Adrodd fel Amhriodol
Testun Gwreiddiol (Anodiad: EAW022328 / 955079)
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"Friern Barnet Hospital".
The asylum opened on 17 July 1851 and was officially referred to as the Second Middlesex County Asylum with William Charles Hood (1824-1870) being its first medical superintendent.
In 1857 extensions were built to bring the total number of inmates to 2000. By this time, serious defects of construction had become apparent: in one ward the walls and rafters separated and the arched ceiling gave way while in another ward part of the ceiling collapsed. It was found that the roof was insufficient and that the foundations were insecure, necesscitating reinforcement works in 1858.
Further extensions were added from 1875 to 1879 and by 1880 conditions for inmates had become very poor. In 1896, a temporary building of wood and corrugated iron was erected to house 320 chronic and infirm female patients in five dormitories, despite warnings from the Commissioners in Lunacy that this would pose a serious fire risk. In 1889 control of the asylum was transferred to the newly formed London County Council
On 27 January 1903, the temporary building erected in 1896 was destroyed by a fire which claimed 52 lives. In its place, between 1908 and 1913 seven new permanent brick villas were built: four for the survivors of the fire, one for subnormal boys with epilepsy or disturbed behaviour and two for patients with Tuberculosis or dysentery. In 1912 a disused carpenters' shop and stores by the railway siding were converted into additional accommodation for male patients and further extensions were made to staff accommodation in 1927 by which time staff included 9 full-time doctors, 494 nurses and 171 probationers.
In 1930, following the Mental Treatment Act the Asylum was renamed the Colney Hatch Mental Hospital. In 1937 a Female Nurses' Home was built, the resulting transfer of staff allowing the accommodation of 89 female patients in the old nurses' block. In the same year the hospital was once again renamed, this time as Friern Mental Hospital.
In 1941 five villas were destroyed by bombs and thirty-six patients and four nurses were killed. By 1944 the hospital had 2557 beds for mental patients and 746 EMS beds.
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