Explore the history of mental health care in Portsmouth with this new Heritage project.
We started this research project in 2020 with a group of volunteers who all had their own individual connections to the Portsmouth area and a varied interest into the history of local mental health care. The stories uncovered are about patients, hospital staff, the differences between private and pauper treatment and the changing attitudes towards mental health care during WW1. We also researched pivotal moments such as when Portsmouth Mental Hospital was requisitioned by the American Armed Forces and how this impacted patients and the wider community. With this project, the Good Mental Health Cooperative and volunteer research group hoped to explore the stories of mental anguish suffered by so many men and women during the Great War and the wide reaching psychological effects of living through such a challenging time in history.

Explore our Online Research Exhibition!
Discover the history, stories and research archives in our innovative Online Research Exhibition
Uncovering stories from the Borough of Portsmouth Mental Hospital & researching the impact of World War 1 on mental health care 1914-18.
Inspired Art, Creative Storytelling, Stories Come to Life in our showcase Coming Soon
Register for our Heritage Webinars
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my.creative-learning.net, Free
Presentation and talk on '100 Years of Mental Health Care in Hampshire'
Presentation and talk on '100 Years of Mental Health Care in Hampshire' and launch of a new project focused on World War 1.
Free -
my.creative-learning.net
Project End of Part 1 Webinar - Showcasing the Exhibition
To mark the end of our research development programme and the launch of our Online Exhibition and downloadable booklet we showcase our work in this on demand webinar
Free -
my.creative-learning.net, Free
“ABOVE ALL A PATIENT SHOULD NEVER BE TERRIFIED”
AN EXAMINATION OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND TREATMENT IN HAMPSHIRE 1845-1914 examining the role of history in explaining ‘madness’ and the problems associated with individual historians’ interpretations and representations
Free
Funded by

Heritage Lottery Fund

Mental Wealth Academy
The Good Mental Health Cooperative
Other Items Of Interest
Your purchase helps us to put on more support
Physical items are UK P&P only and can take up to 2 weeks delivery
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my.creative-learning.net
"Hundred Years of Mental Health in Hampshire" Online Exhibition
Online Display
Memories of people working or staying at Knowle & St.James’ Psychiatric Hospitals, photos, poetry and Images based on these memories, as well as a pictorial timeline of major developments in mental health care over 10 decades
£5.00 -
my.creative-learning.net
Heritage Gift Pack
A unique set of postcards
UK Postage only
historical images and contemporary photographs from Knowle and St.James Psychiatric Hospitals, & the 'St James Journals', a collection of newsletters written by staff between 1961 and 1968
£15.00 -
my.creative-learning.net
Shop with the Good Mental Health Cooperative
Self-help e-booklets; postcards designed from Mental Wealth Trialogue artwork; ‘100 years of Mental Health Care in Hampshire’ gift pack and more