Medical dates:

Medical character:

The St Pancras Union Infirmary opened in 1869 on the St Pancras side of Dartmouth Park Hill with 545 beds.  Florence Nightingale had advised the architects on the design of the building (she later commented that the Infirmary was the "finest metropolitan hospital").

Shortly after its opening the Infirmary was sold to the Central London Sick Asylum District (who later built an asylum at Colindale).  The Infirmary was sometimes referred to as the Central London Sick Asylum.

In 1893 it reverted back to the ownership of the St Pancreas Union and became its North Infirmary.

Edith Cavell worked here as Night Sister in 1901, when she was in charge of 500 beds.  During her three year stay, she was the only trained nurse on duty.  She became famous during WW1, when she shot by the Germans in Brussels for helping British servicemen to escape.

In 1930 the LCC took over control of the Infirmary, renaming it Highgate Hospital.  By 1945 the Hospital had been grouped with its near neighbours, the Archway Hospital and St Mary's Hospital to form the Whittington Hospital.  

In 1948 the Whittington Hospital joined the NHS and the Highgate Hospital became its Highgate Wing. 

Present status (March 2008)

The Highgate Wing was chosen to be the site for the consolidation of mental health services for the Camden and Islington Community NHS Trust.  The site is now the Highgate Mental Health Centre.  Many of the original buildings remain.