History:
"Following the Local Government Act, 1888, West Ham became a County Borough on 1st April 1889. As one of its first acts, the councillors decided that the new Borough should have its own asylum for mentally ill paupers rather than continue to use the Essex County Asylum in Brentwood.
Eventually a site was chosen and in 1895 the Blue House Farm, to the north of Ilford, was acquired for £8,835, with sanction to a loan for £7,360 being obtained for this purpose. A further sanction was obtained in 1898 to borrow £300,000 for the erected of the buildings.
The foundation stone was laid on 3rd August 1898 by Alderman William Ivey, and work began on the building of the Asylum, which was to accommodate 800 patients.
The West Ham Borough Asylum officially opened on 1st August 1901. It had cost £338,633 to design and build.
Built on a Compact Arrow layout, with a south-facing aspect, the central Administrative Block was flanked on either side with four ward pavilions, one designated for the sick and infirm, another for acute cases, one for epileptic patients and the last for chronic cases. The west side contained 350 beds in 8 wards for male patients, and the east side 450 beds in 9 wards for female patients. There was also an isolation block.
The site also contained a kitchen, a mortuary, workshops, staff quarters, a laundry and farm buildings. An artesian well had been sunk to provide a water supply, and the necessary pumping plant and water tower had also been built."
Explore -
Visited with Dweeb and Slayaaaa as we were in the area and couldn't resist the temptation of a "new" old asylum. It ticked all the boxes for me and I quite liked the thrill of secca being only round the corner!
"Following the Local Government Act, 1888, West Ham became a County Borough on 1st April 1889. As one of its first acts, the councillors decided that the new Borough should have its own asylum for mentally ill paupers rather than continue to use the Essex County Asylum in Brentwood.
Eventually a site was chosen and in 1895 the Blue House Farm, to the north of Ilford, was acquired for £8,835, with sanction to a loan for £7,360 being obtained for this purpose. A further sanction was obtained in 1898 to borrow £300,000 for the erected of the buildings.
The foundation stone was laid on 3rd August 1898 by Alderman William Ivey, and work began on the building of the Asylum, which was to accommodate 800 patients.
The West Ham Borough Asylum officially opened on 1st August 1901. It had cost £338,633 to design and build.
Built on a Compact Arrow layout, with a south-facing aspect, the central Administrative Block was flanked on either side with four ward pavilions, one designated for the sick and infirm, another for acute cases, one for epileptic patients and the last for chronic cases. The west side contained 350 beds in 8 wards for male patients, and the east side 450 beds in 9 wards for female patients. There was also an isolation block.
The site also contained a kitchen, a mortuary, workshops, staff quarters, a laundry and farm buildings. An artesian well had been sunk to provide a water supply, and the necessary pumping plant and water tower had also been built."
Explore -
Visited with Dweeb and Slayaaaa as we were in the area and couldn't resist the temptation of a "new" old asylum. It ticked all the boxes for me and I quite liked the thrill of secca being only round the corner!
Nice little report
