Royal Portsmouth Hospital
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The Royal Portsmouth Hospital in Portsmouth, England was sited in Commercial Road close to the shopping centre and near to the Portsmouth Dockyard. It opened in 1849.[1]
The hospital closed in 1979 with all its facilities having been transferred to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham. The former hospital was demolished and the site developed by Sainsbury's, who now have a superstore there. This site is now part of the development known as the Northern Quarter and will be redevloped over the next few years.
The Public house located opposite the Royal Hospital, called "The New Inn" was renamed "The Royal" in 1987 and its pub sign showed the original entrance into the hospital, this has since been removed when owners, The Wadworth Brewery sold the pub's freehold in 2012.
This hospital once contained a 'Lock Ward' for the treatment of Prostitutes under the regulations governed by the Contagious Diseases Acts 1863 - 1886. If identified as a 'Common Prostitute' by the Metropolitan Water Police attached to the dockyard these women would be compulsorily examined and if found to be infected to be detained until pronounced 'Clean'. Refusal of examination could mean detention for up to nine months in the hospital.[2]
