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I'd fancied this place for a while after seeing a report from it in 2014. It fell off the radar for a while due to hearing it was a burned out shell crawling with the homeless. Anyway, a report cropped up mid 2016 that shown (to me at least) that it was still worth a look.
Urblex and myself found ourselves down this way after an earlier fail and both agreed we should have a look. Really glad we did, as this turned out to be a enjoyable couple of hours. The place has most certainly seen better days but there is still stuff to see and some lovely decay. The two art deco staircase's where the definite highlight for me, great decay and paint peelage.
As for the homeless. There was constant signs dotted around the building of people living here. Indeed, as we where coming up one of the curved staircase's onto the top floor we heard a radio playing in one of the old ward. We went back down stairs and found another way up. By the time we had got back to that area the radio and who ever was listing to it where gone.
HISTORY
The Wolverhampton & Midland Counties Eye Infirmary was designed by T. H. Fleeming (1849-1935), in a simple Gothic style and built by Wolverhampton builders Henry Willcock & Company at a cost of 13,000. Part of the cost was met by local philanthropist Philip Horsman (who also donated the Art Gallery to the town). Two other buildings of different styles and by different architects were erected on site: the Nurses' Home in 1927 and the Outpatients'/Accidents and Emergency Extension in 1937. Immediately after the Second World War (1939-1945) Compton Hall (now Compton Hospice) was purchased to provide extra staff facilities, and a male and female nurse training school. In 1948, the hospital was absorbed as part of the new National Health Service (NHS).
The Eye Infirmary was closed in 2007 and services transferred to New Cross Hospital in a £4.5m move that sparked a 48,000-name petition and candlelit vigils.
Thanks For Looking
More pics on my Flicker page - https://www.flickr.com/photos/135648593@N02/albums/72157672358848575/with/28862758911/
Urblex and myself found ourselves down this way after an earlier fail and both agreed we should have a look. Really glad we did, as this turned out to be a enjoyable couple of hours. The place has most certainly seen better days but there is still stuff to see and some lovely decay. The two art deco staircase's where the definite highlight for me, great decay and paint peelage.
As for the homeless. There was constant signs dotted around the building of people living here. Indeed, as we where coming up one of the curved staircase's onto the top floor we heard a radio playing in one of the old ward. We went back down stairs and found another way up. By the time we had got back to that area the radio and who ever was listing to it where gone.
HISTORY
The Wolverhampton & Midland Counties Eye Infirmary was designed by T. H. Fleeming (1849-1935), in a simple Gothic style and built by Wolverhampton builders Henry Willcock & Company at a cost of 13,000. Part of the cost was met by local philanthropist Philip Horsman (who also donated the Art Gallery to the town). Two other buildings of different styles and by different architects were erected on site: the Nurses' Home in 1927 and the Outpatients'/Accidents and Emergency Extension in 1937. Immediately after the Second World War (1939-1945) Compton Hall (now Compton Hospice) was purchased to provide extra staff facilities, and a male and female nurse training school. In 1948, the hospital was absorbed as part of the new National Health Service (NHS).
The Eye Infirmary was closed in 2007 and services transferred to New Cross Hospital in a £4.5m move that sparked a 48,000-name petition and candlelit vigils.
Thanks For Looking
More pics on my Flicker page - https://www.flickr.com/photos/135648593@N02/albums/72157672358848575/with/28862758911/
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