Blackburn General Dispensary 001

b02767.Old Dispensary, King Street, Established at the corner of King Street and Princess Street in 1823. Blackburn General dispensary was the precursor of the Blackburn and East Lancashire Royal Infirmary. Its first surgeon-dispenser was Dr John Skaife, one of the towns quaintest and most eccentric characters, who resided on the premises for many years. An ardent collector of curios and antiques, when he died in 1881 the sale of his coins alone raised the sum of £1,796. Q154