Harperbury Hospital - February 2016

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mockingbird

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Near London Charing Cross.
I remember the very first time I went here in 2012! seems such a long time ago now an was pleasantly shown around by UE-OMJ who had infact at the time, had a major soft spot for the place, it had a padded cell back then or just lost one, either way this place remained on my list for a number of years, but of course better stuff presented itself an it was pushed further down the list. It was not until recently I embarked on a trip with some friends, then I brought this place up.
We had set off very early that night 2am infact an hit a few sites that need to be done in the dark, shall we say after leaving a certain area, we headed here as I told them it was a very large site an they wanted a look around, so me as a tour guide this time showed them the worst buildings then went onto the newer ones. Some parts was abit too new for me so I will leave my shots out of this report.

We had excellent light driving into the site, even better as it began to reach 3pm, I have to say im glad I went back, even if this place is done to death, it felt good to walk the grounds again like I did in 2012.

Some history!

Harperbury was opened in 1928 using converted WWI airfield hangars and known as the Hangars Certified Institution. Male patients lived and worked there and assisted in the building of the main colony itself, which was completed in stages between 1931 - 1936. The 'Middlesex Colony' as it was known, was part of an ambitious plan which included the building of Shenley Mental Hospital nearby although the colony was never fully completed. The name Harperbury Hospital was adopted in 1950.

The colony was designed by the Middlesex county architect, WT Curtis and anticipated becoming largely self sufficient with its own farm, gardens dept, laundry, boiler house, workshops for men and women, administrative blocks, staff housing, sports fields, a recreation hall and main stores. The villas were designed for varying grades of learning disability and some severe epileptics and were built around three loop roads which divided the site into male, female and children's departments (the last included a school block).

The hospital farm was closed in 1973 as the first part of the scaling down operation, and by 1974 a discharge programme had begun moving patients out of Harperbury and back into the outside world. The Kennedy-Galton Centre was moved away in 1987 and by the 1990s plans were in place to close Shenley, Napsbury and Harperbury hospitals. However, in 1995 and again in 1998, Harperbury experienced a temporary influx of patients from two other institutions that were closing. But the discharge program continued and by late 2001 there were only about 200 chronically sick patients in residence



Of course my wales trip photos can wait for another day, as I have memory-cards packed not yet really been through, an more locations since returning home to share ;)

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As always thank you for looking an appreciating my take on places/my photography :cool:
 

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