LHSC donates historic archives to Western Libraries

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Above: Anne Quirk, Archivist at Western Libraries, stands in Western’s high density archives storage facility where LHSC’s records are stored.

London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) is proud to announce the official donation of our extensive historical archives to Western Libraries at Western University. This donation represents a milestone that celebrates and preserves the organization’s 150-year legacy while creating new opportunities for learning, discovery, and community engagement.

Over 150 years, LHSC has grown to become one of Canada’s largest research-intensive acute care teaching hospitals. These archives tell the story of that evolution through handwritten letters, photographs, and artifacts from LHSC’s history, including London General Hospital, Beck Memorial Sanatorium, South Street Hospital, War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Westminster Hospital, Victoria Hospital, Children’s Hospital at LHSC, University Hospital, and the London General Training School for Nurses, one of the earliest training programs for nurses in the region. The collection is a valuable resource for LHSC and London’s broader medical and academic community.

“There is significant interest in these records as a major part of the history of London and health care in our country,” said Anne Quirk, Archivist at Western Libraries. “By bringing them into a secure, professionally managed archival environment, we are able to preserve them and open them up to researchers. It is a major step forward and a real celebration of this community’s health-care legacy.”

The archives, which include 152 boxes of artifacts, were previously stored at LHSC’s Victoria Hospital and Children’s Hospital. Recognizing the importance of professionally preserving this history, Darren Hamilton, a Clinical Librarian Specialist at LHSC, lead the consultation with experts to ensure these artifacts were preserved for years to come.

“I connected with archival experts from across Ontario,” said 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.”

Now housed in Western’s state-of-the-art, climate-controlled archival facility, the materials will eventually be accessible to researchers. Future plans include creating a finding aid, entering descriptive information into Western’s searchable archives database, and exploring the possibility of digitizing elements of the collection for broader public access.

“This is a great example of an excellent community partnership,” Quirk added. “Western Libraries have a long history of strength in health and medical archives. This collection is a natural fit. LHSC has done something truly commendable by ensuring these important records have a good home and future with us.”

For LHSC, the decision to partner with Western Libraries on this initiative reinforces its commitment to preserving its past.

“As LHSC celebrates our 150th anniversary, we recognize that our future is built on the strength of our past,” said Dr. Christie MacDonald, LHSC 150 Co-Executive Sponsor, Vice Chair of LHSC’s Medical Advisory Committee, and Department Head of Emergency Medicine. “These archives tell the story of the people, institutions, and milestones that helped shape LHSC’s legacy. We are proud to ensure they’re preserved for generations to come at Western Libraries.”