Tales from the Surrey Pauper Lunatic Asylum
05/24 - As one of FoWC's contributions to this year’s Wandsworth Heritage Festival, Philip Boys relates tales from what would later become Springfield Hospital, and now a pioneering institution integrating clinical settings within a new housing estate anf an extensive park. Fascinating stories to tell, among them:
— the original asylum as a utopia set in a benign rural landscape (once again reflected in promotional for the new housing development)
— the secret removal of "pauper lunatics" for anatomical dissection
— public outcry at the death of Daniel Dolley after "treatment" by freezing cold shower
— "A visit to Wandsworth Lunatic Asylum on a dark and gusty night" in 1880
— pioneering photographs from the 1850s of female patients in the asylum, by Hugh Welch Diamond
— Springfield War Hospital WWI as a treatment centre for soldiers suffering from shell shock
— visits of the Great and Good by gas— filled balloon
— the fate of "Hare-and-Hound" runners lost in the grounds
You can view the video either from this website, or from the Friends of Wandsworth Common site.
EDWARD & HELEN THOMAS ON WANDSWORTH COMMON
Childhood, adolescence and early adulthood in late Victorian and Edwardian south London
2/2024 — Edward Thomas, the Great War poet who died at Arras in 1917, moved to Wakehurst Road in 1880 (when he was two). He went on to live in several homes in the area (Shelgate Road, Rusham Road) and study at several schools in the area, including Belleville.
His wife, Helen Noble, who arrived in her early teens and attended Wimbledon High School, lived on St. Ann's Hill and then Patten Road.
Both Edward and Helen wrote memoirs, containing remarkable - often astonishing and sometimes disturbing - details of their lives on and around the Common, 1880-1902.
The talk brings a fascinating insight into the lives of this local couple.
You can view the video from the Friends of Wandsworth Common site.
Seasons Greetings, 2023 — video
A sleigh ride over a snowy Wandsworth Common at the start of the last century — images from local photographers (particularly Bellevue's Dorrett & Martin) set to a classic Christmas song from The Ronettes:
More Friends of Wandsworth Common videos here . . .
More Friends of Wandsworth Common videos here . . .
Women patients in the Surrey Pauper Lunatic Asylum, c.1851.
[Sorry, no video available yet.]
On 1 December I gave a short talk to the Wandsworth Historical Society on a series of photographs of women in the Surrey Pauper Lunatic Asylum. They were taken by the remarkable psychiatrist Hugh Welch Diamond, Superintendent of Women, c.1851.
I brought the story up to date by exploring some of the ways these images of incarcerated girls and women are being used (and even faked) today. Many are now displayed in art galleries throughout the world, or featured on mugs, tee shirts and shopping bags (a fact which I find rather disturbing).
Two talks on Victorian and Edwardian photography for The Friends of Wandsworth Common
In October, I gave two talks on pioneering local photographers to/for the Friends of Wandsworth Common. As usual, they were filmed by the wonderful John Crossland — thanks, John! You should be able to view the videos on the Friends website.
Dorrett & Martin
On Tuesday 24 October, at Naturescope, Chris Allies and I talked about the amazing Battersea photographer Paul Martin, including his partnership with Harry Dorrett at their studio facing the Common at 16 Bellevue Road ("Athol House"). They opened up in 1899. Martin pioneered the use of 'snapshots' taken with a hidden camera and images taken with very long exposures at night.
"Seeing and Believing: Pioneering photographers on and around Wandsworth Common, 1845—1875"
Including Geoffrey Bevington, Hugh Welch Diamond, Peter Le Neve Foster, Lewis Carroll, John Thomson, and Henry Morris.
A White Christmas on Wandsworth Common - Xmas video 2022
Turf Wars II
Turf Wars —How Sport Transformed Wandsworth Common, Part II.
Video of a talk to/for the Friends of Wandsworth Common, Tuesday 29 November 2022. There's still more to be said, so, who knows, there may even be a Part III.
Turf Wars I
Turf Wars —How Sport Transformed Wandsworth Common, Part I
Video of a talk to/for the Friends of Wandsworth Common, Tuesday 29 November 2022.
The Black Sea: Birth, Life, Death
The Black Sea: Birth, Life, Death (video of talk to the Friends of Wandsworth Common, 18 October 2022).
Maps and the Making of Wandsworth Common
Maps and the Making of Wandsworth Common (video of talk to the Friends of Wandsworth Common, April 2022).
Magical History Tour: From "The Beeches" to the "Belgian" Congo
Magical History Tour: From "The Beeches" to the "Belgian" Congo (video of talk to the Friends of Wandsworth Common, 18 January 2022).
Victorian Photographer Geoffrey Bevington and the Search for Ivy House
Victorian Photographer Geoffrey Bevington and the Search for Ivy House —video of Zoom talk to the Wandsworth Historical Society, 26 November 2021.
Down with the Fences Part II
Down with the Fences Part II (May 2021).
[Redirects to Friends of Wandsworth Common.]
Down with the Fences Part I
Down with the Fences Part I (March 2021) [link and info to be added].
[Redirects to Friends of Wandsworth Common.]
WaterWorld
Wandsworth Common / WaterWorld (March 2021) [link and info to be added].
[Redirects to Friends of Wandsworth Common.]
What a Carve Up
What a Carve Up (January 2021) [link and info to be added].
[Redirects to Friends of Wandsworth Common.]
The Hidden History of Loxley Road
My very first video talk, in the early days of the first lock-down:
The Hidden History of Loxley Road (2020).
[Redirects to YouTube.]
The Lake
A couple of years ago I made a short video (my first) from Edwardian postcards and photographs of the lake, set to music by Claude Debussy, which you can view here. Utterly self-indulgent.
The Lake is also known as the Dog Pond, the Long Pond, or just 'the Pond'.
And here's one on the Three-Island Pond
Even more videos, talks etc . . .
[Redirects to Friends of Wandsworth Common.]
"COMMON MEMORIES: Life on & around Wandsworth Common, 1930s-1980s"
COMMON MEMORIES — Life on & around Wandsworth Common, 1930s—1980s
6/2023 — Over the past year, members of the Friends of Wandsworth Common Heritage group, led by Ros Page, have interviewed lifelong residents of the Common to explore their life and experiences and how the Common used to be.
The interviews were all filmed by John Crossland and the more than 20 hours of footage beautifully and sensitively edited down into this 'charming and engaging' film by Rosa Navas, a local film maker and Friend.
The film is interspersed with old images and film clips, bringing alive the narrative of the interviewees. The result is a fascinating insight into how life on Wandsworth Common has changed over five decades.
With special thanks to the production team led by Ros Page, including Stephen Midlane, Henrietta Gentilli, Louise Murphy, John Turner, cameraman John Crossland and editor Rosa Navas.
The film was launched on 6 June 2023 in the Fiennes Theatre, Emanuel School, and special thanks are due to Lisa Irwin and the school for their very generous support.
The video is now available to view via the Friends of Wandsworth Common website or on YouTube .
A DVD is also available, at £5.
Send me an email if you enjoyed this post, or want to comment on something you've seen or read on the site, or would like to know more —or just want to be kept in touch.
