The sky-high shelves in Western's climate-controlled Archives and Research Collections Centre now house a remarkable gift: more than 150 years of medical history, entrusted to Western by the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC).
This donation marks a meaningful chapter in the collaboration between two institutions with deep roots in London’s medical and academic history. Comprising 152 boxes of photographs, handwritten letters, medical records, and other artifacts, the collection traces the evolution of health care in the region.
“These records are a major part of London’s history and health care in Canada,” says Anne Quirk, Archivist in Archives and Special Collections at Western Libraries. “Bringing them into a secure, professionally managed archival environment means we can preserve them and eventually open them up to researchers. It’s a celebration of this community’s health-care legacy.”
A Century and a Half of Stories
The donated materials span institutions such as Beck Memorial Sanatorium, South Street Hospital, War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Westminster Hospital, and the London General Training School for Nurses—one of the earliest nursing programs in the region. Among the collection are items that speak to the lived experiences of health-care workers: letters from nurses, including one expressing frustration over not receiving time off for Christmas and hinting at a potential strike; a nurse’s uniform; a ceramic device for steam inhalations; and a wide range of medical records and administrative documents.
Darren Hamilton, Clinical Librarian Specialist at LHSC, led the initiative to ensure the archives were preserved for future generations.
“I connected with archival experts from across Ontario,” says Hamilton. “Anne Quirk and the team at Western Libraries were excited to develop this collaboration that maintains LHSC’s history at home in London at Western. These items are invaluable to those researching health care in London, and I am pleased that they will be well kept by the Western team.”
Research Potential: Unlocking New Narratives
While the materials have not yet been processed, the potential for research is already clear. Plans are underway to create a finding aid, enter descriptive information into Western’s searchable archives database, and explore digitization for broader access.
“We’re excited about the possibilities,” says Quirk. “These materials could support research in medical history, public health, nursing education, and even local business and social history. The scope is vast.”
Western Libraries has a strong track record of supporting research through its archival holdings. A recent example is the Bucke-Grosh expedition project, where a team of endurance athletes retraced a 19th-century gold-seeking journey using documents from the Dr. Richard Maurice Bucke and Family fonds. Bucke, a co-founder of Western’s medical school, survived the harrowing trek and left behind journals and maps that helped modern history enthusiasts reconstruct the route.
"That project shows how archival materials can help in bringing history to life,” says Quirk. “We scanned over 600 documents for the team, and they used them to correct and enrich the story of Bucke’s journey. That kind of impact is exactly what we hope to see with the LHSC collection.”
Looking Ahead
As Western Libraries begins the careful work of processing the LHSC archives, the academic community can look forward to new opportunities for interdisciplinary research, public engagement, and historical insight.
“This is more than a donation—it’s an invitation to explore, question, and understand,” says Quirk. “We’re honoured to be the stewards of this legacy.”
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