We have, stored in the hospital archives several portraits of gentlemen of Cambridge and surrounding areas who had at one time some influence at Addenbrooke’s.  The portraits were hung in the Boardroom of the old hospital and for many years in the corridor of level 3 at the new site.

This is Alderman John Newling (1711-1812) who was a Magistrate of Cambridge and Treasurer of the Hospital from 1771-1803.  During his first year as Treasurer he balanced the accounts perfectly.  The largest outgoings, about 25%, were on housekeeping, including bills from the butcher, brewer, baker and mealman, grocer and coalman.  He had to present the accounts of subscribers weekly to the Secretary who presented them to the Governors and he was not to pay any bills that had not been signed by the Chairman of the Weekly Court or by an auditor.  During that year the hospital admitted 579 patients and 333 were discharged as cured.

In his final year he was praised by the auditors of 1803 ‘for the accuracy and neatness with which he kept the accounts for over 30years’.

He was Mayor of Cambridge on two occasions 1774 and 1776 and on a third he was at the centre of a court case on how Mayors were elected in Cambridge, he lost on this occasion.