Balfour Hospital

In 1836, John Balfour of Trenabie set up a charitable trust for the founding of a hospital with the interest from £20,000 worth of Mexican government bonds. In 1845, the trustees of the hospital fund bought the house from local merchant, James Shearer, together with the two large gardens and blacksmith's shop on the west side of the street, for £450. At first known simply as the Orkney Hospital, it became the Balfour Hospital in 1853, in recognition of the contribution of the Balfour family. This building is now the Kirkwall West End Hotel. A Macmillan House ward for cancer patients had opened at the Eastbank Hospital in 1993; this was replaced by a Macmillan House ward in the Balfour…