Lady Louisa Whitworth built Whitworth Cottage Hospital, the first of two major building projects in Darley Dale, following the death of her husband. In September 1889 "the Whitworth hospital, built through the munificence of the late Sir Joseph Whitworth Bart., who was a native of this parish, is nearly completed. Miss Burford, from the Salford Nurses' Home, has been appointed matron. The cost of the convalescent home or hospital is very little under 10,000l. and money is provided to maintain it throughout. It will be under the control of Lady Whitworth and the legatees of the late baronet^[1]". It was opened for patients shortly afterwards. In 1895 the Hospital, described as "beautifully situated on an elevation", could accommodate 14 patients and by 1912 two cots had been added to the number of beds^[2].

The hospital had closed in 1897 "with an object of carrying out a scheme of re-organisation"^[3] and on 14 Dec 1898 the Duchess of Devonshire officially opened the "Endowed Whitworth General and Infectious Hospitals (gifts to Darley district)^[4]". In June 1889 the first annual meeting of subscribers was held and Dr Moxon reported that since January of that year the hospital had dealt with 33 patients, some of whom were severe accident cases from the local works at Darley Dale and at Matlock. He added that they could accommodate16 people at any one time, so this presumably included the 2 cots^[5].

References:

^[1] The Derby Mercury, 4 Sep, 1889
^[2] Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire, 1895 and 1912
^[3] The Weekly Standard and Express, Blackburn, 18 Dec 1898
^[4] The Morning Post, 15 December, 1898
^[5] The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent, 9 Jun 1899