Basic Site Details

Name: Morgan's Hospital
City or county: Dundee
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: Only the stair towers of the Langlands addition remain.

Morgan Hospital.— Second Scheme
This new hospital, says the Dundee Courier, which is to be placed on a triangular- shaped park at the junction of the Pitkerro and Forfar Roads, is in the Scotch Baronial style of the sixteenth century, and with various French features introduced, consists of four facades, enclosing an oblong court, 125 feet by 50 feet. The principal entrance front is 183 feet long. In the centre of this front is a lofty square tower, slightly projecting beyond the line of the rest of the front, and containing the chief entrance to the building. The tower is 20 feet broad at the base, and terminates at a height of 90 feet, in a steep slated roof, finished with an ornamental iron ridge. At each of the four corners of the tower, and 40 feet from the ground, is a boldly corbelled out circular turret, carried up some feet above the tower, and capped by a steep slated roof, terminating in a pinnacle, at nearly the same height as the roof of the tower. The tower is flanked on each side by a large bay-window, on corbels at the level of the first floor, and rising up into a gable, with crow steps. At each end of this elevation is a crow-stepped gable, projecting 11 feet beyond the main line of front. These gables have on their angles ornamental shafts, with carved bases and capital. In the centre of each gable is a corbel, from which springs a shaft with base and carved capital, supporting a chimney stack on the apex of the gable, and on each side of this corbel shaft there is, in the first-floor, a large window, in the head of which is carved tracery. Between these gables and the tower on each side is a large mullioned and transomed window. This and the two flank elevations are two stories in height, with a steep roof, with ornamental ridge. The flank elevations, which are 120 feet long, correspond in style with that already described, but are varied in design. The portion of the east elevation, devoted to the chapel is of ecclesiastical character. Entering the building by the principal door in the tower there is an entrance hall 20 by 10 feet, at the further end of which is a large oriel window looking into the inner court. On each side of this oriel runs the main corridor of communication, 8 feet wide, and lighted by windows looking into the court. At the end of the corridor, on the stairs to the upper floor, on the right-hand side of the entrance hall, are three class-rooms, 30 by 22 feet; boys' dining hall, 45 by 24 feet; master's and matron's dining-room ; master's private-room ; lavatory, etc. And on the left side of the entrance hall are the trustees' room, 25 by 21 feet ; clerk's-room and safe; library for the boys; two rooms for the matrons ; and two stores for keeping boys' clothes. Communicating with this end of the corridor, but also provided with a separate entrance from the grounds, is the master's house, of seven rooms, besides kitchen and servants'
accommodation. The kitchen offices of the hospital occupy the fourth side of the square, and are connected with the main part of the building by a covered passage running round three sides of the court. The accommodation provided in them on the ground floor consists of a kitchen, 25 by 21 feet, scullery, pantries, laundry store, washing-house, and drying closet; and in a sunk cellar a depot for coals. In a second storey, above the back entrance, are a laundry and two large bed-rooms for servants. The upper floor of the principal building is occupied by large dormitories, with windows on both sides; and there are also two dormitories on the east side of the building. The total superficial area of the dormitories is 4,260 feet. Above the dining hall is the chapel, and at the south-west corner of the building, and shut off from the rest of the hospital, is an infirmary of two rooms, with bath, &c, scullery, and nurses'-room; lavatories and baths are also provided on this floor. [Building News 7 March 1862 p171]

The Morgan Hospital, Dundee, for the maintenance of 100 poor boys, was formally opened on Thursday last. Tho building is in tho French Gothic style, and was designed by Messrs Peddle and Kinnear, architects, Edinburgh. It has occupied about five years in erection, and has cost about £17,000. After providing for the building, a sum of upwards of £65,000 is left by the will of the late Mr. John Morgan, the founder, for the maintenance of the hospital in all time coming. [Building News 15 February 1868 p 117]

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 2Morgan AcademyYes 
Item 2 of 2Morgan's AcademyYesFrom 1889

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 2Forfar RoadYes 
Item 2 of 2Pitkerro RoadYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 11February 1860  First scheme (Drawings dated)
Item 2 of 119 February 1862  Second scheme (Drawings dated)
Item 3 of 1122 February 1862  Third scheme (Drawings dated)
Item 4 of 11August 1862  Fourth scheme (Drawings dated)
Item 5 of 11February 1863  Executed scheme (Drawings dated)
Item 6 of 11March 1863  Date of contracts
Item 7 of 115 February 1868  Opened
Item 8 of 1119131915 Enlarged
Item 9 of 11c. 1920  War memorial
Item 10 of 1120012004ReconstructionReinstatement after fire
Item 11 of 112001 Destruction/demolitionFire gutted the building

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 12Charles George Hood Kinnear A18601868 
Item 2 of 12John Dick Peddie A18601868 
Item 3 of 12Peddie & Kinnear A18601868 
Item 4 of 12James Hendry Langlands (senior) C19131915Enlargement
Item 5 of 12Robert Dron C1913 or 19141915Enlargement - as apprentice to James H Langlands
Item 6 of 12Patrick Hill Thoms Bc. 1920 War memorial
Item 7 of 12Thoms & Wilkie Bc. 1920 War memorial
Item 8 of 12William Fleming Wilkie Bc. 1920 War memorial
Item 9 of 12Andrew Stewart Brown D20012004Reinstatemernt after fire in conjunction with Dundee Council
Item 10 of 12Dundee Corporation Architectural Dpt (later City of Dundee District Council Architects Dept, Dundee City Council) D20012004Reinstatement in conjunction with Simpson & Brown
Item 11 of 12James Walter Thorburn Simpson D20012004Reinstatment after fire - in conjunction with Dundee Council
Item 12 of 12Simpson & Brown D20012004Reinstatement after fire in conjunction with Dundee Council

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Account of the Morgan Hospital Account of the Morgan Hospital   
Item 2 of 4Gifford, John2012The Buildings of Scotland: Angus and Dundee Yalep200
Item 3 of 4Morgan Academy 1889-1915 Souvenir of the formal opening of the enlarged and reconstructed academy by the Rt Hon. Viscount Haldane KT OM… Published by a Committee of the staff of Morgan Academy (Date of formal opening 14 September 1915) 
Item 4 of 4RSA1863   734

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Builder29 April 1871XXIX  
Item 2 of 3Building News7 March 1862  p177
Item 3 of 3Building News15 February 1868  p 117 - opening

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 4 Thoms & Wilkie Photo Collection Formerly in Thoms & Wilkie office
Item 2 of 4Dundee City Archives and Record CentreDundee Drawings Collection E/MP/D/16
Item 3 of 4Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register25288 
Item 4 of 4National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSDick Peddie and McKay Collection DPM 1860/26/4