14 May 2025
Former staff from The Royal Hospital, Wolverhampton were invited to a special preview of the regeneration of their old workplace.
The event was held at Nightingale House, the new name for the Grade II listed Victorian building, giving guests a chance to revisit the site and tour the building.
The Royal Hospital was opened in 1849 and closed in June 1997 with services being transferred out of the former town centre to New Cross Hospital.
The historic site has been revived as part of a larger area redevelopment, due to the combined efforts of housing association whg, City of Wolverhampton Council, Homes England, and developer Morro Partnerships.
The site has been transformed into a new housing development, using air source heat pumps to cut carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency, while keeping its historic features.
Sir Stephen Moss worked at The Royal Hospital for 10 years. He attended the event to unveil a blue plaque, which will be fitted to the front of the building.
He said: “It has been a tremendous opportunity to view the transformation this historic building has had.
“it is wonderful to see the amazing job done by everyone at WHG, Morro Developers and their partners to bring this much loved building back to life.
“They have done a fantastic job and it is great to see the rich legacy of the Royal continue and carry on serving the community.
“The plaque is a brilliant permanent reminder for future generations of the vital role this great hospital played in the lives of so many people over so many years.
“For me personally, I owe a great deal to the Royal. It is where my public service values were shaped and nurtured as a Student Nurse. These values installed in me here have stayed with me throughout my NHS career.
“I feel proud and privileged to have trained in Wolverhampton and look back on my time here with gratitude and great affection.
“Throughout its lifetime the royal attracted the best and all of the staff, not just the Doctors and Nurses, were committed to ensuring that the people of Wolverhampton were well cared for.
“It was in the DNA of the place.
“Over the years so many patients and their families have passed through these doors, and have so much to be grateful for.”
Members of the Arts and Heritage charity project at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust attended the event and took the handling collection, which stirred memories with the nurses, and items from the time capsule.
Former Nurse and Nurse Tutor at The Royal Hospital, Roy Stallard, from Penn – who is now a hospital historian – also attended the event.
Mr Stallard, aged 90, first started work at the Royal Hospital as a Nurse in 1954 and later became a classroom tutor.
He said: “The building has been wonderfully restored and treated with great respect.
“The Royal was a world leader in healthcare and many firsts happened here. For example the first use of insulin in England was at the Royal.
“Working here was a true honour and everyone felt like a family. The building has so many great memories I am glad it has been transformed for many years to come.”