• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

JOHN JAFFRAY

Dennis Williams

Gone but not forgotten
I was visiting the Priory Medical Centre not long ago, and have long admired the fabulous old building in the grounds that has been restored, and is now part of the Consulting Suites...so I went in and cheekily snapped a few pics of the History, which is on the wall...they are a bit iffy, but I think you can read most of the text. Basically it was built circa 1814 and became the home of JOHN JAFFRAY circa 1889, a scottish Newspaper magnate and Victorian benefactor. His House was known as PARK GROVE , it then it became Stanley Hose, a school, and finally, the Calthorpe Estate allowed it to be turned into a medical centre...

The interior still retains many of it's Victorian splendour...brilliantly restored...

This is from wiki and Colin B's great Blog on Birmingham Hospitals:
Sir John Jaffray, 1st Baronet (11 October 1818 – 4 January 1901) was a Scottish journalist and newspaper proprietor.
Born in Stirling, he moved to Birmingham in 1844, to work for John Frederick Feeney on the Birmingham Journal, and became a partner in it in 1852. Together they founded the Birmingham Daily Post, (now Birmingham Post) in 1857. He founded the Birmingham Mail with Feeney's son John Feeney in 1870.
He served as High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1888 and was created a Baronet, of Skilts in Studley in the County of Warwick, in 1892, taking his title from the estate he had bought there. He was a Governor of the General Hospital and a committee member of The Children’s Hospital in Broad Street and the Women’s Hospital in Sparkhill. He had the Jaffray Hospuital in Erdington built with his own expense. The hospital was used as a geriatric and convalescent unit for the General Hospital from the 1950’s until its closure in 1991. It was finally demolished in 1995, and is now a housing estate.




P1030423.jpg P1030431.jpgP1030429.jpg P1030430.jpgP1030428.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
A few pictures ...John Jaffray, the man himself, and his now demolished Hospital...




John Jaffray 1.jpgJaffray Hospital  11884.jpgJaffray 1 Hospital.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Re: Some great men of Birmingham..

I was visiting the Priory Medical Centre not long ago, and have long admired the fabulous old building in the grounds that has been restored, and is now part of the Consulting Suites...so I went in and cheekily snapped a few pics of the History, which is on the wall...they are a bit iffy, but I think you can read most of the text. Basically it was built circa 1814 and became the home of JOHN JAFFRAY circa 1889, a scottish Newspaper magnate and Victorian benefactor. His House was known as PARK GROVE , it then it became Stanley Hose, a school, and finally, the Calthorpe Estate allowed it to be turned into a medical centre...

The interior still retains many of it's Victorian splendour...brilliantly restored...

This is from wiki and Colin B's great Blog on Birmingham Hospitals:
Sir John Jaffray, 1st Baronet (11 October 1818 – 4 January 1901) was a Scottish journalist and newspaper proprietor.
Born in Stirling, he moved to Birmingham in 1844, to work for John Frederick Feeney on the Birmingham Journal, and became a partner in it in 1852. Together they founded the Birmingham Daily Post, (now Birmingham Post) in 1857. He founded the Birmingham Mail with Feeney's son John Feeney in 1870.
He served as High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1888 and was created a Baronet, of Skilts in Studley in the County of Warwick, in 1892, taking his title from the estate he had bought there. He was a Governor of the General Hospital and a committee member of The Children’s Hospital in Broad Street and the Women’s Hospital in Sparkhill. He had the Jaffray Hospuital in Erdington built with his own expense. The hospital was used as a geriatric and convalescent unit for the General Hospital from the 1950’s until its closure in 1991. It was finally demolished in 1995, and is now a housing estate.




View attachment 84412 View attachment 84416View attachment 84414 View attachment 84415View attachment 84413

There are references that give John Jeffray the credit for building Jaffray Hospital, but others should also be mentioned. John Jaffray died in 1901 leaving over £600,000.

In 1879 at the centenary of the General Hospital the question of establishing a hospital for chronic diseases was first considered. At the time the matter was delayed due to cost and eventually dropped. In 1883 John Jaffray offered the sum of £15,000 pounds to build a hospital and asked that others endow the hospital. £2,000 a year would be required, and in June 1894, around £24,000 had been given and £400 a year in annual subscriptions promised....towards the £24,000 no fewer than 12 or 13 persons, 3 of them ladies gave £1,000 apiece, and one gentleman £2,000.

(Info from Birmingham Daily Post)
 
Back
Top