An appeal has gone out from the Edinburgh International Book Festival for people to contribute memories of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and its old home at Lauriston Place. They are planning a writing project, Words from the Wards, at this summer’s Book Festival because it is going to be based for the first time at the Royal Infirmary’s old site, which is now home to Edinburgh University’s Edinburgh Futures Institute.
Here are 29 fascinating photographs selected from the Evening News archives which may jog some memories of the hospital over the years, before it moved to its current site at Little France in 2003.
25. Coronary Care Unit
A doctor in one of the Coronary Care Unit wards of the Royal Infirmary in January 1973. | TSPL Photo: Denis Straughan
26. Presidential visit
Dr Hastings Banda, the President of Malawi, visits Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in September 1979. | TSPL Photo: Albert Jordan
27. Last shift's farewell
The final staff group at the old Lauriston Place site of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in 2003 before it changed address to Little France | TSPL Photo: Rob McDougall
28. Moving out
Charge Nurse Kate McIlwraith on May 1 2003 stayed behind at the old Royal Infirmary building to organise the final stages of the transfer to Little France. | TSPL Photo: TSPL