Lock Hospital, in London, for female contagious diseases, was founded in 1746, the chapel in 1764, and the asylum in 1787. The Loke or Lock, in Southwark, from which it derives its name, was an ancient lazaret-house, and was itself perhaps so-called from Fr. loques, 'rags' or 'lint.'
Lock Hospital
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 6: Humber to Malta, p. 684
Source scan(s): p. 0699