Toronto Western Hospital

The Toronto Western Hospital (TWH) had its origins in December 1895 when twelve doctors signed a prescription pad pledging $100 each towards the furnishing of a hospital in Toronto’s west end. These twelve doctors were G.H. Carveth, Price Brown, J.F. Dawson, Jas. McCullouch, John Hunter, J.B. Gullen, T.S. Webster, W.J. Wilson, James Spence, S.G.T. Barton, S.M. Hay, and J. Ferguson. In 1896 these doctors opened a small free public dispensary at 448 Bathurst Street and became incorporated under the Provident and Friendly Societies Act under the name of The Toronto Western Hospital. The public dispensary was briefly housed at 417 Euclid Avenue before the rental of two houses on Manning Avenue (393-395) which became the first home of the hospital.

In 1899 the hospital was incorporated by a Special Act of the Legislature and secured the McDonnell (or MacDonald) family property at 399 Bathurst Street. Eventually new buildings were erected on the site, but at first, the existing buildings on the McDonnell property were renovated and opened for patients on December 16, 1899.

In 1912 the hospital became affiliated with the University of Toronto as a teaching hospital and a new Act of Incorporation, which received official assent on May 1, 1914, was enacted to allow medical students to attend clinics at the hospital. This was the hospital’s second educational undertaking as they already had a School for Nurses since 1896.

In March 1926 Toronto Western Hospital merged with Grace Hospital and operated as two separate Divisions for ten years. In 1936 both Divisions were fully amalgamated on the property of the Toronto Western Hospital and the Grace Division was closed. On October 29, 1986 Toronto Western Hospital merged with the Toronto General Hospital to form The Toronto Hospital.

In the 1896 By-Laws the general management of the hospital was by a Board of Trustees—10 gentlemen, all of whom were to be elected at the Society’s Annual Meeting for a 1 year term. The Board of Trustees had three Standing Committees: Finance, Management and Supplies. The 1914 By-Laws repealed the 1896 By-Laws and enacted a Board of Governors which in addition to elected members included representation from the Province of Ontario and City Council. By the 1970s the Board of Governors was again referred to as a Board of Trustees. According to the 1977 By-Laws, this group of appointed and elected members had now grown to 21. The Presidents of the Corporation of the Toronto Western Hospital (aka Presidents of the Board of Governors/Trustees) have been: Col. Alfred Morgan Cosby (1896-1900), Edward Frederick Clarke (1900-1905), Thomas Crawford (1905-1926), Alex Fasken (1926-1944), E.J. Coombs (1944-1952), Sigmund Samuel (1952-1954), Gordon Clifford Leitch (May 1954-June 1954), Collamer Chipman Calvin (1954-1963), Albert Bruce Matthews (1963-1969), Trevor F. Moore (1970-1973), J.A. Rhind (1974-1979), Fraser M. Fell (1980-1985), and P.A. Crossgrove (1985-1986).

The Superintendent was the chief executive officer of the Hospital and under the direction of the Board of Governors/Trustees was in charge of the general supervision of the affairs of all departments and immediate direction of the Hospital Staff and employees. The title of Superintendent was later changed to General Superintendent (1930), Administrator (1965), Executive Director (1967) and finally President and Chief Executive Officer (1985). The General Superintendent was the head of a Co-Ordinating Committee, which was set-up under the authority of the Board in 1948. By 1968 the Executive Director was head of the “Administrative Officers”. By 1977, this body was known as “Senior Management”. When TWH merged with TGH in 1986, the Acting President was Mr. M.R.F. Taylor. His predecessors had been Dr. James McCullough (1896-?), H.C. Tomlin (?-1918), A.C. Galbraith (1918-1929), A.J. Swanson (1930-1956), M.B. Wallace (1956-1967), J. Boyd McAulay (1968-1984), and Carl C. Hunt (1985-1986).

Last Updated: July 19, 2012. Added to Archeion July 19, 2012.

• English