Royal Hospital Sheffield

This remarkable film leaves nothing out as it reveals the inner workings of a major 1930s hospital; from the nurse’s home, to hospital cooking and into the operating theatre.

This is a wonderful chance to see a graphic account of a day in the life of Sheffield Royal Hospital in 1932. Beginning with the departure of nurses from their home at Ranmoor and the arrival of supplies in the morning, the film takes us along a journey detailing all aspects of hospital life, taking in each department and providing a fascinating insight into the medical technology and methods of the time. The standard of care is clearly very high, as are the impressive dinners.

This film was made to mark the centenary of the hospital – starting out as a dispensary in Tudor Place before moving to West Street the following year. The Victorian building in the film originated in 1860, with further extensions in 1895, 1899, 1902 and 1912. The hospital ran as a voluntary hospital with funds raised by the Joint Consultative and Advisory Hospitals Council, establishing a contributory 'penny in the pound' scheme to raise money in 1919. The hospital was demolished soon after patients and staff were transferred to the newly built Hallamshire Hospital in 1978, with only the Mount Zion Chapel on Westfield Terrace, converted to an Outpatients Department in 1927, still standing.