundation, and benefaction, c.1500-1572 |
| title_full_unstemmed | The hospitals of London: administration, refoundation, and benefaction, c.1500-1572 |
| title_short | The hospitals of London: administration, refoundation, and benefaction, c.1500-1572 |
| title_sort | hospitals of london administration refoundation and benefaction c 1500 1572 |
| topic | Hospitals -- England -- London -- History -- 16th century |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dalyct thehospitalsoflondonadministrationrefoundationandbenefactionc15001572 AT dalyct hospitalsoflondonadministrationrefoundationandbenefactionc15001572 |