St Georges Asylum History
St Georges Asylum was origonally named Stafford County Asylum, it was built at a time where
Pauper Asylums were being constructed all over the country. It opened in 1818, large enough to
hold 120 patients. In 1879 a large detached wing was added to the south-eastern side, adding
capactity for an extra 90 patients. In 1884, the asylum was once again expanded. This time to
the north western side, work was extensive costing in the region of £40,00 and the new buildings
included workshops and bakeries. Total capactity was now circa 870 patients.
As with many country asylums, it was wound down and closed in the mid 90's. As of 2008, it is in a poor state. The entire roof is missing from one side, which has resulted in major damage to the floors. The main hall is burnt out, supported by scaffolding, various other parts of the asylum have seen damage from fire. It is Grade II listed, and recently a large sign has gone up showing the proposed new developments as apartments.
You'd think with a building like this, tracing a bit more of it's history wouldn't take much - but records are sparse. I've dug up this from an old journal though:
The next in order of the communications published by the Commissioners is from Mr Wilkes of the Stafford County Lenatic Asylum who has so conducted that fine institution during the last thirteen years as to make it a model worthy of general imitation As Mr Wilkes is a gentleman of great professional attainment and experience as well as now long fnmiliar with all the management of a large asylum and as all who know him know that with an excellent judgment he possesses the most candid mind and the sincerest love of truth all his observations are valuable He says
"Previous to the year 1841 when I was appointed to the office I now hold in this institution mechanic cl restraint was part of the system of treatment habitually employed and its disuse was looked upon as absurd and chimerical Although the registers certainly show a gradual diminution of restraint for some previous years its amount at the time referred to was considerable and probably more than was recorded."
"The means of restraint employed were the leather muff and wriststraps iron handcuffs long leather sleeves hobbles for the legs the restraint chair and various devices specially adapted to the peculiar propensities and habits of the patients Many of these were employed both by day and night and in addition many of the patiente were confined to the bedsteads by means of straps passing through iron loops."
"The evil of this system was not simply confined to the coercion of the patients but the same principle pervaded the whole establishment and the high windows partly or wholly protected by iron guards and wirework the numerous staples in the walls of the galleries and rooms for confining patients to their scats and the strongly guarded fireplaces gave a gloomy prison like aspect to the interior of the building which v as still perpetuated externally by the cheerless high walled airing courts mostly destitute of either trees or flowers Above all it was evident that the system adopted had a natural and inevitable tendency to demoralise if not to brutalize the attendants and perhaps one of the not least important results of the disuse of restraint is the marked effect it has had upon the feelings and conduct of the attendants themselves."
"In an old asylum and with deep rooted prejudices to contend against many difficulties and much anxiety necessarily accompany the first efforts to abolish restraint Many patients who hod been habitually in restraint for year were at once set at liberty in others the process was gradual but ultimately all instruments of restraint were collided together out of the different galleries restraint chairs were brokeu up and at the same time windows were unblocked guards removed airing courts planted and improved and in a variety of ways more humanising influences wero brought into operation."
"The effect of this upon the old inmates of the isylum was decidedly beneficial One patient especially who had been for some time wearing the muff and hobbles and appeared to be falling into a state of fatuity rapidly improved upon being set at liberty and ultimately recovered The excitement of the patients generally was decidedly diminished they were less noisy at night and though many had become inveterately dirty in their habits a gradual improvement took place also in this respect With greater opportunities of doing mischief less absolutely occurred and now without a window in the asylum in any way protected there is probably less breakage of glass than there formerly was The experience of more than twelve years during which upwards of 1,300 cases have been admitted only tends to strengthen and confirm the opinion that as a general rule restraint is unnecessary and injurious in the treatment of the insane."
"Not only has no accident or injury occurred which could have been attributed to the disuse of restraint but amongst the large proportion of suicidal cases which have from time to time been admitted since 1841 only one suicide has taken place and that was in 1S42 This is much below the average of former years and I only mention the fact to prove that they were not rendered more frequent by the disuse of restraint being fully aware that these unfortunate occurrences will baffle every vigilance and happen in spite of any system
The Asylum Journal of Mental Science