Hortham Colony or Hospital as it later came to be known, opened (officially) in 1932 and closed in 1991, it was the first of its kind functionally designed and built as a Colony for ‘mental defectives’. The hospital closed like many other similar institutions at the time following a political and social change in attitude about the care of people with Mental Health conditions and Learning Disabilities.

On this site I’ve tried to encapsulate all sorts of elements of life at the Colony. I’ve spent hundreds of hours digging through archives, every corner of the internet, trying to speak to ex staff and patients to get a well-rounded view of life at the hospital. We must remember it wasn’t a happy place for everyone and I truly hope I’ve captured a mixed balance of views and opinions.

I’ve created this site as there was no in depth knowledge of Hortham Colony and I intend on adding more articles as time goes on and new things become known to me.

Important notice;
I have taken as best care of possible to quote sources of information and the origin of images, but please accept there may be mistakes along the way, please do contact me for any corrections. I have tried to avoid, where possible, using identifiable images of patients as is practically possible. I’m trying to capture as much of the history as I can whilst balancing and appreciating the dignity and privacy of those that stayed at Hortham.

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