The Manchester Royal Infirmary was established by Charles White and local industrialist Joseph Bancroft on 24th June 1752. The Lord of the Manor, Sir Oswald Mosely, donated land at the top of Market Street (now known as Piccadilly Gardens) and a new hospital was opened on Monday 9th June 1755. The hospital grew in size over the years to accommodate a Lunatic Hospital, public baths and outpatients department.

In 1908 the MRI moved to its present site on Oxford Road. During the Second World War the hospital

was hit twice by overnight bombing, resulting in the collapse of the tower of the teaching block on 24 December 1940.

Major rebuilding took place in the 1980s, and a new surgical complex and an A&E Department were opened. The MRI became part of Central Manchester Healthcare Trust with the reorganisation of the NHS in 1991. The new MRI wing opened on 23 March 2012.