Basic Site Details

Name: Govan Combination Poorhouse and Asylum
Town, district or village: Govan
City or county: Glasgow
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: 420-foot elevation.

Cost of Maternity building £1,250,000.
Cost of Pharmacy building £80,000.
Cost of kitchens/dining room £60,000

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 3Merryflatts Hospital  
Item 2 of 3Merryflatts Poorhouse  
Item 3 of 3Southern General HospitalYesSince 1923

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Poor house  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 11345, Govan RoadYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 1718671872  
Item 2 of 1718 March 1867 Plans datedInitial proposals
Item 3 of 1718 April 1867 Plans approvedPlans approved by Board of Supervision in Edinburgh.
Item 4 of 1725 August 1868 Plans datedRevised plans dated
Item 5 of 1719 November 1868 Plans approvedRevised plans approved
Item 6 of 171883  New hospital block
Item 7 of 1718991901 Additions - including extension to hospital block of McLachan
Item 8 of 171904  Nurses' home
Item 9 of 171926  Nurses' home extended, original asylum extended and Female Defectives Home built
Item 10 of 171930s  Kitchen, laundry and boilerhouse added
Item 11 of 1717 October 1952 * AdditionProposed extension (reference (Builder 17 Oct 1952, 564) is no more specific)
Item 12 of 1717 October 1952 * AdditionAdditions scheme, with reconstruction, for new out-patients department (distinct from other 1952 non-specific addition)
Item 13 of 1712 December 1952 * Alteration/conversionPlans to be prepared for alterations and additions
Item 14 of 1713 March 1953 * AdditionPlans in hand for two-storey extension to maternity block
Item 15 of 1719641967Build/constructionMaternity Unit
Item 16 of 1730 August 1968 AdditionExtension at Govan Road and Moss Road per Building 30/08/1968 p84
Item 17 of 17Before 1981 Redevelopment 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 22James ThomsonArchitect, EngineerA18671872 
Item 2 of 22H McLachan (or probably McLachlan)Architect 1883 New hospital block
Item 3 of 22David BarclayArchitectB18991901Additions - including extension to hospital block of McLachan and Children's Blocks
Item 4 of 22H & D BarclayArchitectural practiceB18991901Additions - including extension to hospital block of McLachan and Children's Blocks
Item 5 of 22John GaltArchitectB18991901Additions - including extension to hospital block of McLachan and Children's Blocks - as assistant to H & D Barclay
Item 6 of 22Gavin LennoxArchitectC1904 Nurses' home and two additional ward blocks - as assistant to Thomson & Sandilands
Item 7 of 22John ThomsonArchitectC1904 Nurses' home and two additional ward blocks
Item 8 of 22Robert Douglas SandilandsArchitectC1904 Nurses' home and two additional ward blocks
Item 9 of 22Thomson & SandilandsArchitectural practiceC1904 Nurses' home and two additional ward blocks
Item 10 of 22James TaylorArchitect After 1919Before 1931Nurses' home, alterations to houses, new office and dayrooms
Item 11 of 22(Dr) Colin SinclairArchitectD1926 Nurses' home extended, original asylum extended and Female Defectives Home built
Item 12 of 22H & D BarclayArchitectural practiceD1926 Nurses' home extended, original asylum extended and Female Defectives Home built
Item 13 of 22Thomas Peter Miller SomersArchitect 1930s Kitchen, laundry and boilerhouse added
Item 14 of 22Keppie Henderson & J L GleaveArchitectural practice 17 October 1952 * Additions
Item 15 of 22Keppie Henderson & J L GleaveArchitectural practice 12 December 1952 * Alterations and additions
Item 16 of 22Forbes MurisonArchitect 13 March 1953 * Two-storey extension to maternity block
Item 17 of 22Alexander SmellieArchitectE19641967Maternity Unit, new kitchen and staff dining rooms, new pharmacy building, rehabilitation centre and staff residential accommodation.
Item 18 of 22Geoffrey George WimpennyArchitectE19641967Maternity Unit, new kitchen and staff dining rooms, new pharmacy building, rehabilitation centre and staff residential accommodation. As one of two/three partners in charge.
Item 19 of 22Keppie Henderson & PartnersArchitectural practiceE19641967Maternity Unit, new kitchen and staff dining rooms, new pharmacy building, rehabilitation centre and staff residential accommodation.
Item 20 of 22Richard Rudolphe Chitham De'AthArchitectE19641967Maternity Unit, new kitchen and staff dining rooms, new pharmacy building, rehabilitation centre and staff residential accommodation. As one of two/three partners in charge.
Item 21 of 22Thomas Russell ScottArchitectE19641967Maternity Unit, new kitchen and staff dining rooms, new pharmacy building, rehabilitation centre and staff residential accommodation. Also partner in charge according to his RIBA Nomination paper.
Item 22 of 22James Campbell HutchisonArchitectGBefore 1981 Upgradings

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 3Govan Parish Council 
Item 2 of 3Greater Glasgow Health BoardClient for late 1970s/1980s work
Item 3 of 3Western Region Hospital Board1952, restoration and additions

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Child Structures

This structure or site has the following component or child structures (click on an item to view details):
 Building NameNotes
Item 1 of 4Southern General Hospital, Accident and Orthopaedic block£100,000 (total estimated cost - equipment costs not known), £2,000 (probable expenditure to March 31, 1961), £50,000 (estimated expenditure in 1961-62)
Item 2 of 4Southern General Hospital, Institute of Neurological Sciences£1,527,000
Item 3 of 4Southern General Hospital, neuro-surgery, X-Ray Department, and ECG DepartmentCost of X-ray department £90,000
Item 4 of 4Southern General Hospital, Walton Conference 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A1996A History of Scottish Architecture  p575
Item 2 of 5RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 3 of 5RIBA1981Directory of Practices 1981   
Item 4 of 5Richardson, HarrietN.D.Scottish Hospitals Survey Unpublished typescript (copy in DMW Archive)Listed as Southern General Hospital
Item 5 of 5Williamson, Riches, Higgs1990Glasgow (The Buildings of Scotland)  p594

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 11Architect15 November 1901   
Item 2 of 11Builder6 July 1869XXVII  
Item 3 of 11Builder24 June 1899LXXVI  
Item 4 of 11Builder15 November 1901  p677
Item 5 of 11Builder17 October 1952  p564
Item 6 of 11Builder12 December 1952  p892
Item 7 of 11Builder13 March 1953  p435
Item 8 of 11Builder20 March 1953  p472
Item 9 of 11Building30 August 1968  p84
Item 10 of 11Building News12 July 1867  p471
Item 11 of 11Building News30 December 1870  p490

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 5Greater Glasgow Health Board ArchivesGreater Glasgow Health Board Archives Plans from Common Services Agency.

Reference for plans: HB17/5/5-11 for initial proposal and HB17/5/12-22.

Plans of 1867 and 1868 give James Thomson, 61 West Nile Street, Glasgow and therefore NOT James Thomson of Baird & Thomson.
Item 2 of 5Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register33307Hospital block
Item 3 of 5Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register33306Administration block
Item 4 of 5National Archives of Scotland (formerly SRO)Register House Plans RHP 30861/1-2
Item 5 of 5RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers John Galt: L v3 no199 (microfilm reel 30); Robert Douglas Sandilands: F v17 p51 no1122 (microfilm reel 12); John Thomson: F v17 p55 no1124 (microfilm reel 12); Gavin S A Lennox: L v19 no 1408. Thomas Russell Scott F no 6083 (Combined Box 118)