St Jørgen’s Hospital’s collection box from 1778 

Engraved on this box are the words ‘Hospital collection box 1778’. It is one of two copper boxes in the museum’s collections. 

As an institution that was in operation for hundreds of years, its financial situation and sources of income naturally varied, but from the very beginning until well into the present, St. Jørgen’s Hospital received gifts and donations. It would not appear that donations ever made up a significant part of its income, but for the residents, gifts of money, food and other necessities could make a big difference to their lives, especially when conditions were particularly difficult during periods when the hospital’s finances were tight.

In 1835, it was forbidden to walk around in the church collecting money, and ‘collection boxes’ were instead set up by the doors. 

The other two boxes in the museum’s collections are an older copper box, and a green-painted one with the inscription “Aarstads Sogns Fattig Bøsse”, the latter was the poor box for the parish of Aarstad, who used the hospital church from 1749 to 1886.
Photos: Bergen City Museum.