Liverpool Medical Institution

Once again, at this time of year (September) historical buildings and places, dotted around the City and over on the Wirral, fling open their doors and gates on Heritage open days… to allow the Merseyside public and visitors, to catch a glimpse of these secret historical sights, normally closed to the general public… Today’s historical feast, was to see Ann & I venture down to the city on a bus, and make our way over to the corner of Hope Street, opposite the RC Cathedral of ‘Christ the King’. To take a tour of an early 1800’s city building… The Liverpool Medical Institution.

Entrance Hall

Those entering the building were guided into the Library section to the left, where a superb selection of medical books, were on offer, this was a library, where the medical profession of Liverpool, rather than all buying their own medical books of the day, donated their individual books to the library in the 1830’s, so that members of the medical library could share the books…

The head librarian gives us some background history

It was quite amazing to discover, that doctors of the day, rather than ‘train’ to become doctors, like that which happens today, would simply become ‘apprenticed’ to an established doctor within the city, and would serve his apprenticeship, in the usual manner, as all apprentices of the day… of course I  said the ‘his apprenticeship’ as women would not be welcomed to the medical profession as a whole in this era.

Memorial to John Rutter M.D. (founder of the Institution)
Removed from St.Peter’s / Church St. upon demolition in 1921

After some great explanations and history from the head librarian and the Institutions Finance Officer, on how the Institution was funded, we once again made our way back into the main entrance hall , to see memorials of famous medical personnel of the city including such as John Rutter M.D…. Lord Cohen of Birkenhead… and Doctor Duncan… whose surgery later became a famous public house here in Liverpool… after notably dignitaries, we ventured into the superbly panelled… conference room

The Institutions Conference/Board Room

A lot more history… and an insight into some commonly used medical equipment of the day stored in the glass cabinets on the rear wall of the room, along with some great descriptive handouts.. There was a superb embossed copper fireplace awning at the bottom of the room, this would have been made by the city’s copper-smiths/plumbers of the day, and as a Plumbing Lecturer myself, I of course found this to be one of the best attributes of the room…lol.

Lord Cohen of Birkenhead

An amusing story, was told to us concerning Lord Cohen… many of our readers, will recollect that… as the historian for Everton Cemetery, Lord Cohen is buried in the Long Lane Jewish portion of Everton, and there is an article about him on our website… However, I digress… The story was… After the Death of Lord Cohen, he bequeathed in his will, that his own personal medical library, should find its way to the members library here in the Liverpool Medical Institution… The only problem was, upon closer inspection, most of the books, where already the property of the Institute and stamped as thus… so they found their way home in the end… and he wasn’t likely to pay any late fees… lol.

After the Boardroom, we progressed into the super, quarter-round Victorian Lecture Theatre, which in its day.. medical oddities, and maladies, would be brought in to the theatre, and whose conditions and treatments would be discussed by the ‘profession’ in order to diagnose and offer a remedy for the afflicted…

The Victorian Lecture Theatre

What an absolutely, superb visit Ann & I had… and we look forward to going again, as although they like to indulge large groups of visitors rather than individuals, we will try and tag along a larger group is we can… but what a Fantastic and informative day of historical facts…