St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics
Encyclopedia
St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics was founded in London
in 1750 for the treatment of incurable pauper lunatic
s by a group of philanthropic apothecaries and others. It was the second public institution in London created to look after mentally ill people, after the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlem
(Bedlam
, founded in 1246).
The hospital was originally housed in a converted foundry in Windmill Street, Upper Moorfields
, close to Bedlam. It was designed by George Dance the Elder
in 1750-1 and after his death, his son George Dance the Younger
succeeded him as surveyor to the hospital. It was originally built for 25 patients, but was enlarged and by 1771 was overcrowded. A decision was made to build a larger hospital on a new site. The design was put out to competition which was a novelty at the time. None of the competition entries was successful however and Dance was asked to design the new building.
In 1786 it moved to Dance's purpose-built premises on Old Street
, between Bath St and what is now the City Road roundabout. The building had a magnificent frontage of clamp brick, 500 feet (152.4 m) long, which had a central entrance, with the male wards to the left and female wards to the right. The building contained single cells for 300 patients, each with small windows set high in the wall, no heating, and loose straw on wooden bedsteads.
By 1865 it had a population of 150 to 160 patients, taken from the middle classes, its original purpose of supporting paupers having been abandoned. The proportion of cures at St. Luke's was 67 to 70 per cent compared to that of only 15 per cent at pauper lunatic asylums .
Behind the main building were two gardens for the exercise of the less disturbed inmates, one for men and another for women. More dangerous residents were kept inside, or in their cells. The treatment regime consisted of cold plunge baths, and a focus on the gastrointestinal system with the administration of anti-spasmodics, emetics (to induce vomiting) and purgatives.
The patients were transferred to other institutions or their homes in 1916, and the buildings were acquired by the Bank of England
to become the St Luke's Printing Works, used for printing bank notes until the early 1950s. The building was demolished in 1963.
In 1922 it was suggested that a psychiatric unit should be instituted by the St Luke's charity in cooperation with a General hospital. This led to the funding by the charity of both an out-patient clinic and a psychiatric in-patient ward at the Middlesex Hospital
. This association led to a new , third St Lukes, opening at Woodside Avenue, Muswell Hill
, in 1930. This was variously known as Woodside Nerve Hospital , St Luke's Woodside Hospital for Functional Nervous Disorders and from 1948 as St Luke's Woodside.
In 2011 the NHS Trust
responsible for St Luke's Woodside, Camden and Islington Foundation Trust, has successively closed all wards and only an occupational therapy unit remains open. It has been accused of closure by stealth, avoiding the consultation process which would have to be carried out if closed formally. It is now up for sale by Knight Frank Estate Agents
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1750 for the treatment of incurable pauper lunatic
Lunatic
"Lunatic" is a commonly used term for a person who is mentally ill, dangerous, foolish, unpredictable; a condition once called lunacy. The word derives from lunaticus meaning "of the moon" or "moonstruck".-Lunar hypothesis:...
s by a group of philanthropic apothecaries and others. It was the second public institution in London created to look after mentally ill people, after the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlem
Bethlem Royal Hospital
The Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in London, United Kingdom and part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Although no longer based at its original location, it is recognised as the world's first and oldest institution to specialise in mental illnesses....
(Bedlam
Bedlam
Bedlam may refer to:* Bethlem Royal Hospital, London hospital first to specialise in the mentally ill and origin of the word "bedlam" describing chaos or madness-Places:* Bedlam, North Yorkshire, a village in England...
, founded in 1246).
History
The first chief physician was Dr William Battie who was renowned as ‘an eccentric humorist’. He believed ‘the patients of this hospital shall not be exposed to publick view.’ Medical treatment consisted of cold plunge baths to shake lunatics out of their insanity. A system of non-restraint was professed, however manacles and other restraints were sometimes used.The hospital was originally housed in a converted foundry in Windmill Street, Upper Moorfields
Moorfields
In London, the Moorfields were one of the last pieces of open land in the City of London, near the Moorgate. The fields were divided into three areas, the Moorfields proper, just north of Bethlem Hospital, and inside the City boundaries, and Middle and Upper Moorfields to the north.After the Great...
