General Dispensary, Aldersgate Street

[2][3] Eighteenth century London witnessed not just a building boom and extension of the city boundaries, but also a steep rise in poverty.

Public money spent on the poor increased disproportionately to the rise in population and reliance was put upon medical relief from private voluntary associations and philanthropy.

In addition, the number of London hospitals increased but treatment was confined to within their walls and an unmet need for outpatient care of the poor contributed to the rise of the London dispensary.

[4] Following the popular dispensary opened within the Royal College of Physicians building at Warwick Lane and despite its closure in 1725, around 100 men provided the influence to create the General dispensary at Aldersgate street.

This new building was destroyed during the Blitz in 1941 and its workings continued at St. Bartholomew's hospital until 1948, when the dispensary came to an end.