Report - Goodmayes Asylum - Part 1 - Main Hall and More - 2010-2016

[Speed]

Goodmayes has been a long time target of mine, first visited with @Rookinella in 2010 we explored a single floor of one ward and got some of the patients that were milling about outside 'The Bridge' (the last open ward in the hospital) to 'buzz us in' to the main corridors. We didn't see much really but it was a crazy fun explore that set the scene for many subsequent crazy explores at this hospital.

Goodmayes is undoubtedly one of the last asylums left that has the potential to be an explore 'on par' with the asylums of old where many of my generation cut their teeth. Asylum closures over the last few years have been mostly very bland and highly modernised (think St Clements or Shelton!) Here however we have known for a long time there were promising parts to hunt out. Goodmayes although still about 50% live admin and office space retains a whole host of original features from the obvious main hall and water tower to the not quite so obvious 'cupboard under the stairs' type time capsules.

Here are some photos of areas i feel i have 'done justice' so far. I have seen many more odds and sods and there will hopefully be quite a lot more to come as the place continues to wind down too. This is only really the start!

Before the creation of West Ham of a borough in 1886, the county paupers within the West Ham area were sent to the Essex County Asylum in Brentford. One West Ham had become a borough it was immediately decide by the council to construct their own Asylum as they did not feel that the County Asylum should be used. Although this would take them twelve years to do so. The council sought the purchase of the land at Blue House Farm on the outskirts of Ilford for £8,835 and immediately put into the motion the planning of their Asylum. To do this, they visited a number of Asylums around the country, both local and far afield, so that they would be able to provide the best possible facilities in their asylum.

Lewis Angell, the Borough Architect, was selected for the design of the Asylum for the council – this was to be his only Asylum. The Asylum was designed on a Compact Arrow layout with a south facing aspect and were constructed from red brick with white lintels on the windows – at the time the layout was described as the pavilion system. The foundation stone was laid by Alderman William Ivey on the 3rd of August, 1898 and the construction taking three years to complete, with the first patients being admitted on the 6th of August 1901. During the construction of the Asylum, the contractors, Leslie and Co, built a railway to the site in order to transport the construction materials to the grounds, with the line being brought down from the Great Eastern Railway. The asylum was designed to house 800 within 17 wards, 8 male wards housing 350 patients and 9 female wards holding 450 patients. The site also contained an administration block, main hall, central services and workshops and a typical water tower. The total cost of the design and construction was £338,633.

The Asylum chapel opened in 1902 and was built in the same style as the main buildings and was able to seat 600. Like the majority of the County Asylums, Goodmayes underwent a series of expansions. This started in 1907 with the addition of extra accommodation for staff. In 1925 the Hargreaves & Brown Farms were purchased to build 7 villas – 4 male & 3 Female, 4 new wards and a number of new accommodation buildings. At this time, the hospital also saw improvements to the Laundry, telephone system and heating & electrical wiring for the whole hospital. These upgrades saw the patient population to 1300 and cost the council a further £229,000. The hospital also saw the opening of an industrial therapy unit in the 50’s, at the same time the wards around the hospital were unlocked and opened up, with only two wards remaining locked – there are currently no locked wards within the hospital. The Asylum changed its name to West Ham Mental Hospital in 1918, 12 years before the 1930 Mental Health act dictated that the Asylum title be dropped.

During WW2 Goodmayes Hospital was in the direct line of the German Bombers heading over London and it was recorded that the estate was hit by a number of devices – 700 incendiary bombs, 22 high explosive bombs, 4 oil bombs, 1 parachute bomb, 2 V1’s and 3V2’s. The most extensive damage during the bombing occurred to Acacia when it was partly demolished by a bomb. WW2 also saw four wards being converted in an Emergency Base Hospital and records show that 8,000 patients were treated within.

During the 1990’s, the north of the site underwent a major regeneration – the villa blocks, mortuary and occupational health unit were demolished so that the District General Hospital could be built. The Goodmayes is still open as a mental health facility and serves the east of London and is currently undergoing a series of development to the south of the site to offer new, advanced facilities. The main building, constructed in 1901, is set to be developed into homes, although the plan is not set in stone yet and the future remains uncertain with wards and facilities slowly closing and remaining empty – the main hall as sat disused for decades.

Main Hall
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Halls have always been one of the main 'targets' while exploring asylums, often locked or simply burned down before we arrived they often posed a challenge in some way or another. At Goodmayes it was always going to be the main event as it is simply sublime. This hall has to be the best ever for me. I've been in some good ones but none have had quite the blend of amazing architecture, features (such as seated balcony, full stage & flys etc.) and hidden artifacts from years past.

