Reminders of Burton's past uncovered by QHB redevelopment
The refurbishment of a Queen’s Hospital Burton building has taken the Trust on a trip down memory lane to more than 125 years ago.
While renovating the printing room at The House, on Belvedere Road, developers managed to uncover some of the original features and architecture from the former Workhouse based on the site.
The room has now been converted into a boardroom, with the building works re-exposing some of The House’s history by revealing the room’s original architecture from when it was used as the Workhouse’s main dining area.
By opening up the room as part of the development, you can now see the first floor balcony where the masters of the Workhouse used to watch over the workers while they ate, while other features like the high ceiling and original large windows are now more clearly visible.
The House previously also contained the Master’s house and kitchens as part of the Belvedere Road Workhouse, which was opened in 1884 and became the home and workplace of around 550 people in the Burton area.
In 1930, the Workhouse became Burton-upon-Trent Public Assistance Institution and was then transferred to the NHS in 1948, with Burton District Hospital and then Queen’s Hospital Burton being opened on the site in 1971 and 1995 respectively.