St Joseph's Orphanage

St Joseph's Orphanage was built in 1872 and opened on 19 September that year. The orphanage housed and was the first welfare provider in Preston for Roman Catholic girls. The hospital cared for British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers during World War I and World War II. Over the years, tens of thousands of babies were born at the hospitals maternity unit. Another wing was added to the hospital in 1933 followed by an additional one in 1958 by Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent. Following the closure of the orphanage, the top floor of the building was used as accommodation for the nuns who were running the adjacent hospital. In 1982, the sisters left nursing and Mount Street Hospital closed its…

The building was designed by R.W Hughes in a gothic style. The building was made from red brick in English bond with blue brick and sandstone ashlar dressings along with a Welsh slate roof. The buildings were of two storeys with basements and attics.