Old Postcard image taken early 1900s of "The Asylum". Burghill.Opened in 1871 at a cost of £67.000 it was known as "The Hereford County and City Lunatic Asylum".It was later extended in 1900 at a cost £40.000 and could accommodate up to 550 inmates as they were called in those days.The "Asylum" latter became known as "St Mary's Hospital" and was finally closed in 1994 to make way for a modern housing development although a lot of the original buildings still remain today.
The aim of this site is to give a different look at Old Hereford, with new and old pictures of its people, it's buildings, it's businesses and events from over the years. Something a little different for people to take a look at and talk about. Contact;
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Burghill Asylum.Hereford
Old Postcard image taken early 1900s of "The Asylum". Burghill.Opened in 1871 at a cost of £67.000 it was known as "The Hereford County and City Lunatic Asylum".It was later extended in 1900 at a cost £40.000 and could accommodate up to 550 inmates as they were called in those days.The "Asylum" latter became known as "St Mary's Hospital" and was finally closed in 1994 to make way for a modern housing development although a lot of the original buildings still remain today.
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30 comments:
this is strange was researching this place the other day reaaly good well done x
Unknown 7/26
very interested to see this photo as have just discovered that ancestors of mine (Thomas Smith & wife, Eliza, nee Owen) were (according to '81 and '91 censuses) head attendant and housekeeper at this establishment!
and one of my ancestors was a patient in 1881.
I started working at St. Marys Hospital when I was 18 years old. It was a good place to work & the patients were well looked after.
I can remember the hooter going off when I was a child. It used to happen when someone had escaped - or so everyone said.
I lived across the fields from The Hospital, and would often see men in white coats looking for escaped patients. This was quite frightening for young children. But we never came to any harm.
i recently found a book on biology at my grans house with the stamp 'nurse training school, st mary's hospital, hereford' i was curious as to the history of the hospital. thanks for the pic and info.
I worked at this hospital, there was just 2 of us and we started the Cadet training
Trained as a mental health nurse there in the eighties. A great loss to the service when it closed.
My 2nd Great grandfather Charles Smith was shown on the 1871 census as Clerk of Works when the Asylum was built.
My Great Aunt Sarah Jane Traylor was there until she died and was buried in the grounds of the hospital in 1959 I wondered if anyone remembers her.
My Great Aunt Sarah Jane Traylor was there until she died and was buried in the grounds of the hospital in 1959 I wondered if anyone remembers her.
Can anyone please tell the graves Have been moved, If the graves have been moved to Where was the graves moved too. Also how can check the names of people who died there and who had been a patient there. The year from 1935 to 1937.If anyone can help me that WOULD BE GREAT. Thank you
Started work there in 1972 and it was a wonderful place.The patients had everything they needed or wanted.The staff were very experienced in nursing all types of mental and physical illness.There were dances in the main hall and patients were taken out on day trips to Port Eynon and Barry Island.There was a massive kitchen there with trained chefs cooking for patients and staff.MIND produced a book called"Boots on,out" which everyone should read.
I am also trying to trace a relative - my grandmother who I think may have been a patient from 1938 onwards. I have not been able to find a death record for my grandmother and she would be 101 today. I would be very interested to know how I could find records of people who were cared for in St Mary's from 1038 onwards.
I can be found on anna.heddle@virgin.net
In addition to the comment above - my grandmothers name was Winifred Baker 'Winnie' (nee Midford) dob 26.01.1913
Hi can anyone tell me the area in Burghill this is situated please I cant seem to find any reference of the postal address. My father died there in 1965 and I wanted to retrace his steps. Thank you.
I believe it has been demolished and houses built. Sorry dont know original address. Old employees will probably be more help. Apparently a daffodil for each person buried there was planted....2000+.
My great Nan was there and died there are no records of her dieing or being releast are anywhere to be found way they don't tell u is the shock treatment and the ice bathe and the horrible stuff. They. Done to the patient
The Herefordshire Family History Society have done some work looking in to the Asylum at Burghill.
