A free evening of emotive talks brings together decades of research by Drs. Frank Crompton and Mark Gallagher, and the personal history of Ken Crump RMN, who nursed patients at Powick Mental Hospital until its final closure in 1988.
Find out more here: https://medicalmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/powicktalks
Get your tickets direct from Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/evening-of-talks-redressing-the-balance-powick-mental-hospital-1852-1978-tickets-618942512717
A ward at the former infirmary. Photo-credit-George Marshall Medical Museum
Hello readers, my name is George Birtwhistle, I am a 15-year-old school student from Christopher Whitehead who at the time of writing this lovely blog (If I am to toot my own horn) is currently working through my work experience at the Charles Hastings and George Marshall Medical museums in Worcester and by God has it been an incredible experience.
Over the course of this wonderful week I have been educated of the history of the royal infirmary of Worcester and the former Powick mental hospital which shut its doors for the final time in 1989 after well over a century of service under its belt.
My Work experience began when I interviewed a former nurse who worked at Powick called Ken Krum (I think that’s how it’s spelled at least) who told me of the remarkability of the hospital and the patients themselves, while the 1968 documentary on the Hospital (Notably ward F-13 where the elderly female patients where neglected and mistreated until they could do naught but vegetate until their lives were finally snuffed out ) does show a negative side of the establishment, Ken told me of all of the good the hospital had done for the patients and the doctors who worked there.
Did you know that many of the Doctors live on the grounds of the hospital? Or that on every Friday night the patients would have balls in a large ballroom as a way to help them recover from whatever ailment they suffered from? Or that Sir Edward Elgar would conduct the music to the balls? The lives of the patients were usually very happy and they would often be able to leave after a few months within the hospital and even to those who would stay for years and even decades they would still see it as home.
A ward at the former infirmary. Photo-Credit- George Marshall Medical Museum
Then I was brought to the incredible Infirmary medical museum where there I would receive an interesting tour of the premises, it was an amazing experience and deeply fascinating as I learned about the building itself, it’s founders and even of the supposed ghost who haunts it.
I also was able to handle some extremely old and fascinating medicinal tools that were used by doctors throughout the 20th and 19th centuries (Even some bizarre stuff such as Uterine Dilators which were particularly yucky) but ultimately it was a very fun activity and hopefully in the future I’ll be able to do more of it because even if I don’t know what the tools or objects are…I’m a little goblin when it comes to history and that includes medical history and I doubt that I’m the only one out there, which is why I recommend the museums to everyone in the area if you’re interested in how medicine has developed over the years, they have everything from the inspiring to the depressing and from the tame to the grizzly. Come one, come all!
Photo-Credit- George Marshall Medical Museum
But back to me, I have done a lot of cool stuff over the course of the week and I’m sure you’ll be wondering whether or not there’s anything negative I can point out I can say that I don’t recommend doing any of the above when you have a cold, it’s obvious but hey…I’m recovering from on as I type this and believe me…Worrying about sneezing, coughing or spluttering on centuries old objects isn’t exactly an ideal pastime.
Well no matter what, It was still an incredible experience and I’m sure that you like I will learn a great deal of medicine and how it’s progressed over the centuries, from the Renaissance to the modern day, I bid you good luck and a good day
Are you interested in joining in a FREE embroidery workshop? Open to all women, including trans and non-binary people, this fun and relaxing workshop will see you create an embroidery of a breast. If you choose, your work can be included in a large, collaborative quilt.
Absolutely no experience is needed, and all materials will be provided. There will also be light refreshments. There will be opportunities to discuss subjects like breast health, harassment, breast feeding, transition, diversity and positive body image. See more information about Lois Blackburn and their work here: https://loisblackburnartist.uk/current-work/
There are two sessions planned. The first at The Infirmary Museum on Monday 15 May. The second at George Marshall Medical Museum on Tuesday 16 May. Find event details on Eventbrite:- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/beauty-and-the-breast-session-two-tickets-629069693387
This is part of a bigger project, supported by Arts Council England. Lois is working with approximately 140 women of many different ages and backgrounds from across the UK. The final artworks will be carefully stitched together by Lois, and exhibited at: The Festival of Quilts at the NEC, Glasgow Women’s Library, Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health, Blythe House Hospice in Derbyshire, Worcestershire Medical Museums and on-line.
In my investigation of Mental Health in Worcestershire 1780 to 1980, the only humanitarian action by Officialdom came, following the County Asylums’ Act in 1845 (8 & 9 Vict, 126), when the Worcestershire County Authorities were forced to open a Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Prior to the opening of Powick Asylum, the Worcester City and County Parishes had sent their pauper patients to 3 Private Madhouses; fortunately, all of which were of good quality. This was in stark contrast to much of the rest of England and Wales, where all too often, the madhouses used were scandalously poor. The Private Asylum at Droitwich, founded in about 1780, by William Ricketts, was regarded as one of the best such establishments in England. William Ricketts himself, gave evidence to a Parliamentary Commission, in 1816, when he had roundly criticised most Private Madhouses in England, including the New Bethlehem Asylum, Bedlam. He particularly criticised the treatment of James Norris, who had been strapped to a vertical iron bar in the wall of his cell for over 15 years. William Ricketts stated that he would never have treated a patient in this way. His evidence, in part, eventually led to the passing of the 1845 County Asylums’ Act, and to the creation of the City and County of Worcester Pauper Lunatic Asylum, at Powick, that opened on 11th August 1852. This is the starting point for the Special Event we are holding on 17th July 2023. Please come along to this Event and learn more.
Dr. Frank Crompton.
25th April 2023.
Book your ticket here:- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/evening-of-talks-redressing-the-balance-powick-mental-hospital-1852-1978-tickets-618942512717