KEYS

These two sets of keys were both used at Worcester Lunatic Asylum. The first set have three keys, labelled as such, and a tag that says ‘Female 13’, denoting the thirteenth female ward at the asylum.

The other is the Agricultural Engine Shed and Fire Hose House key. The inscription reads ‘Hobbs & Co’, the name of a London-based key and lock manufacturer in the late 1800s and early twentieth century.

Together, they give an idea of the scale of the asylum grounds and its buildings. It was built on a 552-acre site at Powick, a village just outside of Worcester, and was self-sufficient. Facilities for the patients included a hairdresser, a brewery, a bakery and even a chapel. Construction continued throughout the Asylum’s existence, with a large annexe built to house another 1,000 patients after 1920. A separate asylum opened in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, in 1907 to alleviate the overcrowding at Powick.