Shenley Hospital was located in the village of Shenley, Hertfordshire. My parents worked there !946- to late 70s. We lived in the village. I went to the village school and in the 1960s worked at the hospital during my college vacations.
Before I describe the hospital, I have to say that I, nor my family,ever witnessed any patient from the hospital in any state of undress. Patients were free to walk around the hospital and village if they could unless, rarely, they were under a legal restriction. Patients were accepted as part of the communityand several were local characters. At Junior school we used to play by the gate and we often talked to the patients. We did not see them as apart from us. I remember one character " Pinky". He had a sweet, round, rosy face , twinkling round eyes and a toothless round smile. He often walked past the school gate and we all said hello and waved to him and he was happy
The hospital was state of the art for the time. Large houses and villas were set in magnificent parkland.The treatment of the wide variety of Psychiatric problems was progressive.
Many patients suffered from depression and some, whose lives had hit them too hard, had suffered breakdowns. Although some patients had serious illnessses ,such as schizophrenia, most were just like you and me with different life experiences.
The hospital had a full Symphony Orchestra, the musicians were patients, staff and staff family. I played in the orchestra for several years. Some of the musician patients were very seriously ill yet the most wonderful musicians.
One man played the violin like a sweet bird singing. Another man would always be the first to arrive. We would enter the huge, empty concert hall to hear him playing his own soulful music on his cello. It would cut your heart in two and make you weep. He was a genius.
We played in competitions , sometimes winning , and the hospital had a full sized concert hall where we gave concerts to patients and the general public together.
In the 60s there was a very popular "Rock and Twist" each week. The bands were all well known 60s bands and people came from all the local towns.
Huge dances and balls were held in this hall and the patients had a social club with dance floor where there were regular dances to jazz and dance music. My Dad played in these bands.
To be continued
