If you’ve ever visited The Infirmary Hair & Beauty in Stafford, you might have wondered where our slightly unusual name came from.
The answer has nothing to do with us trying to make a trip to the hairdresser sound medical! It actually comes from the history of the place we call home.
Long before haircuts, colours, facials and beauty treatments were happening here, this part of Stafford was home to Stafford General Infirmary, with a history stretching back more than 250 years.
And when we started looking a little deeper into its story, we discovered there’s much more history on our doorstep than we realised. There’s even a rather interesting mention of Charles Darwin’s grandfather along the way…
So, grab a cuppa. Here’s the story behind The Infirmary Hair & Beauty in Stafford. 💚
Image Credit: Staffordshire County Museum
What Was Stafford General Infirmary?
Long before this part of Stafford became the place you know today, it was home to Stafford General Infirmary, with a history stretching back more than 250 years.
According to Staffordshire Past Track, part of Staffordshire’s historical collections, The Infirmary began in a rented house in Foregate Street in 1766. It was funded through subscriptions and bequests, while local doctors provided their services for free.
It didn’t take long for the infirmary to need more space. Staffordshire Past Track records that beds became so scarce that some patients had to be accommodated elsewhere. The Corporation subsequently granted a 500-year lease in Foregate for a new infirmary, with the £3,000 needed for the building raised by public subscription.
The new building, designed by Benjamin Wyatt and Sons, opened in 1772.
And this wasn’t a hospital that simply stood still. As Stafford grew and healthcare changed, so did the infirmary. Its Foregate Street frontage was remodelled by architect Sir Aston Webb between 1892 and 1897. Operating theatres were added in 1920, the David Hollins Nurses Home followed in 1927, casualty and outpatient facilities in 1930, and a large new block containing children’s and surgical wards, radiology and physiotherapy departments opened in 1938 by Lord Horder, Physician to the King.
The hospital eventually closed in 1996, following the opening of Stafford District General Hospital on Weston Road, and demolition work began in 1999.
However, parts of the historic infirmary survived, and it’s within this remaining part of the building that you’ll find The Infirmary Hair & Beauty today.
Image Credit: Staffordshire County Museum
Does Stafford General Infirmary Have a Connection to Charles Darwin?
While researching the history of Stafford General Infirmary, we came across an interesting connection. A historical account published in Geograph, states that Dr Erasmus Darwin of Lichfield was appointed “physician extraordinary” to Stafford General Infirmary in 1776.
Erasmus Darwin was the grandfather of Charles Darwin, the English naturalist best known for his work on evolution.
And here’s a little connection we couldn’t resist. Darwin actually wrote about hair. In The Descent of Man (1871), while exploring how humans had evolved, he looked at why we have hair, where it grows and why it varies from person to person. At one point he notes that human hairs are “highly variable, not only in abundance, but likewise in position.”
He even took an interest in why our hair can stand on end, with surviving correspondence discussing the muscles connected to our hair follicles and the effect of fear and emotion on them.
So no, Darwin didn’t leave us any tips on balayage or the perfect blow-dry, but we rather like the fact that hair made it into his work too. ✂️
We haven’t been able to independently verify the appointment from the original archive records, but it’s such a fascinating little detail in the history of The Infirmary that we thought it deserved a little highlight. We are a hair salon, after all…
Image Credit: Staffordshire County Museum
Why Did We Call Our Stafford Salon The Infirmary?
When we chose the name The Infirmary, we wanted to keep a little nod to the history of the building rather than completely erase what had been here before us.
The hospital has such a long history in Stafford, and so many local families will have their own memories and stories connected to it. We love the thought that although the building has changed beyond recognition inside, another little chapter of its story is still being written here every day.
Of course, the kind of care that happens within these walls today is very different.
But, for us, The Infirmary is still a place to be cared for.
Sometimes that means finally doing something about the hair that’s been knocking your confidence. Sometimes it’s taking care of your skin, having your nails done, or simply sitting down with a coffee and enjoying an hour where somebody else is looking after you.
Because looking after yourself isn’t always about the big things. Sometimes it’s those little pockets of time that make you feel refreshed, more confident and a bit more like yourself again.
Our idea of care might look very different today, but wellbeing is still at the heart of The Infirmary. And we think there’s something rather lovely about that. 💚
Image Credit: Staffordshire County Museum
What Makes a Hair Salon One of the Best in Stafford?
Search for the best hair salon in Stafford and you’ll find plenty of choices. But what actually makes a salon the right one for you?
For us, it goes far beyond a great haircut or colour. It’s about how you feel from the moment you walk through the door to the moment you leave.
It’s being listened to. Having a stylist who understands your hair and what you want from it. It’s honest advice, ongoing education and treatments that consider the health of your hair as much as the finished result.
And it’s also about the experience itself.
We’ve talked a lot about the history of The Infirmary and how this site was once associated with caring for people. Today, wellbeing is still an important part of what we do, just in a completely different way.
We want a visit to our Stafford hair and beauty salon to be a time you genuinely look forward to. A chance to switch off, be looked after and leave feeling a little more like yourself.
So, if you’re trying to find the best hair salon in Stafford for you, look beyond the treatment menu. Look at the people, their experience, their education, the way they approach consultations and, importantly, whether you feel you can trust them with your hair.
That’s the kind of salon we want The Infirmary to be. 💚
