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Middlewood Hospital


Sheffield History

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It's just a few yards south-west of the laundry.  Presumably an underground flue up the hill connected it.

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On 25/02/2008 at 13:52, Guest dex said:

 

I used to work with Walter in the bakehouse during my apprenticeship (if this is the same Walter). He used to walk down to the bookies at Leppings Lane just about every day for a bet. he was a really likeable fellow. I was based at Middlewood but also worked at the Infirmary (before it was knocked down), Northern General, Lodge Moor and a short spell at Thundercliffe Grange learning my trade. I was taught Butchery at Middlewood with a great bloke called Harold Ford. All the staff were great whilst I was there especially Minnie Guest and Ken Ward who both took me under their wings whilst I was doing my training.

I was Catering Manager in the mid-80's.  Ken Ward was still working there and so was Walter.  I regularly played snooker n the patient's social club, and Walter used to pinch bags of stuff such as sugar and flour.  He'd bring several bags of various bakery ingredients to the club in his shopping bag, and try to sell them to me.  We had another light-fingered resident whose name I forget.  At Easter we had a delivery of about 1000 Cadbury's Chocolate Eggs and I helped the driver to count and unload then and carry the cartons into the catering store.  A few hours later whilst playing snooker with Charge Nurse Abass Toofany, this patient tapped me on the shoulder and offered to sell me 12 dozen eggs at 10 pence apiece.  I went back to the store and found there were 12 dozen less eggs than I'd counted out in the back of the truck.  It turned out that as I'd been taking cartons into the store, this guy had been dashing in and nicking the odd box whilst I was picking up the next batch from the the back of the truck.  The patients were brilliant and it was a lovely place to work.   

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On 03/09/2010 at 11:24, Guest MauriceM said:

Hello

 

Does anyone know anything of the history of the Midlewood site before it became an asylum / hospital?

 

 

I am researching my GGG grandfather , Mark Maugham, and he was a draper in Angel St Sheffield up until he died accidentally in 1848. He owned an estate which he purchased in 1836 from Lord Wharncliffe and it was sold by his executors after his death. I found a reference in an old book about Sheffield (A Life at One Living by Alfred Gatty) that suggests the estate was sold a couple of times and eventually purchased by the authorities and used for the "West Riding Lunatic Asylum" (at Wadsley). It also suggests that the mansion house on the estate (Wadsley Park House) was initially used as a hospital for the asylum patients.

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My GGG grandfather Richard Gillott was a farmer at Wadsley Park farm from at least 1861 until his death in 1868. His family continued to live at the farm until early 1869. At this point they would have been forced to move on as the building work had commenced and the land was being levelled to build what would eventually become Middlewood. From his will of 1862, it appears George Miller was the land owner at that time - he was a railway engineer.

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During WWI while Middlewood Hospital (South Yorkshire Asylum as it was known) was being used for the treatment and rehabilitation of Military Casualties, patients who would normally have gone there were sent to Storthes Hall Hospital, Kirkburton. 

My great grandmother Sarah Scholey, formerly Badger née Goodban was a patient there between 20th February 1918 and 19th July 1918, discharged recovered but suffered bouts of "Mania" over the years and was admitted several times to South Yorkshire Asylum (as it is recorded on her death certificate) where she died 20th March 1933 aged 74.

With permission granted to see South Yorkshire Asylum Records (not the medical records) led me in 2011 to seek permission for records of Storthes Hall Hospital. 

IMG_20221115_144351.thumb.jpg.caf0ffee641847e85a3157ce76a9c594.jpg

IMG_20221115_144938.thumb.jpg.e2d8637239123e5187dd9b3e050fa2ef.jpg

Sending documentation, copies of both her marriages, death certificate, birth marriage and death certificates of her daughter Mary, my father's and my birth certificate. (also include any documentation you have of change of name) Please be aware that the small birth certificate wasn't sufficient to prove family line, it had to show the relationship. 

Finally satisfying requirements I received the medical records. 

It gave me her height, weight, occupation, religion and previous place of abode which was Ecclesall Institution, Sheffield (this was where she was first admitted before being transferred) facts observed by the Doctor at Storthes Hall, facts communicated by Lily Kirk in charge of the Ecclesall Institution, Sheffield.

General History, age at first attack 58 (which would have been 1905) General appearance. A well nourished woman, grey hair and blue eyes. Going through all her Dermic, Respiratory, Circulatory, Digestive, Genito Urinary, Nervous Systems and Mental State. 

Mental Health problems were never discussed and having a relative committed to the Asylum was something to keep very quiet about. Dad recounted the only time he ever saw her was when she'd "escaped" found her way to their house while his parents were out and after frightening him, his sister and brother as they didn't know who she was, Sarah (Sally) was escorted by 4 attendants back to the Asylum. 

 

 

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Built in 1872 as South Yorkshire Asylum; 1889-1929 The West Riding Asylum, Wadsley; Converted Spring 1915 into Wharncliffe War Hospital; 1930-1948 known as Wadsley Mental Hospital; 1948-1959 Middlewood (Mental) Hospital; 1959-1972 Middlewood (Psychiatric) Hospital.

For more information see: Middlewood Hospital 1872-1972, Thorpe. Local Studies Ref: 362. 209 S.

