Harperbury Hospital: UK March 2016

Originally this site was occupied by the London Colney Aerodrome during the WWi. In 1924 Middlesex County Council purchased the site with a view of turning it into a mental hospital. In 1928 the Hangers Certified Institution was formed. The first patients here cleared out the remaining hangers to be converted in to wards. There were soon eighty odd patients here working on the site and new buildings were erected. By 1931 there were 340 patients here. Building work continued here until 1936 when the hospital was officially opened by the minister of health and named Middlesex Colony.

Once complete the colony was able to house 1300 patients and staff were even brought in form Europe to help cope with such high demands.

In 1948 control was handed over to the National Health Service and Harperbury Hospital was born. More expansion work took place including villas for patients and nurses residents. It seems even with the continued expansions of the hospital overcrowding was still an issue with beds so close together nurses struggled to attend to patients.

During the 1970's programs were initiated to aid patients into returning to normal life. These programs were successful which eased on the stress of the staff and started the downsizing of the site. By 2001 only 200 patients remained and the hospital closed.

There is still a small hospital here but most of the site now lays derelict.

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