Somerset Hospital
A historic regional hospital in Green Point, Cape Town, South Africa, with roots dating to 1818 and a present site opened in 1864.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Somerset Hospital is a regional public hospital in the Green Point area of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. Its institutional history begins in 1818, when Dr Samuel Bailey established a civilian hospital in Chiapinni Street. That earlier facility was Cape Town's first civilian hospital and carried the Somerset name in honour of Lord Charles Somerset, the governor of the Cape Colony associated with providing land for hospital construction. The current Green Point hospital replaced the Chiapinni Street institution and was opened in 1864, following the laying of its cornerstone on 18 August 1859 by Cape Governor Sir George Grey. The hospital developed during a period when Cape Town was expanding its medical infrastructure and professional nursing services. Medical staff were appointed for the new facility, while nurses were recruited from the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at St Thomas' Hospital in London. Sister Helen Bowden became Somerset Hospital's first fully qualified matron in 1877. The institution later created its own nurse-training school and became the first hospital reported to have trained non-white nurses, giving it an important place in the history of nursing education and racial change in South African healthcare. Between 1918 and 1937, before the opening of Groote Schuur Hospital, Somerset Hospital served as the principal academic hospital associated with the University of Cape Town. Its role subsequently changed as Cape Town's hospital network expanded. A West Wing opened in 1973 for white patients, while the older building was designated the north wing. The names reflected the racial segregation of the apartheid era: the letter N referred to non-white patients and W to white patients, rather than simply indicating the buildings' geographic positions. This physical and administrative history is central to understanding Somerset Hospital's heritage significance. In the later twentieth century and early twenty-first century, the hospital became an important referral centre for patients with HIV infection and AIDS-related conditions. It continued to provide regional public-health services while responding to specific local needs. In 2008, it appealed to local businesses for support for a new trauma unit and a ward for women experiencing spontaneous miscarriage. In 2010, a measles ward was opened after an increase in measles cases in Cape Town. The same year, a temporary studio and dedicated lift were constructed on the upper part of the hospital for BBC presenters covering matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup at the nearby Cape Town Stadium. The hospital site has also been the subject of redevelopment proposals, including plans involving hotels, offices and residential accommodation, as well as proposals announced in 2010 to relocate hospital services to a new site in the northern part of Cape Town to serve the densely populated West Coast region. The available reference material does not establish that these plans were completed. Somerset Hospital remains associated with the Western Cape public-health system and is also home to the Cape Medical Museum. The historic hospital buildings were declared a provincial heritage site. The institution's identity therefore combines ongoing regional healthcare provision with medical, nursing, architectural and social history. It also adopted a coat of arms in the late 1950s, which was registered with South Africa's Bureau of Heraldry in 1970.
History
Somerset Hospital's history reaches back to 1818, when Dr Samuel Bailey founded a civilian hospital in Chiapinni Street in Cape Town. It was the city's first civilian hospital and was known as Somerset Hospital, taking its name from Lord Charles Somerset, governor of the Cape Colony. The earlier hospital was eventually replaced by a larger institution in Green Point. The cornerstone of the new building was laid on 18 August 1859 by Cape Governor Sir George Grey, and the present hospital opened in 1864. The Green Point institution was established with formal medical staffing and links to British nursing practice. Nurses were recruited from the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at St Thomas' Hospital in London. Sister Helen Bowden became the first fully qualified nurse appointed as Somerset's matron in 1877. The hospital later developed its own nursing school. It is historically associated with being the first hospital to train non-white nurses, an important development in the history of healthcare education in South Africa. From 1918 to 1937, Somerset Hospital served as the main academic hospital of the University of Cape Town. Its academic prominence declined after Groote Schuur Hospital opened in 1937, but Somerset continued as a regional healthcare institution. Its buildings also record the racial organisation of South African healthcare under apartheid. In 1973, a West Wing was opened for white patients, while the original building was redesignated the north wing. The labels were racial abbreviations rather than straightforward descriptions of the buildings' locations: N referred to non-white patients and W to white patients. The hospital later became a major referral centre for patients with HIV infection and AIDS-related illnesses. Its service role continued to evolve in response to local public-health needs. In 2008, the institution sought assistance from local businesses for a new trauma unit and a ward for women suffering spontaneous miscarriage. In 2010, it opened a measles ward after a rise in measles cases in Cape Town. The hospital also temporarily hosted a BBC studio during the 2010 FIFA World Cup; a studio and dedicated lift were built at the top of the hospital for presenters covering events at the nearby stadium. The grounds have been considered for several redevelopment schemes, including possible hotel, office and residential uses. In 2010, plans were also announced for a relocation to northern Cape Town so that services could better serve the densely populated West Coast area. The available sources do not confirm completion of those redevelopment or relocation proposals. Somerset Hospital is additionally associated with the Cape Medical Museum, preserving aspects of Cape Town's medical history. The hospital itself has been declared a provincial heritage site. The institution adopted a coat of arms in the late 1950s and registered it with South Africa's Bureau of Heraldry in 1970. The arms use a divided design featuring red and gold annulets on one side and blue-and-white barring on the other. The registered blazon reportedly contains an error in the stated order of the colours on the sinister side. Today, Somerset Hospital's significance rests on both its continuing role in regional public healthcare and its unusually well-documented connections to colonial Cape Town, nursing education, academic medicine, apartheid-era segregation, infectious-disease care and the preservation of medical heritage.
