Harriet Wheelock / Friday 7 January 2011 A Home for the College From the foundation of the College in 1667 to 1864 the College of Physicians was without a permanent home. Meeting were held, and the library kept, in the homes of Presidents and Fellows until they moved to Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital in 1818. The peripatetic nature of the early years of the College meant that many of the early records, and library books, have been lost. (There is only one volume in the library that can be identified as coming from Dun's original bequest of several hundred.) The need for a permanent home for the College exercised many of the College's Fellows in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, several attempts were made to raise money for such a project, either through subscriptions or applications to Parliament. These included one in May 1814 which optimistically aimed to raise funds, build and furnish the new Hall within a year and a half. In 1860 the College was offered the premises of the Kildare Street Club for £5000. The College raised the purchase price by inviting members to subscribe to £50 debentures, at 4%. The debenture book shows that all 100 were taken up and that several doctors, including the President Sir Dominic Corrigan, purchasing more than one. Shortly after the sale had been arranged the building burnt down, allowing the College to commission the design of the new building, partly paid for by the insurance money. The College held a competition for the design of the building, requesting a two storey building with the rooms detailed in the specification in anything but the gothic style. The archive contains letters from six different Dublin and Belfast based architects submitting their designs. William Murray won the competition, with John McCurdy being awarded second prize, unfortunately the designs of the losing entries, which were displayed in Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital in 1862, have not survived in the College archive. Despite the funds raised by the debentures and from the insurance claim, the College still seemed short of funds. In March 1863 a letter was addressed to the Lords of the Treasury asking for a grant to assist in the completion of the building, a request which was refused. As with all building projects it took longer than expected, not helped by the serious illness of the building contractor James Beardwood, who died in 1865 just after the completion of the building. The original date for completion 1 September 1863 passed with much still to be completed, although the intended date of completion can be seen throughout the building. The Building Committee were finally able to declare construction complete on 4 June 1864, and to pay the final bills. List of Illustations; * 1814 Appeal Letter, part of RCPI/9/1 * First page of debenture book, RCPI/9/3/4 * Detail of moulding from Number 6 Kildare Street * Final accounts for building of Number 6 Kildare Street, part of RCPI/9/3/9