Rainhill Hospital

[silverstealth]

The Lancashire County Lunatic Asylum was erected on Rainhill Road in Prescott and opened on the 1st January 1851.

In 1858 it had 400 patients.

It was a stone building, and was enlarged in 1860 and again in 1886 by the erection of an annexe available for 1,000 patients, at a cost of ?200,000, from designs by Mr. G. E. Grayson, architect of Liverpool.
Built to the Corridor Plan.

By 1900 the total number of patients was 2,029.

By 1936 it was said to be the largest psychiatric hospital in Europe with a total of 3,000 patients.

It was named Rainhill Hospital under the National Health Service.

It closed in June 1992.

I have located a lengthy video taken in bits from the 1970's upto closure.

Having edited the video which is poor quality I have managed to save enough for 3 interesting clips.


YouTube - Rainhill Hospital Gala 1970

Rainhill Hospital Gala Part 1

YouTube - Rainhill Hospital Gala 1970 - 1973 part 2

Rainhill Hospital Gala part 2

YouTube - Rainhill hospital 1992 The Empty Wards

The Empty Wards Circa, 1992 I believe.

The quality is pretty lousy but I think the fact its so rare compensates.

I hope you enjoy the footage as much as I have.

[wsteve55]

I've worked with former patients of Rainhill, and mostly, they have surprisingly fond memories of the place( as well as some not so nice1) I think the powers that be, might be regretting, in some ways, that they got rid of it, and others like it!?

[Last Of The Timelords]

My great grandmother ended up in Rainhill for 35 years in the 1920's with nothing more than post-natal depression so I have great interest in the place, and in how society treated mental illnesses with nothing more, it seems to me, than a lock and key.

[wsteve55]

My great grandmother ended up in Rainhill for 35 years in the 1920's with nothing more than post-natal depression so I have great interest in the place, and in how society treated mental illnesses with nothing more, it seems to me, than a lock and key.

Well,L.OT.T.,
I'm no expert, but until the introduction of anti-psychotic drugs,in the late 50's/early 60's, there was little alternative! Also, some of the definitions of mental incapability,have changed quite dramatically,since then. "Feeblemindedness",was one of these,which on diagnosis,could mean your incarceration in a place like Rainhill.Some examples of this might be, your gran's depression,having an illegitemate child, staying off school persistantly, petty crime,etc, which today wouldn't even be considered! Iknow one guy,who's wife was in mental hospital for 17 yrs, till being re-diagnosed with a thyroid conditionShe's glad to be out and about now!!

[naked lilac]

Those videos were compelling to watch.. especially the last one of the empty wards.. I thought the music of Gerry and the Pacemakers was well thought out in that video.. Made one really think, how lucky being sound we are...

What happened to close it.? And where did they relocate these people..?

I remember my mum taking me and my sister, at about 7 years old.., to view people that were basically retarded.. and put in a hospital for their life..Some, mind you, were total vegetables, and living strapped to a bed.. Very sad indeed...
She wanted to show us how lucky we were.. and how to be compassionate for the less fortunate.. It will never leave my thoughts..

I often walk past homeless people muttering to themselves..Society says .... they are crazy.. Yet, maybe they aren't as crazy.. cause they are free, and not held behind doors in a lunatic asylum.. Very interesting topic.. Thanks for your archives..

[phredd]

What happened to close it.? And where did they relocate these people..?

I think it was "Care in the Community" that closed both Rainhill & Winwick.
Newsham General (Belmont Road Hosp as it then was) had two Psychiatric wards in it's early days, X1 & X2 if memory serves my correctly, X1 being female and X2 Male. The patients mainly suffered from GPI.

Still on about Rainhill Hosp but slightly off topic >>>>>
Does anyone know what happened to the two VW fire tenders from the hospital (rainhill) ?
A group of us have been looking for them for a number of years and can find no trace of them.

Phredd

ps:- GPI = General Paralasis of the Insane; caused by Syphilis in its later stages.

[JLC57]

I am secretary for a local group (Friends of St Benediucts Wood) which looks after the woodland on the former Rainhill Hospital site, in conjunction with the Woodland Trust). The Group's members consist mainly of people now living on the former site. We are arranging a History Night on 5th March 2009 at the local retirement village, where many of the residents have memories of the hospital. We already have a couple of speakers and also some photograph displays lined up and 'stealthpicasso' has agreed that we can use his video footage. Our intention is to record people's memories of the hospital either as a worker or a patient. In the New Year we want to collate this on a web site for everyone. Our other aim is to raise money for a memorial to the hospital patients on the woodland site. If you are interested in either speaking or attending then let me know and I can provide the details.

[Ged]

Is there a register for people who were in Rainhill hospital.

[briden27]

I worked as a psychiatric nurse at Springfield Hospital in the early 70s.You would be amazed at the number of patients on the geriatric wards that had been admitted for some minor misdemeanor and stayed 40 or 50 years.
It is heartbreaking but just a part of the ignorance in the early days of psychiatric medicine

[Paddy]

They still practice electric shock treatment. what for?

[wsteve55]

They still practice electric shock treatment. what for?

Apparently, it did have some positive effect on some, people,though nobody seems to actually know why!(that I've heard about,anyway!)

[knowhowe]

I did a series of portraits at the hospital in the 1980s, some of which are online here (sorry the images are so small, I've been meaning to replace them with better ones for years)-

http://www.chesterwalls.info/gallery/people.html

[ItsaZappathing]

Something strange about them pics KH. Well taken though.
And that is some site you've got there. Excellent pics. Brilliant effort.
Keep it up

[underworld]

One of my Great great Uncles was in this Hospital in the Victorian times for Alcoholism. I believe he was part of the fabric of the place and manned the gatehouse. He died aged 38 in the 1880s.

[wsteve55]

Great pic's KH,
The stories those faces could tell! I think I actually recognise one of the women there,and who's brother, was also an inmate! Both were transferred to community houses in Anfield! I'll be looking at the Rainhill site,and though I never worked there,have been in contact with people who did live,and work there!