It was called "The Hereford County and City Lunatic Asylum", and built a few miles north west of Hereford within the Parish of Burghill on Tillington Lane, part of the HR4 Post Code. In July 2003 the following article appeared [The Herefordshire Family History Magazine, July 2003, from the article "Lunacy and Lunatic Asylum's in the 19th Century" by Monica Beavan].
As far as deaths are concerned, apparently the bodies were transported by other inmates to St. Mary the Virgin, Parish Church Burghill, and the dead inmates were laid to rest there in unmarked graves. In 2002 the local people planted a tree and bulbs to commemorate the dead inmates as it is believed that none have any form of grave stone.
I have an interest as my great great great Aunt Jane Rosa Lane was committed to Burghill on 3 January 1901, she died there on 15 November 1954
Does anyone know where is this in Burghill? I am trying to find it for my history A Level.
My father was the Superintendent Psychiatrist at St Marys from 1961 - Lt Col Jack McQuillan. I grew up in the large house just inside the hospital gates 'Firbank' what a wonderful childhood.My father made it his mission to get as many patients as possible out of the hospital to assisted living in the community. A wonderful caring man who only ever wanted the best for the patients and staff of St Marys.
Neil McQuillan
I was admitted there in 1976 with depression. When I left 6 weeks later I had learned that an overdose of simple asprin could kill you and I truly felt that my life was over such was the awfulness of the place, demeaning and humiliation and stigma.
One of the staff nurses particularly felt I was being given special treatment and she made my life even worse.
I later worked at Shelton in Shrewsbury on the other side of the fence and never forgot or forgave how St Mary's nearly caused my life to be over. Shelton was not much better I might add.
I am now 62 and have 3 lovely children have been married for 33 years and know what a sham much mental health care has been with patients put on experimental drug trials and treatments that were not safe or helpful.
Just received my 2nd gr grandfather's Thomas Levi Smith death cert - he died in Burghill Lunatic Asylum on 11 Sep 1887, aged 70 years. Cause of death Atrophy of Brain, Caries of Elbow Charcot's Disease. He had been a Hurdlemaker who had lived at Stockley Hill, near Tiberton.
Are there any patient records accessible online.....or otherwise.....anywhere for this time?
Thank you in advance for any help/
I worked there from 1978 until it closed in 1994 and all the patient records went into storage at Iron Mountain, you should hopefully be able to access them
Looking for information regarding a member of staff from 1916. Elizabeth wyles gave birth to a Reginald William Wyles. Reginald was given up to Barnados and has no father noted on his birth certificate.
Elizabeth was 17 and worked at the asylum at the time. We have no more information. Any help would be greatly received
I worked in the laundry room doing the nurses uniforms in the way 70s..was a good job..
Ive just found a letter from my grandfather Andrew Lamb to his wife and children in Ireland dated 16/5/1919 addressed from Hereford County & City Asylum.
We have no knowledge of him being a patient, indeed the letter suggests he may have worked there as he states "We are beginning to get some new attendants now but as yet I have no news when I won't be wanted. I expect that it will run into July as the short hour system comes into operation then"
Does anyone know if staff lists (or even patient lists) exist from this period? we are trying to trace his movements during and after WW1.
Thanks
Alan Trotter
To Alan Trotter. I have recently (2023) obtained some helpful details of a relative who died there in 1961 from "Herefordshire Archives", for a small fee. Very helpful there. Good luck
My current partners Mum worked there. He snuck in a lot and got chased out. Patients would be strapped to boards with a thin mattress and leather straps for hours just left. Children wandering around with little teddy bears not knowing what to do as they were left from big families who couldn’t cope. Faeces smeared on walls where other people would be head butting out of sheer boredom. Now it’s a supposedly a luxury housing estate… but the underground linkage tunnels between buildings probably haven’t collapsed. Tell it how it is and maybe it can be learned from as there is no point lying about the places anymore, thankfully they no longer exist.
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