St Mary's Hospital Medical School

St Mary's Hospital Medical School was founded in 1854. St Mary's Hospital had been founded in 1845 as a voluntary hospital for the benefit of the sick poor, and from its foundation was intended to be a teaching hospital. The first two clinical students were admitted in 1851 when the hospital opened. Until 1933 the School was housed in South Wharf Road before moving to its present site in Norfolk Place.

The running of the Medical School was the responsibility of the Medical School Committee, one of the standing Committees of the Hospital. The Committee was ultimately responsible to the Board of Governors or Board of Management of the Hospital, although the Medical School was always allowed a great degree of autonomy. The School was recognised as a School of the University of London in 1900.

In 1948, the Medical School became independent of St Mary's Hospital, gaining its own Council. It also gained responsibility for the Wright-Fleming Institute, although this remained autonomous with its own Council and administration until 1967, when it became part of the Medical School.

In 1988, St Mary's Hospital Medical School merged with Imperial College to become its fourth constituent college (the others being the Royal College of Science, Royal School of Mines and City and Guilds College). The College was renamed Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine. The School was managed by a Delegacy responsible to the Governing Body of Imperial College. In 1997 the Imperial College School of Medicine was formed from the existing institutions on the St Mary's and Royal Brompton campuses, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School and the Royal Postgraduate Medical School.

From the guide to the ST MARY'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL RECORDS, 1852-[ongoing], (Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine)