Friday Photo: The Old Queen Elizabeth & Medical School

Today’s Friday photo is a view to the rear of the old Queen Elizabeth hospital and medical school, with its wonderfully Art Deco style clock tower. Due to the growing population and development of new technologies during the early 20th century, expansion and relocation schemes were formulated for the existing hospitals in Birmingham city centre. In 1925 the General Hospital and Queen’s Hospital in the city centre were amalgamated and it was proposed that a third major hospital should be built in the Edgbaston suburbs. Alderman W. A. Cadbury bought the land and presented it to the City under a deed, and the appeal launched to build the new hospital raised more than £600,000 in total.

The new 600-bed Hospital Centre building was designed by architects firm Lanchester and Lodge. Completed in 1938 the medical school building and hospital opened simultaneously, whereupon the Queen (the late Queen Mother) offered her name to the institution.