Having failed at a previous location I found myself Back at Harperbury, had a pleasant few hours wondering around finding a few bits that i did not see on my last visit. I was in one building taking a few shots when i herd voices, I quietly packed my things up and hid behind a door, someone came in door opened but did not notice me, then a 2nd guy came in and looked behind the door and found me behind it. At this point we were practically face to face. I politely said hello, I just wish i could have taken a photo of the expression on his face. After a few minutes when he calmed down it turned out the guys were there doing the same as I was.
History
At the end of the Great War in 1919 when the armistice had been signed, the Royal Flying Corp's London Colney aerodrome was abandoned. In 1924 Middlesex County Council purchased the Porters Park estate, comprising a total area of 420 acres, upon which the aerodrome had been built. The area would eventually become the site of both Harperbury and Shenley hospitals. On October 25th, 1928, a new mental hospital was opened on the site utilising the old aircraft hangers as ward accommodation and it would become known as The Hangers Certified Institution . The first patients were eight males and they were immediately set to work clearing out the hangers and converting them. The name Harperbury Hospital was adopted in 1950.
In 1964 the hospital was suffering severe overcrowding, yet the hospital continued to expand up until 1973 when the scaling down process began. and by 1974 a discharge programme had begun moving patients out of Harperbury and back into the outside world. The discharge program continued and by late 2001 there were only about 200 chronically sick patients in residence.
On with the photos.
1 by JSP 77, on Flickr
2 by JSP 77, on Flickr
3 by JSP 77, on Flickr
4 by JSP 77, on Flickr
5 by JSP 77, on Flickr
6 by JSP 77, on Flickr
7 by JSP 77, on Flickr
8 by JSP 77, on Flickr
9 by JSP 77, on Flickr
10 by JSP 77, on Flickr
11 by JSP 77, on Flickr
12 by JSP 77, on Flickr
13 by JSP 77, on Flickr
14 by JSP 77, on Flickr
15 by JSP 77, on Flickr
16 by JSP 77, on Flickr
Thanks for looking
History
At the end of the Great War in 1919 when the armistice had been signed, the Royal Flying Corp's London Colney aerodrome was abandoned. In 1924 Middlesex County Council purchased the Porters Park estate, comprising a total area of 420 acres, upon which the aerodrome had been built. The area would eventually become the site of both Harperbury and Shenley hospitals. On October 25th, 1928, a new mental hospital was opened on the site utilising the old aircraft hangers as ward accommodation and it would become known as The Hangers Certified Institution . The first patients were eight males and they were immediately set to work clearing out the hangers and converting them. The name Harperbury Hospital was adopted in 1950.
In 1964 the hospital was suffering severe overcrowding, yet the hospital continued to expand up until 1973 when the scaling down process began. and by 1974 a discharge programme had begun moving patients out of Harperbury and back into the outside world. The discharge program continued and by late 2001 there were only about 200 chronically sick patients in residence.
On with the photos.
1 by JSP 77, on Flickr2 by JSP 77, on Flickr3 by JSP 77, on Flickr4 by JSP 77, on Flickr5 by JSP 77, on Flickr6 by JSP 77, on Flickr7 by JSP 77, on Flickr8 by JSP 77, on Flickr9 by JSP 77, on Flickr10 by JSP 77, on Flickr11 by JSP 77, on Flickr12 by JSP 77, on Flickr13 by JSP 77, on Flickr14 by JSP 77, on Flickr15 by JSP 77, on Flickr16 by JSP 77, on FlickrThanks for looking
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