Shaw's Hospital

Shaw’s Hospital opened in the Gallowgate in 1839. It was founded using money from the Shaw’s Fund, created through a bequest from Alexander Shaw in 1807. Correspondence between William Elmslie to Lord Provost Blaikie in 1834 advocates for many positive reasons why the bequest left by Shaw should be fulfilled. 

Letter W Elmslie - Provost Blaikie r.e. establishing school 1834, reference AET/SH/5/1

As per the terms of Shaw’s will, Trustees were appointed:

for erecting and maintaining an Hospital, and for the maintenance, aliment, entertainment, and education of Five boys and Five Girls who are fatherless, or deserted and forsaken by their parents, or are otherwise destitute or neglected, and have no sufficient means of subsistence or education.

The Hospital housed and cared for ten deserted or destitute orphans, to be admitted between the ages of 2 and 4 and to take the name of either Shaw or Davidson. Boys remained at the school until 12 or 14 and girls until 13. The Sederunt Book and following volume of minutes for Shaw's Hospital include applications for children to be admitted to the hospital. These typically give the child's name, date of birth, father's name and profession. The death or illness of children in the hospital is also minuted. 

Sederunt Book of the Trustees of Alexander Shaw's Hospital 1807-1872, reference AET/SH/1

There are also details about the appointment of staff - matron, teachers and servants - at the Hospital.

Newspaper cuttings from title page of Sederunt Book

By 1881, some changes had been made to the admissions process. Children ‘must not at the time be under three years of age, nor above six’. The admissions information given shows that the school was willing to support children following their time there, depending how well they had excelled. Washing and clothes were provided for the first year of an apprenticeship, whilst girls placed in service with respectable families received £2 to purchase clothing.

The Admissions form in 1881 included the following:

Our Senior Archivist located some weekly menus amongst the minutes as well. These give a great indication of the lifestyle of the children during their time at the Hospital.

Entered in the minutes of the school's Trustees in 1839, we didn't think this one sounded particularly pleasant! The matron was clearly allowed much more flexibility over her meal choices than the children of the establishment were:

The following menus dated 1856 and 1881 indicate that the meals didn’t change much over the years. These menus were discussed within the Dietary Committee's Reports, however, so the school was clearly noting the importance of a consistent and nutritious meal plan.

The site of the hospital moved from the Gallowgate in 1839, to Broadford Cottage in 1863, and Rosebank House at 8 Rosemount Place in 1882. The image below shows a schedule of property for Shaw’s Hospital in 1888.

In 1888 Shaw’s Hospital was amalgamated into the Aberdeen Educational Trust; the building became part of the Aberdeen School Board in 1890.

Our collection of records for Shaw’s Hospital are referenced AET/SH. More information can be found on our online catalogue: https://archives.aberdeencity.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=AET%2fSH&pos=4

Kimberley Smith, Archivist