The Royal Papworth Heritage Guide is now accessible online, providing users with details about the hospital's long and significant history. Founded in 1918 as a tuberculosis settlement, the hospital evolved into a leading heart and lung centre by the 1960s and became a pioneer in transplantation during the 1980s. It continues to be at the forefront of respiratory and cardiovascular medicine globally.
The Trust curates a collection of approximately 2,500 items, managed by its heritage officer. The new digital guide complements the recently rehung display cabinets located in the atrium and outpatient waiting area. These displays now offer access to additional archival photographs, footage, and previously inaccessible extracts from oral history recordings.
Many of the oral history recordings featured in the guide were gathered between 2011 and 2013 during the 'Voices from the Village of Hope' project. This initiative, a collaboration between Papworth Hospital Heritage Centre, Papworth Parish Council, and Papworth Trust, was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It involved interviews with 35 patients, staff, and residents of Papworth Everard, sharing their experiences of living in the village settlement.
While the hospital prioritises infection control and does not encourage visits solely for heritage displays, the free guide allows anyone to explore the collection remotely. Users can access the guide via a QR code, a browser link, or by downloading the Bloomberg Connects app and searching for ‘Royal Papworth Hospital’. The development of this guide was made possible by the generous support of the Royal Papworth Charity.
