Caroline Smedley founded the hydropathic hospital on Bank Road in memory of her husband, the hydropathist and mill owner John Smedley. Erected in 1882^[1], "a wing was added in 1897 in memory of the late Dr. William Bell Hunter, chief physician at the Smedley establishment^[2]" and there were then 28 beds for patients who paid their board but received free treatment. In 1912 the board was 10s per. week^[1]. By 1616 this had risen to 12s 6d and in 1925 the charges had become 21s for men and 17s 6d for women; it was still that rate in 1941 although the number of beds had dropped slightly to 26. The hospital became a Convalescent Home and was then taken over by the Youth Hostel Association (YHA).

The list below has been compiled from trade directories (coloured links to on line transcripts).

See the hospital's entries in 1891 census | 1901 census