When University College, with its medical department, was built on Gower Street as the original University of London, a small dispensary was opened close by as a teaching facility. It soon became evident, however, that the medical school would need an affiliated hospital to provide clinical training. The college opened a public fund and provided a site on the other side of Gower Street to erect its own hospital, and in 1834 the hospital (originally the North London Hospital but later renamed University College Hospital) was opened. It contained one hundred and thirty beds, but when completed was intended to house another one hundred patients. Over the following years, the hospital was enlarged until it became evident that complete rebuilding was necessary. Between 1897 and 1906 a new hospital was built, largely with funds donated by Sir John Blundell Maple, the owner of a large furniture and furnishings store close to the college.