Falmouth Seamen's Hospital and records

[jonwicken]

Dear Cornwall Rootschatters,

Does anyone please know where the records of the seaman's hospital in Falmouth, founded in 1750, are located?

It was called the Seamen's Hospital, but there was also a Sailor's Home whose dates overlap.

Did one of them became the tropical diseases hospital? It really is hard to find information online.

I really need to go through the British Newspaper Archive at some point to check. But these hospitals were open not that long ago. Where did their records go?

I am interested in this due to the 'sailor's sixpence' pension related muster rolls that survive in Whitby, Yorkshire, from the hospital there: https://whitbymuseum.org.uk/research-archive/muster-rolls/

I therefore wondered if Falmouth had a seamen's hospital and indeed it turns out it did, established in 1750: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Susan_Gay%27s_Falmouth_chronology

I could find nothing online other than this, but then searched in google books and it comes up with a wealth of information.

Some links are here:

A panorama of Falmouth ... Being a complete guide to the ... - Page 52

1827: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/A_panorama_of_Falmouth_Being_a_complete/P6dfAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=falmouth+seamen%27s+hospital&pg=PA52&printsec=frontcover

History and Description of the Town and Harbour of Falmouth - Page 89 Richard Thomas (Civil engineer) · 1827: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/History_and_Description_of_the_Town_and/XC5RAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=falmouth+seamen%27s+hospital&pg=PA89&printsec=frontcover

Journals of the House of Lords - Volumes 53-64 - Page 301 Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords · 1855: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Journals_of_the_House_of_Lords/4d5XqdXlQ14C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=falmouth+seamen%27s+hospital&pg=PA301&printsec=frontcover
British Islands Pilot - Volume 1 - Page 111 United States. Hydrographic Office · 1915: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/British_Islands_Pilot_The_south_coast_of/x9QNAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=falmouth+seamen%27s+hospital&pg=PA109&printsec=frontcover
Life in Cornwall in the Early Nineteenth Century - Page 85 Rita Margaret Barton · 1997: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Life_in_Cornwall_in_the_Early_Nineteenth/j28KAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=falmouth+seamen%27s+hospital&dq=falmouth+seamen%27s+hospital&printsec=frontcover
Secret Flotillas: Clandestine sea operations to Brittany, ... - Page 102 Brooks Richards · 2004: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Secret_Flotillas_Clandestine_sea_operati/3b3qTQh5XOwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=falmouth+seamen%27s+hospital&pg=PA102&printsec=frontcover

As you see it started in 1750 and was still there in 1941.

The articles show that exactly the same process as survives in Whitby was taking place in Falmouth. And presumably all seamen's hospitals across the country.

This 2015 articles quoting something from a hundred year's ago that is called the "Royal Cornwall Sailor’s Home": https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/13376701.step-back-in-time-shipping-stories-from-100-years-ago/
This leaflet states the hospital was at Bank Place: https://thepoly.org/assets/file/FHA%20A3%20Map%20WW1%20WEB.pdf

There is an 1868 reference to Bank House in this google books page of The Mercantile navy list. 1848 [4 issues], 49 [2 issues], ... - Page 5 Trade Board of · 1868: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Mercantile_navy_list_1848_4_issues_4/QesNAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=falmouth+seamen%27s+hospital&pg=PA5&printsec=frontcover
There is a document in Kresen Kernow from 1902-1903, but no idea what it is about: https://kresenkernow.org/SOAP/detail/8e6c8910-2dc4-4fe5-b9f3-5b861d7b69cf/
There is mention of the hospital's foundation stone laying here: https://chargeofthelightbrigade.com/allmen/allmenT/allmenT_13LD/tremayne_a_13LD.html
Also an 1867 article states it was called the "Royal Cornwall Sailor's Home in 1867: https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/18111968.penryn-museum-contract-awarded-water-treatment-works-construction/
As I said though, I am confused about whether these are two hospitals or one that had two different names.

Does anyone please know anything about these hospitals and what happened to their records?

Thank you,
Jon

[maddys52]

I can see an article in 1857 describing the Cornwall Sailors' Home that says:

"... For the Institution is not merely a "Sailors' Home" but also a "Seamens' Hospital" ..."