, close to Bedlam. It was designed by George Dance the Elder
George Dance the Elder
George Dance the Elder was an English architect of the 18th century. He served as the City of London surveyor and architect from 1735 until his death....
in 1750-1 and after his death, his son George Dance the Younger
George Dance the Younger
George Dance the Younger was an English architect and surveyor. The fifth and youngest son of George Dance the Elder, he came from a distinguished family of architects, artists and dramatists...
succeeded him as surveyor to the hospital. It was originally built for 25 patients, but was enlarged and by 1771 was overcrowded. A decision was made to build a larger hospital on a new site. The design was put out to competition which was a novelty at the time. None of the competition entries was successful however and Dance was asked to design the new building.
In 1786 it moved to Dance's purpose-built premises on Old Street
Old Street
Old Street is a street in east London that runs west to east from Goswell Road in Clerkenwell, in the London Borough of Islington, to the crossroads where it intersects with Shoreditch High Street , Kingsland Road and Hackney Road in Shoreditch in the London Borough of Hackney.The nearest...
, between Bath St and what is now the City Road roundabout. The building had a magnificent frontage of clamp brick, 500 feet (152.4 m) long, which had a central entrance, with the male wards to the left and female wards to the right. The building contained single cells for 300 patients, each with small windows set high in the wall, no heating, and loose straw on wooden bedsteads.
By 1865 it had a population of 150 to 160 patients, taken from the middle classes, its original purpose of supporting paupers having been abandoned. The proportion of cures at St. Luke's was 67 to 70 per cent compared to that of only 15 per cent at pauper lunatic asylums .
Behind the main building were two gardens for the exercise of the less disturbed inmates, one for men and another for women. More dangerous residents were kept inside, or in their cells. The treatment regime consisted of cold plunge baths, and a focus on the gastrointestinal system with the administration of anti-spasmodics, emetics (to induce vomiting) and purgatives.
The patients were transferred to other institutions or their homes in 1916, and the buildings were acquired by the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
to become the St Luke's Printing Works, used for printing bank notes until the early 1950s. The building was demolished in 1963.
In 1922 it was suggested that a psychiatric unit should be instituted by the St Luke's charity in cooperation with a General hospital. This led to the funding by the charity of both an out-patient clinic and a psychiatric in-patient ward at the Middlesex Hospital
Middlesex Hospital
The Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, United Kingdom. First opened in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally closed in 2005. Its staff and services were transferred to various sites...
. This association led to a new , third St Lukes, opening at Woodside Avenue, Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill is a suburb of north London, mostly in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated about north of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. Muswell Hill is in the N10 postal district and mostly in the Hornsey and Wood Green parliamentary constituency.- History :The...
, in 1930. This was variously known as Woodside Nerve Hospital , St Luke's Woodside Hospital for Functional Nervous Disorders and from 1948 as St Luke's Woodside.
In 2011 the NHS Trust
NHS Trust
A National Health Service trust provides services on behalf of the National Health Service in England and NHS Wales.The trusts are not trusts in the legal sense but are in effect public sector corporations. Each trust is headed by a board consisting of executive and non-executive directors, and is...
responsible for St Luke's Woodside, Camden and Islington Foundation Trust, has successively closed all wards and only an occupational therapy unit remains open. It has been accused of closure by stealth, avoiding the consultation process which would have to be carried out if closed formally. It is now up for sale by Knight Frank Estate Agents
Notable patients
- The poet Christopher SmartChristopher SmartChristopher Smart , also known as "Kit Smart", "Kitty Smart", and "Jack Smart", was an English poet. He was a major contributor to two popular magazines and a friend to influential cultural icons like Samuel Johnson and Henry Fielding. Smart, a high church Anglican, was widely known throughout...
(1722 – 1771) was confined in St Luke's from 1757 to 1763. - Jonathan Martin , brother of John MartinJohn Martin (painter)John Martin was an English Romantic painter, engraver and illustrator.-Biography:Martin was born in July 1789, in a one-room family cottage, at Haydon Bridge, near Hexham in Northumberland, the 4th son of Fenwick Martin, a one time fencing master...
(1789 – 1854) , the English Romantic painter. Confined 1829 until his death in 1838 for setting fire to York MinsterYork MinsterYork Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
.