New Futures for Birmingham`s Historic Buildings

The Friday Photo

Posted January 25th, 2013 by Tracey Thorne with 2 Comments
The old main hospital block of Monyhull Colony

The (old)  Monyhull Hall which was part of Monyhull Colony (1909) photo by Tracey Thorne

This week’s Friday photo features the old Monyhull Hall which open in 1909 for the treatment of care of “sane epileptics and feeble minded persons”. The growth of these kinds of institutions were linked to moral debates of the time which viewed epileptics and the feeble minded as a danger.   The Colony  was considered at a  “bold venture” but sadly led to many patients spending the rest of their lives in these institutions.

The ninety years that followed, Monyhull was to become home to hundreds of people. The main hall is a listed building and has since been converted into flats. It sits very prominently in the landscape looking over towards  Maypole and always makes me think about the hardship people must have injured.

 

2 Responses to “The Friday Photo”

  1. Suzanne Carter January 28, 2013

    This link is especially about the treatment of people who were categorised as ‘feeble minded’ as you point out. Shocking! http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/discover/people-and-places/disability-history/1914-1945/mental-deficiency-between-the-wars/

    Reply

  2. Suzanne Carter January 28, 2013

    Great pic T. Check out this interesting research and website about disability history and the historic environment
    http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/discover/people-and-places/disability-history/

    Reply

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