Adamson Hospital, Cupar

The Adamson Institution came into being after the death of Alexander Adamson whose Trust Disposition and Settlement stipulated that funds be used for the establishment of an institution of either educational or medical purpose.

The Adamson trustees acquired ground in Ceres and built a hospital which opened in 1875. However, after years of financial difficulty, the hospital came to be disused in 1883 and was eventually sold for £500 in 1901.

In 1903 the trustees joined forces with the Cupar Sick Poor Nursing Association. After sufficient funds were obtained, the Adamson Cottage Hospital opened its doors on the 1st December 1904. It contained 3 wards (7 beds in total) and 47 patients were treated in the first year. An annually elected joint committee, the Committee of Management, was set up to manage the internal affairs of the hospital.

It was run on private donations, various fundraising activities, collections, payments by patients and returns from trust investments. The sole purpose of the institution was the treatment of injuries and non-infectious diseases. Several requests to treat Phthisis or cases of insanity were rejected. In 1933 the Adamson Cottage Hospital joined the Federate Superannuation Scheme, a scheme providing insurance benefits and pensions for nursing staff, but the Committee of Management rejected an offer to function as a training hospital.

At the outbreak of World War II, the hospital was placed under Government control and was partially financed under an Emergency Hospital Scheme by which the hospital was bound to keep a number of beds vacant for civilian casualties arising from air raids. Under Sec. 53 (1) of the Civil Defence Act 1939 the hospital was ordered to build a Decontamination Centre, the cost of which was to be reimbursed by the Department of Health. The Emergency Scheme ceased in September 1945.

On 5th July 1948 the hospital was taken over by the NHS under the East Fife Regional Board and is now 1 of 9 Community Health Partnership Hospitals in Fife.

Over the years, the hospital was frequently improved and extended and was able to treat 351 patients in 1938. After minor improvements, central heating was introduced in 1924 and the hospital had to close from July to September for the works to be carried out. In 1928, the hospital closed again for major extension work that included additional wards and a new operating room. This was funded by a £5.000 donation. Meantime, urgent cases were referred to the Cupar Fever Hospital. The improved Adamson Cottage Hospital re-opened on 14th January 1929. Up to date technical equipment, such as an X-ray apparatus, was also purchased.

In 1934, a one-storey wing was added to the west of the hospital after acquisition of more grounds and more extension work was carried out on the nurses' house. This £5.907 work was also funded by private donation and completed in June 1937.

A bequest of £10,000 given in 1943 was to be used to erect a maternity wing containing private rooms as well as a public ward. The subsequently required extension to the hot water system was approved by the authorities in 1944 and the kitchen extension in 1947.