Manchester, the Royal Infirmary 1885

The Royal Infirmary, with its high dome and clock face, lords it over Piccadilly. The hospital opened in 1775; the portico entrance nearest the camera was the front of a Mental Asylum, which was incorporated into the building. A public bath house was also part of the block; as well as serving the people of the back streets around Piccadilly, it meant that patients could be given a bath before entering hospital. The cabs in the picture include the famous hansom cab, designed and built by Charles Hansom of Manchester.