Porirua Lunatic Asylum
Encyclopedia
Porirua Lunatic Asylum was a psychiatric hospital
located in Porirua
. Established in 1887, it was at one time the largest hospital in New Zealand
. The patients ranged from those with psychotic
illnesses, to the senile
, or alcoholics.
's Mount View Lunatic Asylum
. Construction of a one storied 7000 square feet (650.3 m²) building containing 24 apartments, H Ward, began in 1886. Porirua Lunatic Asylum, as it was originally named, was opened in the following year and Dr. Thomas Radford King was appointed as its medical superintendent, though in less than a year, he was replaced by Dr. Gray Hassell.
By 1905, Porirua Hospital had 700 beds. In the early 1900s, the facility had 2000 staff and patients, affording a major effect on the Wellington Region
's development. The resident population was1,500 in the 1940s. By 1928, nurses moved into their own two-store, 100 room building. Subsequent to the 1942 Wairarapa
earthquake, the main building was demolished and eleven new villas were constructed. Most patients were released into community-based care in the 1970s, and the last ward, F Ward was closed in 1977, considered unfit and uneconomical. In 1980, the Puketiro Centre operated as a regional base for children with developmental problems. In 1987, the hospital celebrated its 100 year anniversary, opening the Porirua Hospital Museum in F Ward.
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
located in Porirua
Porirua
Porirua is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand, immediately north of the city of Wellington, with their central business districts 20 km apart. A large proportion of the population commutes to Wellington, so it may be considered a satellite city. It almost completely surrounds...
. Established in 1887, it was at one time the largest hospital in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The patients ranged from those with psychotic
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
illnesses, to the senile
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
, or alcoholics.
History
Land was acquired in 1884 for a hospital farm that would offer 'work therapy' to relieve overcrowding at WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
's Mount View Lunatic Asylum
Mount View Lunatic Asylum
The Mount View Lunatic Asylum was a psychiatric hospital located on in Wellington, New Zealand. Government House is located on what were the asylum grounds. Work began in 1872, and the hospital opened in 1873 to accommodate 100 patients in an area above Basin Reserve...
. Construction of a one storied 7000 square feet (650.3 m²) building containing 24 apartments, H Ward, began in 1886. Porirua Lunatic Asylum, as it was originally named, was opened in the following year and Dr. Thomas Radford King was appointed as its medical superintendent, though in less than a year, he was replaced by Dr. Gray Hassell.
By 1905, Porirua Hospital had 700 beds. In the early 1900s, the facility had 2000 staff and patients, affording a major effect on the Wellington Region
Wellington Region
The Wellington region of New Zealand occupies the southern end of the North Island.-Governance:The official Wellington Region, as administered by the Wellington Regional Council covers the conurbation around the capital city, Wellington, and the cities of Lower Hutt, Porirua, and Upper Hutt, each...
's development. The resident population was1,500 in the 1940s. By 1928, nurses moved into their own two-store, 100 room building. Subsequent to the 1942 Wairarapa
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
earthquake, the main building was demolished and eleven new villas were constructed. Most patients were released into community-based care in the 1970s, and the last ward, F Ward was closed in 1977, considered unfit and uneconomical. In 1980, the Puketiro Centre operated as a regional base for children with developmental problems. In 1987, the hospital celebrated its 100 year anniversary, opening the Porirua Hospital Museum in F Ward.