February 12, 2017
When I was a nursing assistant working on an elderly male psychiatric ward in the early 1980s I witnessed patients having grand mal epileptic fits about once a week.
November 5, 2016
Patients Arthur Nichols and John Weston both write about the asylum food. Their experiences can be compared to both the official reports from the Asylum Visitors and Commissioners
October 25, 2016
The Bristol Lunatic Asylum’s notes on Arthur Nichols include several letters from him to various friends and family, providing us with an insight into him as well as the asylum
July 10, 2016
In his book Life in a lunatic asylum: an autobiographical sketch, John describes the Airing courts where the patient’s exercised, as he saw them in the 1860’s. These same Airing courts can still be seen today if you visit Glenside Hospital Museum
May 20, 2016
Poor mental health can strike at any time. In Victorian Britain it could be caused by a skin disease or as now old age.
April 10, 2016
A week in the life of a 1980s nursing assistant, preparing long term patients for life outside of hospital. A lively holiday at Butlins holiday park, including a massive bar and a volcano that erupted every 30 minutes. Welcome to normality.
March 20, 2016
Asylum Lives blog post by Paul Tobia
This blog starts with the lives and experiences of people who suffered from mental health problems from 1861 to 1900 at the Bristol Lunatic Asylum
February 7, 2015
This week, two visitors arrived at Glenside Hospital Museum bearing gifts. The items relate to Phyllis Davis, who had trained and worked at Glenside Hospital between 1931 and 1938.