Thursday,  May 29, 1857
Publication: Royal Cornwall Gazette

Not sure if this helps you?

[maddys52]

This 1877 map shows the Sailors' Home and Hospital at Falmouth. Unfortunately it doesn't show Bank House.
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=18.8&lat=50.15137&lon=-5.06537&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld

There is an article in 1868 about a fire which destroyed Bank House (described as near Grove Place). It mentions "Fortunately the wind was light from the W.S.W. otherwise the Sailors' Home and the range of buildings of which it forms one must have suffered. As it was one of the bedrooms of the Sailors' Home took fire by burning embers falling down a chimney, but the flames were put out before much damage was done."
Thursday,  Mar. 19, 1868
Publication: Royal Cornwall Gazette

[maddys52]

Also, the Cornwall Sailors' Home became known as the Royal Cornwall Sailors' Home in 1855 when the Duke of Cornwall became its Patron.
Thursday,  Aug. 16, 1855
Publication: The Standard

[maddys52]

You may find this item of interest:
Tuesday,  Jan. 28, 1902
Publication: The Times

There are many mentions in newspapers, probably worth having a look if you have access. 

[jonwicken]

Thanks so very much for this.

So we have Falmouth Seamen's Hospital founded in 1750 and Falmouth Sailor's Home anf Hospital founded in 1852.

So were they two separate places, or did the 1852 one replace the 1750 one, perhaps with a new building?

It is very strange indeed to wotk this out, but it seems that give it closed not thatlong ago that its archive may be somewhere!

Thanks again for looking, very helpful indeed.

Best wishes,
Jon

[maddys52]

There is also this on British History Online

"The Merchants' Hospital, for the relief and support of maimed and disabled seamen, and the widows and children of such as should be killed, slain, or drowned in the merchants' service, was established about the year 1750, under the authority of an act of parliament, passed 20 Geo. II., for the relief and support of maimed and disabled seamen belonging to the port of London, which gives a power to any out-port desirous of reaping the benefit of that act, by establishing a hospital for seamen belonging to such port, to appoint fifteen trustees for its management, who are annually elected by the owners and commanders of vessels belonging to the port, and confirmed by the corporation in London, which was established under the said act"

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/magna-britannia/vol3/pp99-112#anchorfn5
(the paragraph just before where this link takes you)

[jonwicken]

There is also this on British History Online

"The Merchants' Hospital, for the relief and support of maimed and disabled seamen, and the widows and children of such as should be killed, slain, or drowned in the merchants' service, was established about the year 1750, under the authority of an act of parliament, passed 20 Geo. II., for the relief and support of maimed and disabled seamen belonging to the port of London, which gives a power to any out-port desirous of reaping the benefit of that act, by establishing a hospital for seamen belonging to such port, to appoint fifteen trustees for its management, who are annually elected by the owners and commanders of vessels belonging to the port, and confirmed by the corporation in London, which was established under the said act"

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/magna-britannia/vol3/pp99-112#anchorfn5
(the paragraph just before where this link takes you)

Great find. It was called 'The Merchants' Hospital' as an alternative then, so another name!

This bit afterwards is interesting:

 A treasurer, receiver, and secretary, are appointed by the trustees. The present income of the Merchants' Hospital at Falmouth is about 300l. per annum. There are at this time twenty-four regular pensioners belonging to this institution; and the number of widows and children of deceased mariners, who receive relief from this excellent institution, is very considerable.


So we know the 1750 founded hospital was still there in 1814 and the sailor's sixpemce must have been being used to support these men and widows/children of dead sailors.

[AlanBoyd]

The West Briton & Cornwall Advertiser, September 5th 1851

On the front page there is an item announcing the aim of founding a Sailors Home at Falmouth. It is probably a little too long to post in its entirety. It seems to be the project of a Captain Hall, RN FRS, who apparently has already succeeded with similar establishments elsewhere. This is clearly a new establishment: the aims are set out, there is a list of more than twenty 'presidents' and a committee of 30-40. Donations and subscriptions are solicited.

I'm not sure how this fits with the earlier founding date that you quote, but I did notice that one of your linked items refers to a home for merchant seamen, whereas this is clearly focussed on the Royal Navy, with many of those on the committee being "RN". So perhaps there are two establishments being conflated?