A History of London County Lunatic Asylums & Mental Hospitals

 

A History of London County Lunatic Asylums & Mental Hospitals is an interesting and information dense monograph on London County mental healthcare and hospitals by Ed Brandon. Published in the UK 28th July 2022 by Pen & Sword, it's 224 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. Due for release outside the UK in fourth quarter 2022.

This is an annotated and thorough look at mental hospitals and their residents; from their lives to what they ate is covered unflinchingly and meticulously. The book's 7 chapters are arranged geographically with individual institutions' statistics in relevant subchapters. Although it's clearly well researched and annotated, the text is accessible and easy to read. The language is not rigorously academic (or intentionally obfuscated). Most of the descriptions reflect the tragic circumstances of the patients of these institutions and I was especially affected by the descriptions of the abandoned and derelict facilities, often abandoned in haste and left to ruin. 

The author has included a solid cross-referenced index, chapter endnotes, and a bibliography for further reading. The text is enhanced throughout with clear historical photos and facsimiles of documents, hospitals, and grounds. These include interior and exterior photos of abandoned and derelict buildings. 

Altogether interesting and educational and in many places, quite sad.

Five stars. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.