History of King's 

1840

King's College Hospital was originally opened in 1840 in the disused St Clement Danes workhouse in Portugal Street close to Lincoln’s Inn Fields and King’s College London. It was used as a training facility where medical students of King’s College London could practice and receive instruction from the College’s own professors.   

 

1903

The Needlework Guild is recorded as having contributed garments and money for "comforts for the wards".

The Hon. William Frederick Danvers Smith (later Lord Hambleden) purchased 12 acres of land in Bessemer Road, Denmark Hill, and presented it to King’s College Hospital.

 

1904

Following the King's College Hospital Act 1904 a foundation stone for the new hospital was laid in 1909. 

 

1913

The new King's College Hospital with 600 beds was officially opened by King George V and Queen Mary on 26th July.  

 

1917

Lady Hambleden formed a Ladies Association from the Needlework Guild.

 

1923

A dental school was established on the Denmark Hill site. 

 

1935

The Jolly Juveniles were established to enable children to raise money for the hospital.

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1937

The Jolly Juveniles were re-named the Kingfishers.

 

1947

Queen Camilla was born at King’s College Hospital.

 

1948

The Hospital joined the NHS as a teaching hospital group managed by a Board of Governors.  At the time the King’s College Hospital Group included the Royal Eye Hospital, the Belgrave Hospital for Children, the Belgrave Recovery Home in Minstead, Hants, and the Baldwin Brown Recovery Home in Camberley, Surrey.  

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1961

The Ladies Association was re-named the Friends of King's College Hospital.

 

1962

The Friends of King’s College Hospital became a registered charity.

 

1965

A new dental school building was opened.

 

1966

St Giles’ Hospital, the Dulwich Hospital and St Francis Hospital were all added to the Group.  It was planned to consolidate all the Camberwell hospitals onto the Denmark Hill site.
 

1968
A new maternity block (currently the Ruskin Wing) was opened.
 

1972
In 1972 a new building was erected to house the School of Nursing.  It opened in 1974 and was named the Normanby College of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy.

 

2003
The Golden Jubilee Wing was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.  It was built on the site of the previous Out-Patients Department and contains clinics, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Departments, and therapy suites for speech and language.
 

2010

The Princess Royal opened the Cicely Saunders Institute for palliative care.
 

2013

The Princess Royal University Hospital (the PRUH), Orpington Hospital, Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup and Beckenham Beacon became part of the Trust.

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2020

All in-hospital services offered by the Friends were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Friends continued to support staff by contributing money and space to well-being services offered through the Trust. 

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2022

The Friends Shop re-opened in December 2022 after an extensive refurbishment.