A brief history

The picture above once again shows the uniform of the day. The nurse on the right is my Gran. My Grandmother worked all her life at the hospital and was very dedicated. However, it was a very different place from today and standards of yesterday cannot be judged as they are today. The stories she told me as a boy would make a horror film today, we need to remember that at this time many mental health problems were still not understood and medication was almost unheard of for psychiatric patients. Patients were still referred to as lunatics and mad people. Most of the problems were dealt with by brute force, padded cells, E.C.T, and lobotomy. The unfortunate and dark history of the Hospital involves the practice of family's getting close members convicted to the hospital for example, a women pregnant out of wedlock or for stealing. I personally knew a patient who was placed in hospital simply because his family did not want him and could not feed him. He died at the age of 90 and he had been there since he was 14. Most patients worked in the hospital carrying out various tasks. Today, it would be labelled as exploitation. However, my personal opinion is probably controversial as I was employed at the hospital towards the end of this practice and I can say it changed for the worse. Patients were never forced to work, they volunteered and would be paid for it. This gave patients some normality and pride. Patients worked alongside staff in all areas. I can remember patients working in the greenhouses, potting plants and watering them. Patients would sweep the roads with staff and clean their own wards, I remember when patients would wash staff cars for extra money. The list can go on and on. Once the "do-gooders" stepped in and stopped it all, most of the patients lost cause and deteriorated while sat in smokey wards staring out of windows. I found this a shame because it was good practice for the patient as they worked and earned by choice and today we give artificial exercise and give them money for nothing so its not appreciated. Although, Tesco now stands on the site and we take it for granted to collect all our shopping with ease, it is hard to believe that the hospital was completely self efficient for every want and need. At one time it had its own fields of vegetables and a live stock farm with chickens and pigs, the hospital had all the staff needed to maintain it for example;

Tinsmith, plumber, electrician, upholsters,Cobbler,boiler man, engineers, mechanics, fabricators, painters and decorators, Gardeners, Gas fitters, store men, tailors, shop workers, hairdressers, barbers, P.E teachers, Brick layers, Carpenters, Iron Monger, Orderlies, Glass cutters, Roofers, lead-smith, plasterers, sewing room staff who would make make and repair anything cloth related. They would also sew in the patients names on the collar or neck of a dress. Many a time would a patient get lost on the grounds and you would check the collar for the name, "yes its true". The hospital also had a fully operational laundrette that was situated opposite the Waterdale restaurant and the Waterdale restaurant is on the site of the "works yard" where all these tradesmen were situated. The hospital also had its own fireman and fire engine. This building was opposite the famous landmark clock tower.

As mentioned above, the Greenhouses,were situated where Newlands is now. The Greenhouses were used for multiple purposes. When there was a show or presentation in the hospital the Gardeners would produce a fantastic show of colours around the stage. The greenhouses were heated by steam pipes from their own small boiler room, which is now a staff toilet in Newlands and part of the main office. Due to this situation, it was possible to grow anything in them from weeds "not weed" to tomatoes and even had a banana plant. Patients used to help out in the Greenhouses up to about early 1980s. Below are a few memories of the greenhouses.