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Asylum Entrance, Hanwell, Middlesex
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Asylum Entrance, Hanwell, Middlesex
Entrance to the county lunatic asylum at Hanwell in Middlesex opened in 1831. A porter stands at the gates beneath the portico. The site later became St Bernards Hospital. Date: Date unknown
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Media ID 7200427
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10529938
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the entrance to the Hanwell County Lunatic Asylum in Middlesex, England, as it stood in the past, with an air of both solemnity and mystery. The imposing portico, adorned with intricate carvings and supported by tall, Doric columns, frames the entrance gates. A uniformed porter stands guard, adding a sense of security and control to the scene. The Hanwell County Lunatic Asylum, established in 1831, was one of the first large-scale mental health institutions in the UK, designed to house and care for the mentally ill who were unable to support themselves. At the time, the prevailing belief was that those with mental health issues were best cared for in an institutional setting, separate from the general population. The scene depicted in this photograph is reminiscent of the workhouse system that preceded the establishment of asylums. Workhouses, which were in operation from the late 16th century until the mid-20th century, were institutions where the able-bodied poor were required to live and work in exchange for assistance from the parish. The stigma and shame associated with being a pauper often led to the separation of families and the institutionalization of the elderly, infirm, and mentally ill. The Hanwell Asylum later became St. Bernard's Hospital, and the site continues to serve as a mental health facility today. This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the historical context of mental health care and the evolution of institutional care for those in need.
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