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Report - - Fairmile Asylum in the snow, 22/12/09 | Asylums and Hospitals | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Fairmile Asylum in the snow, 22/12/09

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mookster

grumpy sod
Regular User
I hope ukmayhem doesn't mind me pilfering the history he put in his report from last year...

Fairmile Hospital finally closed its doors in April 2003, It brought to an end more than 132 years of caring for people with mental health pronlems and with loss of a much valued community.

Built in 1870, the Victorian asyum has been a place of treatment, a home and a work enviroment to thousands of people. For some individuals, incarcerated against their wil, the experience would have been less than memorable. but for many others who have successfully recieved a high level of care their memories are hopefuul good and long lasting. The staff, many from overseas, lived, worked and often played at the hospital and will have a history all of their own to call upon.

The site was purchase for the sum of £8,317 4s 9d in 1866. The architect C.H. Howell of Lancaster Place, London Built the asylum at a cost of £68,000.

Provided in the budget was main building, which wouldcould accommodate 500 patients and offices, a superintendent's house, Lodge cottage, engineers and bailiffs cottages, dairy farm buildings and chapel. The Hospital was named Berkshire, Reading and Newbury Lunatic Asylum followed by other titles i.e. Moulsfordm Asylum and Berkshire Mental Hospital before being named Fairmile Hospital in the late 1940's.

Patients were first admitted on 30th september 1870 and by November 1871 all patients for whom the asylum was built were in residence amounting to 248 ( 116 males and 132 females ). The number of inpatients rose to its highest in the mid 40's when over 1000 were accommodated.

The total staffing in December 1871 amounted to 44: By Contrast in 2002/2003 the establishment for around 220 patients was approximately 400.

This was a very much last minute decision for me, only deciding to go at about 11pm last night after talking to The2Musketeers in the chatbox! Me, The2Musketeers and vmlopes met up on a gorgeously sunny snowy winters morning to try our luck at Fairmile, a notoriously hard nut to crack. After a bit of blind luck we were in, but the blind luck turned sour when we realised there were contractors making themselves busy in the nice wood panelled wards so those were off limits, I can't believe we weren't heard at some stage as we could hear them sawing and talking and working clear as anything. Anyway, stealth modes engaged, we made our way around as much of it as we could and it was a very enjoyable explore. I didn't take nearly as much photos as I would have liked, but I guess I'll just have to go back:D

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the rest of the pics can be found here Fairmile Hospital

ta for reading:thumb
 
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