A Timeline of The North Wales Hospital, Denbigh

1842    -    Dr Samuel Hitch writes to The Times about the plight of the Welsh Paupers
                   First meeting of the Denbigh Philanthropists
1843    -    £4,600 raised from public subscriptions for the construction if a purely Welsh Asylum
1844    -    Building of the Asylum Commences
1848    -    Hospital opens for its first patients
                   George Turner Jones appointed as Superintendent
1849    -    70 Patients
1852    -    First Annual Ball Held
1857    -    A Steam Engine was installed to pump water to the asylum
1860    -    First night attendants employed, only one per side
1862    -    Chapel Constructed towards the rear of the hospital, the original below the Clock Tower
1864    -    Increased entertainment throughout the hospital, weekly balls held.
1865    -    Further wards were constructed to house an extra 150 patients
1870    -    Brass Band formed
1871    -    Turkish Baths introduced to treat Insanity with Melancholia, Scrofula and Rhuematism
1874    -    Dr G. T. Jones Retires, Dr William Williams replaces him
1878    -    100 patients taken to town for entertainment
1881    -    Over Crowding.  Extension for a male ward, dining hall and chapel expansion started
1882    -    Dr llewelyn Cox replaces Dr Williams, over crowding still a problem
                   First training offered to Attendents, 42 staff passed the St Johns Ambulance exam
1895    -    After years of debate, the Secretary of State ordered another extension to the hospital,
                   the extension consisted of a complete new steam heating and water system, wards,
                   Staff accommodation, dining hall, kitchen, central bathroom, boiler & engine houses
                   and an isolation hospital.  The whole project cost £80,000
1897    -    Building of the extension commenced, temporary buildings erected to ease crowding
1902    -    Dr Frank Jones employed as Assistant Medical officer with Dr Herbert
1905    -    Extension works completed
1908    -    Two further ward blocks constructed, male and female
1910    -    Dr Cox replaced by Dr W. S. Hughes
1913    -    Dr Frank Jones replaced Dr Hughes.  Female work room converted to female ward
1915    -    First nurses passed their Preliminary Medico-Psychological exams
1916    -    Epileptics treated with a vegetarian diet
1919    -    Experimental Cerebral Galvanism carried out on Epileptics
1923    -    X-Ray installed
1924    -    First patients sent to Upton Hospital for malarial treatment for General Paralysis if the Insane
                   Dentist first visits hospital, Mr Charles.  These were weekly visits
                   Entertainment increased, a car was purchased to take patients on day trips
1926    -    Gwynfryn house brought to house 30 useful female patients
                   Pathologist, Dr Ceinwen Evans, employed to eradicate infectious dieseases
1927    -    Trefeirain house was used to accommodate 20 convalescent male patients
                   Lunacy Commission reported on the 'Homely Nature' of the hospital
1930    -    Malarial Treatment available at Denbigh
1934    -    Occupational Therapy introduced after Dr Roberts visited a demonstration in Holland
1937    -    First Occupational Nurse trained
1939    -    Patients won the National Eisteddfod in Denbigh, Occupational Therapy thriving
1940    -    Dr Frank Retires after 39 years of service, Dr Roberts appointed.
                   Wards reclassified to house similar patients together 
1941    -    Electro-convulsive therapy introduced, along with other treatments such as Sleep Therapy
1942    -    First nurses passed their General Nursing Council finals
                   Mrs Chisholm employed as dispenser
1944    -    Psychologist employed, Dr Martha Vidor
1945    -    Psychiatric Social Worker employed, Miss Dorothy Thomas. Department grew quickly.
1946    -    Holistic approach adopted to treatment.
1948    -    Denbigh renamed to North Wales Mental Hospital
1953    -    First psychiatric drugs used, Largactil and Stelazine
1955    -    Patient population exceeds 1500.  Doors around the hospital unlocked to allow extra
                   Freedom.  Only chronic wards remained closed.  TV introduced to wards
1958    -    Hospital farm sold 
                   Sports recreation officer employed
1960    -    Sports pavilion erected and annual events were organised, notably exchange holidays
                   The Right Honourable Enoch Powell visited Denbigh and announced his hospital plan
1963    -    Dr Roberts retired, being replaced by Dr T. Gwynne1968 Williams
                   Patient numbers began to decline, allowing for a major upgrade programme to begin
1967    -    New kitchen and Cafeteria for staff built
1968    -    First Community Psychiatric Nurse employed
1969    -    Nurse training school opened.  Employment of patients began to be wound down
1980    -    Activities for both staff and patients ceased
1987    -    Ten year strategy started
1995    -    Final closure of hospital
2004    -    Prince of Wales visits, hospital put into the Phoenix Trust
2008    -    Future Unknown, Main Hall burns to the ground, two weeks after a listing protest is made
2009    -    Demolition Commences

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