In 1964, during the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill, it was suggested to the Board of Management that a history of the hospital might be written. At the time nothing tangible resulted. Later when, as this history relates, structural faults in the old hospital were discovered, and it was decided that the old building must be demolished and a new hospital built on the same site, the Board realised that if a history were not written immediately not only would much interesting material be lost but, worse still, many of the contacts with former members of the staff would vanish. This was unthinkable, and in 1969 the decision to proceed with the writing of this history was made.

Once the decision had been taken it became evident that the main problem was not the availability of material but to find the right person with the inclination and time to do the necessary research and with the ability to write a living story setting the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in its context in the history of Glasgow. In the event it was a mixture of discreet enquiry and good luck that brought together the Board and Miss Edna Robertson, the author of this history. Miss Robertson is assistant features editor on the staff of the Glasgow Herald and she has a particular interest in the sociological background of Glasgow. The history of the hospital which she has written has blended the formal story recorded in the minute books and records, the social story as it appears in the files of the Glasgow Herald and elsewhere, and the human side as told by former members of the staff. The Board place on record their profound thanks to Miss Robertson for writing a history which, starting with the upsurge of interest in child health in the latter half of the last century, recounts the enthusiasm, determination, and energy which gave birth to what is now Scotland's largest children's hospital and tells how the cherished reputation of that hospital has been won.

The whole costs of the publication of this history are being generously donated by four friends of the hospital, each of whom has been associated with and has taken a close interest in the hospital over the past 50 years. To these friends, whose request for anonymity must be respected, the Board extend their grateful thanks.

Since the printing of this history has been completed the Board have learned with the greatest of pleasure that the hospital is to be honoured by an inaugural visit from Her Majesty the Queen on 6th July 1972.

RICHARD H. BARCLAY

Glasgow, April 1972