Remember Essex Hall asylum? Then get in touch (From Essex County Standard)
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Remember Essex Hall asylum? Then get in touch
10:40am Friday 28th September 2012 in News
PEOPLE who remember Colchester’s former asylum are being asked to contribute their memories to a new book.
In 1859 an asylum was established at Essex Hall, which was south of Colchester North Station.
It housed children and adults with learning disabilities until it was closed and demolished in 1989.
Jewels Johnson, who is compiling a book on Essex Hall, said it was the UK’s second asylum, after Bedlam.
She said: “I want as many people to come forward as possible who were either patients at Essex Hall, or who had relatives or friends there.
“I’d also like to speak to those who worked there, visited there or had any kind of connection with it. Any information about the place at all is welcome.”
Email jewelly@hotmail.com
Comments(9)
PROOFREADER
says...
11:10am Fri 28 Sep 12
The REAL Norm
says...
11:23am Fri 28 Sep 12
A-S-Y-L-U-M
Do you not use spell check? Maybe read the articles through before pressing publish. Has this been written by the work experience kid?
25414nora
says...
9:42pm Fri 28 Sep 12
Part of her duties was to exersise the inmates, taking them for walks, sometimes into the town, perhaps 10 or twelve mature patients all holding hands like children. The closing down of these places was the best thing ever...replaced by what is now known as (care in the community)
notabot
says...
10:42am Sat 29 Sep 12
history repeats itself at times eh.
notwithstanding, london got its own asylam in 1247 till 1997.
http://www.museumofl
ondon.org.uk/archive
/exhibits/bedlam/f_b
ed.htm
Indeed, history does repeat itself!
the care given to those less fortunate in the early years was barbaric.
It must have continued for centuries after.
Our modern replacements being care in the community, for "some"
remains at question, as one commentor among us on the gazette must surely be just one of those less fortunate.
hughie-s
says...
2:43pm Sat 29 Sep 12
25414nora wrote:The crocodiles of patients hand in hand went on well into the 1960's. Many of them had spent years incarcerated in, to give it its original name, the Eastern Counties Asylum for Idiots, Imbeciles and the Feebleminded for nothing more than being an unmarried mother.
In the 1940s my mother worked as an warder (assistant) at Essex Hall also known as 'Peckover House' I believe it was an Asylum predominantly for mentaly ill females. Mother told of the very desperate atmosphere withen the walls, she mostly came home after her shift, quite depressed.
Part of her duties was to exersise the inmates, taking them for walks, sometimes into the town, perhaps 10 or twelve mature patients all holding hands like children. The closing down of these places was the best thing ever...replaced by what is now known as (care in the community)
Jewels Johnson
says...
8:28am Mon 1 Oct 12
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me.
I would really like the opportunity to talk you more about the memories you have from your Mother.Either by phone or exchanging emails. And you have touched upon some areas I'm particularly interested in.
My email is jewelly@hotmail.com
and my number is 07891 412173
Very much hope to hear from you & Thanks again
Jewels
Jewels Johnson
says...
8:30am Mon 1 Oct 12
My apologies! I only just noticed the name above the 'nora' address.
Jewels Johnson
says...
8:35am Mon 1 Oct 12
Yes you are absolutely right, in fact I believe there will be many many more readers of the Gazette than we realise who suffer from mental health struggles.
Definitely history repeating itself there on the typos! I really don't mind how things are typed so long as I can reach people out there to come forward.
So far nothing has been written at length about Essex Hall so it will disappear from History and I think it's a very important part of the mental health history of this country.
Thanks so much for your reply
Jewels
PROOFREADER says...
11:10am Fri 28 Sep 12