skin
22-02-2011, 05:04 PM
In 1924 the Council purchased the 420-acre Porters Park estate. Part of the land had been used as the London Colney aerodrome during WW1. Three of the aerodrome's aircraft hangars remained on the site and these became incorporated into the new Colony.
Opened in October 1928 and the first patients, eight male adults, were admitted, supervised by untrained male attendants. They cleared out the hangars, which were converted into wards. After a few months there were 86 male patients from the County of Middlesex who lived and worked on the site. Construction of the new buildings began in 1929.
The first of the new buildings opened in February 1931 and, by December, 342 male patients were in residence.
Building work continued in stages until 1936. It was planned to accommodate 1700 mentally handicapped patients of both sexes, in the event the Colony was never fully completed.
The Institution was renamed the Middlesex Colony when it was officially opened in May 1936 by the then Minister of Health, Sir Kingsley Wood.
By 1939, at the outbreak of WW2, the Colony had 1194 patients.
In 1948 the Colony became part of the NHS
In 1950 the Middlesex Colony was renamed Harperbury Hospital.
By the 1950s the Hospital had 1464 beds, Four additional villas and a new male Nurses' Home were built. A Department of Clinical Psychology was established in order to provide a more precise assessment of mental handicap. A large wooden building was built to house a swimming pool.
In 1960 a Cerebral Palsy Unit was established, founded by the Nuffield Provincial Hospital Trust.
Enoch Powell, who visited in 1961, was the first Minister to question the future role of large mental hospitals.
When Leavesden Hospital closed in 1995 its remaining patients were transferred to Harperbury, and similarly when Cell Barnes Hospital closed in 1998.
Harperbury Hospital finally closed in 2001.
Visited with Cuban
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Opened in October 1928 and the first patients, eight male adults, were admitted, supervised by untrained male attendants. They cleared out the hangars, which were converted into wards. After a few months there were 86 male patients from the County of Middlesex who lived and worked on the site. Construction of the new buildings began in 1929.
The first of the new buildings opened in February 1931 and, by December, 342 male patients were in residence.
Building work continued in stages until 1936. It was planned to accommodate 1700 mentally handicapped patients of both sexes, in the event the Colony was never fully completed.
The Institution was renamed the Middlesex Colony when it was officially opened in May 1936 by the then Minister of Health, Sir Kingsley Wood.
By 1939, at the outbreak of WW2, the Colony had 1194 patients.
In 1948 the Colony became part of the NHS
In 1950 the Middlesex Colony was renamed Harperbury Hospital.
By the 1950s the Hospital had 1464 beds, Four additional villas and a new male Nurses' Home were built. A Department of Clinical Psychology was established in order to provide a more precise assessment of mental handicap. A large wooden building was built to house a swimming pool.
In 1960 a Cerebral Palsy Unit was established, founded by the Nuffield Provincial Hospital Trust.
Enoch Powell, who visited in 1961, was the first Minister to question the future role of large mental hospitals.
When Leavesden Hospital closed in 1995 its remaining patients were transferred to Harperbury, and similarly when Cell Barnes Hospital closed in 1998.
Harperbury Hospital finally closed in 2001.
Visited with Cuban
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5468585708_5f9fbb5c4b_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5467989981_c8e150a1bf_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5254/5467989845_0a882a0a5d_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/5468585880_ae0779e572_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5132/5468586654_a75d9c43b3_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5173/5467990081_d18317c3fc_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5018/5468586800_5b76671690_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5467989293_70a3a9f4e7_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5174/5468586380_1ed4d60ae5_z.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5293/5467990389_aeb9266591_z.jpg