The really unique feature here is the balcony which is still complete with its stadium style seating. I've seen halls with balconies before but never complete with the seats and what seats they are! You can also see the obvious sticking point with this one. Its full of modern crap! It doesn't make for such nice photos but really it's its only failing.

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Heading down the stairwells from either side of the balcony theres our first taste of hidden history. The Hine brown tiles are unmolested and a cupboard under the stairs is filled with old medical journals

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Now on the floor of the hall photos become a little harder but not to worry as we can mooch around the stage area and uncover one of the best 'under stage' rooms i've ever seen, certainly in an asylum! Theres all sorts down there from old beer cans that show it had been used as some kind of rifle range at some point to Goodmayes branded gym shoes and shuttlecocks from when the hall was used for sports. Really great stuff
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Last off we head up the fly tower. Rickerty and generally feeling very unsafe. we popped out into the loft but not too much to see here. There are also projection rooms at both ends of the building but alas these will have to wait. Currently no access is possibly without resorting to the crowbar, i settled for a peek through the window which was mouthwatering to say the least!​

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Martha Ward​

I dont know if this is the real name for this ward but it will do for now. This was the ward we first gained access too in 2010. It was above a live part of the hospital and we explored while listening to the commotion going on below. Ive not been back in here recently but i would assume it is still similar inside today. There are many similar wards dotted around the hospital. Infact all of the top floors are abandoned and look much the same.​

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[Speed]

Pathology Lab
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Next up another ward which turned out to have a bit of a twist! when we first entered we were blown away by what we saw. Not the asylum ward i had expected at all but a mint tiled lab with old sigs and all sorts.. However all was not as it seemed for this room is a very convincing fake. Form the inside it looks spot on, it really took us a good 5-10mins before we smelled a rat and realised it was not quite right.. The tiles are convincing but when you look at the windows from outside its modern UPVC and the tiles are simply backed on MDF over the top. This is some kind of film set that's been built in a disused ward.

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Popping through another door we find ourself back in familiar surroundings. This section of the ward was a real time warp. It reminded me so much of exploring the asylums of old. If you were unlucky enough to miss out on the days of Cane Hill and what not i suggest going here and getting a hint of what they were about. The bathroom with multiple baths, even the coat hangers and 70s curtains took me right back to 2006. Don't mention getting locked in by security and having to bust out with a broken desk leg. Another classic explore at this site!

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In general for me Goodmayes has always been the backup location as such. We would have a fail somewhere and just pop down for a look and see what happened to be open at the time. Maybe it's time i put a bit more effort in for Part 2.

 

[Els]

Looks a good mooch, some of the older tat reminds me of Colindale.

 

[clebby]

Highlight of the day was this. As you say in terms of asylums this has got to be the best of a bad bunch.. fingers crossed Whitchurch will have some epic tucked away as well.

 

[BrainL]

Excellent report, didn't want it to end!! Looking forward to part 2, cheers Speed

 

[Bugsuperstar]

I really enjoyed that Speed.

 

[SpiderMonkey]

Done it justice. Well done on getting it done too, we were busted a couple of times! Nice shots

 

[Jonesey]

looks cool - did you take the Ribena bottle home? I quite like it

 

[Exploring with Andy]

The hall looks nice.

Done it justice. Well done on getting it done too, we were busted a couple of times! Nice shots

Had you been without me? :O

 

[mockney reject]

The hall looks nice.

Tha hall is something else, if only the projection room was doable

 

[Urbexbandoned]

Really nicely covered. One of my favourites this one. I missed out on a huge chunk when I went. Lots locked down, a brief glimpse of the hall through the tiniest of gaps in the door and corridor heaven but that was literally it. quite a few bits I haven't seen before. Nice.

 

[SpiderMonkey]

The hall looks nice.



Had you been without me? :O

Was it just the once we were caught? I remember the South African bloke twice

 

[Exploring with Andy]

Was it just the once we were caught? I remember the South African bloke twice

Yes we opened the door and standing there was the most apologetic security man ever haha

 

[SpiderMonkey]

Yes we opened the door and standing there was the most apologetic security man ever haha

"Sorry guys I don't mean to be horrible. I'm sorry, it's just my job."

 

[Boba Low]

Highlight of the day was this. As you say in terms of asylums this has got to be the best of a bad bunch.. fingers crossed Whitchurch will have some epic tucked away as well.

After a couple of wanders I'd say it definitely does! Worth a poke this year for sure.