Time spent in Bedlam - Archival Collections Flashback Series
Once upon a time, I had the honour of working as digitizing officer with the Bethlem Royal Hospital Archives and Museum (BRHAM), part of the South London and Maudsley Trust. Bethlem (aka Bedlam) is on of the (if not THE) oldest running mental hospitals in the world, though the location has shifted from its early days (circa 1252) in what is now Liverpool Street Station.
My role at Bedlam was very straightforward: I worked the collections scanner, digitizing volumes of patient intake records dating from the mid-1500s through the mid-1800s. This was gritty stuff: intense portraits if mental deterioration, illness, mis-diagnosis...the works. It was an amazing project to be part of and Colin Gale is ace. The collections Bedlam are small but mighty and include a phenomenal art collection. The online catalogue is also quite something. I just wish more people knew about it.
My role at Bedlam was very straightforward: I worked the collections scanner, digitizing volumes of patient intake records dating from the mid-1500s through the mid-1800s. This was gritty stuff: intense portraits if mental deterioration, illness, mis-diagnosis...the works. It was an amazing project to be part of and Colin Gale is ace. The collections Bedlam are small but mighty and include a phenomenal art collection. The online catalogue is also quite something. I just wish more people knew about it.
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