 

South Yorkshire Asylum - Plan of Estate. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc01407&pos=7&action=zoom&id=65677

Shows: Hospital Buildings, including Female and Male Wings, Administrative Block, Nurses' Residence, Laundry House and Dining Hall, as well as Airing Courts, Drying Green, Boiler buildings, Wood and Masons' Yards, Farmery, Kitchen Gardens, Isolation Hospitals (2), Church, Nursery, Gardener's Lodge and Entrance Lodge.

The extent of the estate shown is bounded by irrigation land and the River Don to the north north east, Worrall Lane to the west south west, land belonging to Elijah Eaton and Mr. Newton to the north, and land belonging to Messrs. Brooke and Sons, the Trustees of George Miller, and Mr. Fowler to the south.

Whilst the date of the plan is unclear, the layout of the buildings shown correspond to a period covering approximately 1889-1901. The name West Riding Asylum was used between 1889 and 1929, and it is known that a second dining hall for women, adjacent to the female detached block, was built in 1901. This hall is not shown on the plan.

Printed by Pawson and Brailsford, Sheffield. Scale: 1 inch : 22 yards. Four sections pasted together.

Original at Sheffield City Archives X71/2/1.

 

Asylum Entrance Gates & Middlewood Road. t08535.jpg.df6074893f749367280f89e9025bbb20.jpgt08535

The Gate, looking towards Middlewood Road. s05403.jpg.d3f7a5c07c164c66c8d299bf6932061c.jpgs05403

Asylum Lodge. s05404.jpg.713997266db15220381e6a33c5c3f178.jpgs05404

Kingswood Block, Wards 9 - 13, February 1990.s23410.jpg.8da1fe594a72c9903a12274f5e3a69d1.jpgs23410

Queenswood Block Wards 25-28 with Clock Tower Administration Block in the background. February 1990.s23414.jpg.9dd3185cc3492aae4a040eb9ad569c34.jpgs23414

 

South Yorkshire Asylum, Wadsley Park- Basement Plan. Feb. 1875.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc07350&pos=179&action=zoom&id=106493

Marked: tailor's shop, shoemaker's shop, attendant's rooms, scullery, wc, shoe rooms, dormitories, single room, day room, ashes, coal, lavatory, bath room, dressing rooms, etc.

 

South Yorkshire Asylum - Workshops (boilerhouse, Bakehouse, Brewhouse, Weaving Shed etc.) Plan and Section. 7th Jan. 1871. Architect: Bernard Hartley.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc07351&pos=177&action=zoom&id=106489

Marked: smith's shops, boiler house (with boilers), bake house (with ovens), brew house, plumber, weaving shed, joiner's shop, bread store, malt [store], painter, yard, carpenters' shop, timber yard, urinals; bookbinder, upholsterer, hair picking room, mason's shed and old metal [store].

 

South Yorkshire Asylum - Washhouse, Laundry, etc., Plan and Sections, c.1871. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc07352&pos=178&action=zoom&id=106491

Marked: laundry, yard, drying closet, wringing machines, troughs for hand washing, washing wheel, copper, stock for rough clothes, rinser of galvanised iron, W.C.s and urinals, engine, bevel wheels, stone heeping pits, ironing stove, cold air flue, sorting and folding room, office, women's distribution room, hot water cistern proposed over engine house, women's lobby, women's receiving room, men's distribution room, men's lobby, men's receiving room.

 

South Yorkshire Asylum - Laundry Residence Ground Plan, 1884. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc07353&pos=181&action=zoom&id=106546

Marked: day room, scullery, kitchen, W.C.s, nurse, buckets, single rooms, dormitory, bath room, dressing room, etc.

 

South Yorkshire Asylum - Laundry Residence Chamber Plan, 1884. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc07354&pos=180&action=zoom&id=106541

Marked: dormitory, stores, W.C.s, nurse, single rooms, bed room, and single rooms.

 

South Yorshire Asylum - Male Block, Second Floor, c.1908. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc01414&pos=170&action=zoom&id=66496

 

Proposed Adaptation of Recreation Hall for Cinematograph Entertainments. 1924.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc01413&pos=58&action=zoom&id=66495

 

Proposed Hospital for Tuberculosis Patients. 1925. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc01415&pos=59&action=zoom&id=66497

 

Sanitary Accommodation for Ward 23. 1925

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc01410&pos=55&action=zoom&id=65680

 

Southwood Block Wards 14-24, February 1990.s23409.jpg.9d3e14119de957e06f345e98a851f2eb.jpgs23409

 

Ward and Proposed Solarium. Ground Plan & Elevations. 1926

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc01419&pos=63&action=zoom&id=66502

Proposed Solarium marked on Estate Plan. 1925. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc01412&pos=57&action=zoom&id=66494

 

Northwood Block, Wards 5 - 8, February 1990. s23413.jpg.a1e494afe0a64f158ab374746b6a2536.jpgs23413

 

South Yorkshire Asylum Church Ground Floor Plan showing dimensions and layout of pews to accommodate 631 people. 1873.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc01853&pos=175&action=zoom&id=3264

 

The Asylum Churcht06703.jpg.cb8a7aa13d4874dded3ab78dad24c726.jpgt06703

u01197.jpg.1e683cfc4a12267dac2a9dbb949db6be.jpgu01197

 

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My late Mother-in -Law was a surgical patient in what was  in the 1960s an annexe of the Royal or maybe the Infirmary…in the forbidding grounds of a”Wadsley”. I visited her a couple of times and was very glad to get out of the grounds!

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