Emily Jackson Hospital

The Emily Jackson Hospital, built in 1901, was designed by T.G. Jackson (later Sir Thomas Jackson) for his sister Emily, who dedicated her life to caring for children with tuberculosis. The hospital was purpose-built to cater to their needs and is characterized by an unusual Edwardian “butterfly” plan. Later additions and extensions, primarily dating to the 1930s and late 20th century, have altered the original design.

The original building consists of a two-storey and attic central administration block, likely housing nurses’ quarters, flanked by single-storey ward blocks. The central block is constructed with cement rendering and red brick dressings, covered by a steeply pitched slate roof. It features five dormers, the central and end ones being pedimented, with the intermediate one featuring curved pediments. All dormers have pivoting sash windows. The other windows are 12-pane sashes with horns. A brick stringcourse runs along the building. The central doorway is framed by a moulded shell fanlight and brackets, incorporating a late 20th-century sidelight and double door. Additional features include a bracketed cornice and brick plinth. A dedication stone, laid by Viscountess Templetown on June 20th, 1901, is located to the right of the porch. The building has two-storey splayed corner blocks, with a triple window on the first floor and a cambered sash window on the ground floor. Attached ward blocks have shaped gables topped with ball finials and louvred oculi. These ward blocks feature five large cambered sashes with horns; the lower half of these windows could be opened to provide fresh air for tuberculosis patients. Originally, verandahs extended from the ends of the building to allow for beds to be wheeled into the open air. Later alterations include a late 20th-century lean-to on the right wing, a 1930s single-storey wing behind it, and a late 20th and 21st-century lean-to on the left wing, along with 20th-century canteen extensions to the rear.

The rear elevation, due to the sloping ground, presents a taller central block with two storeys, an attic, and a basement. A shaped gable with a ball finial marks the central feature. A Venetian window is located on the top floor, and two cambered sashes with keystones are on the first floor, with two further cambered sashes on the ground floor. A deep plinth is present, along with a tall, round-headed, panelled brick chimneystack.

The interior of the central block features a stone and brass plaque dedicated to Emily Jackson, two bolection-moulded fireplaces, five-panelled doors, and attic bedrooms with wooden fireplaces and built-in cupboards alongside the dormers. The hospital was originally named the Children's Hip Hospital.