- 2010
Measles ward opened
[1]A new measles ward opened following an increase in measles cases in Cape Town.
- 2010
Relocation proposal announced
[1]Plans were announced to relocate the hospital to northern Cape Town to serve the West Coast region.
- 2008
Appeal for trauma and women's-care facilities
[1]Somerset Hospital sought local business support for a trauma unit and a ward for women experiencing spontaneous miscarriage.
- 1973
West Wing opened
[1]A West Wing opened for white patients, while the older structure became known as the north wing under the segregated hospital system.
- 1937
Academic role transferred after Groote Schuur Hospital opened
[1]The hospital's period as the university's main academic hospital ended when Groote Schuur Hospital opened.
- 1918
Became the University of Cape Town's main academic hospital
[1]Somerset Hospital began a period as the principal academic hospital associated with the University of Cape Town.
- 1877
Helen Bowden appointed matron
[1]Sister Helen Bowden became the first fully qualified nurse appointed as Somerset Hospital's matron.
- 1864
Current Somerset Hospital opened
[1]The Green Point hospital opened, replacing the earlier Chiapinni Street facility.
- 1859
Cornerstone laid for the Green Point hospital
[1]Cape Governor Sir George Grey laid the cornerstone of the replacement hospital on 18 August.
- 1818
First Somerset Hospital established in Chiapinni Street
[1]Dr Samuel Bailey founded a civilian hospital in Chiapinni Street, regarded as Cape Town's first civilian hospital and the predecessor of the present institution.
Products and positioning
A historic Western Cape public hospital combining regional clinical services with a distinctive role in South African medical, nursing and heritage history.
Public hospital services · 1864
Regional hospital care
Somerset Hospital provides regional public healthcare in Cape Town. Its institutional role has included general hospital treatment, referral care and services responding to the needs of communities in the Western Cape.
Emergency medicine · 2008
Trauma and emergency care
The hospital sought support in 2008 for the establishment of a new trauma unit, reflecting its role in emergency and acute-care provision. The available reference does not provide a full description of the unit's eventual operating scope.
Infectious-disease services
Infectious-disease referral care
Somerset Hospital became a prime referral centre for patients with HIV infections and AIDS-related conditions. It also opened a measles ward in 2010 in response to increased cases in Cape Town.
Healthcare education
Nursing education
The hospital established its own nurse-training school after recruiting nurses from London. Its history includes the distinction of being the first hospital reported to train non-white nurses.
Women's health · 2008
Maternal and women's health support
In 2008, the hospital sought funding for a ward serving women experiencing spontaneous miscarriage. The source material does not specify the ward's later opening date or full service configuration.
Brand decisions
2010
Considered relocation to northern Cape TownStrategyBackground
Plans were announced to move the hospital to a new site in the northern sector of Cape Town, which was described as a way to serve the densely populated West Coast region.
Action taken
A relocation plan was publicly announced, although the available source does not establish that the move was completed.
Aftermath
The outcome of the proposal is not confirmed in the supplied reference material.
2008
Fundraising appeal for expanded clinical facilitiesOtherBackground
The hospital identified a need for a new trauma unit and a ward for women experiencing spontaneous miscarriage.
Action taken
It appealed to local businesses for financial support.
Aftermath
The supplied material does not state how much funding was raised or whether both facilities were completed.
Sources2 sources
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