A History of Doughty's Hospital, Norwich, 1687-2009

Abstract

Doughty’s Hospital, an almshouse in Norwich, was founded by a bequest in the will of William Doughty in 1687 and continues to thrive to this day. In this detailed history, the Hospital itself is contextualised within the broader history of the city of Norwich and its various philanthropic initiatives, as well as within the wider history of philanthropy and social policy. The growth and development of Doughty’s almshouse is traced through local documentary evidence as well as through census returns and the reports of the poor law commissioners, whilst the authors have also used oral-history interviews with current residents and recent and current staff and trustees. Having set out the long-term historical foundations of social welfare, the book focuses on the Hospital and considers key aspects of its history, including its residents, staffing, financial management and the rise of state regulation. The authors undertake a broad survey of philanthropy across more than three centuries, giving insights into changes in social welfare up to the present day. With chapters on the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as a detailed look at this notable almshouse as it has evolved today, this book makes a valuable contribution to the history of social welfare.