The hospital had its origins in the Gynaepathic Institute which was founded by Dr William Jones in Manchester Square in January 1847.[2] The institute moved to North Audley Street in March 1847 and became the Free Hospital for Women and Children and Samaritan Institution in February 1848.[2] It moved again, this time to Orchard Street as the Free Hospital for Women and Children in March 1850 and then to Lower Seymour Street with the same name in 1858.[2]
The foundation stone for a purpose-built hospital in Marylebone Road was laid by the Prince of Wales in July 1889.[2] The new facility was designed by W. G. Habershon and J. F. Fawkner[1] and it opened in October 1889.[2] It became the Samaritan Free Hospital for Women in 1904 and, after joining the National Health Service as the Samaritan Hospital for Women in 1948, it closed in 1997.[3] The building is largely disused and, since closure, has fallen into disrepair. In 2017 the owners of the site, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, stated in response to a Freedom of Information request that the building was still in use, to "provide estates and facilities support for the adjoining Western Eye Hospital" [4][5]
