Dr Richard Lloyd Williams of Denbigh who played a leading role in setting up and running the hospital The oldest photo of the Hospital, pre-1880 and discovered in a loft
A HOSPITAL WITH HISTORY Victorian photos discovered in a loft illustrate new book on historic hospital…
Photographs dating back to the 1870’s have been used to illustrate a new book about the first half-century of the first ever specialist mental hospital in Wales. The book, written by Clwyd Wynne, a former nursing manager at the North Wales Hospital, hits the bookshelves just as planners have thrown a lifeline to the iconic Grade II* listed building in Denbigh.
THE BOOK, WRITTEN BY CLWYD WYNNE, A FORMER NURSING MANAGER AT THE NORTH WALES HOSPITAL, HITS THE BOOKSHELVES JUST AS PLANNERS HAVE THROWN A LIFELINE TO THE ICONIC GRADE II* LISTED BUILDING IN DENBIGH.
Victorian Asylum, the story of the North Wales Hospital from its opening in 1848 to the end of the 19th Century, is the first of three volumes covering the history of “The North Wales Asylum for the Insane”. After the hospital closed in 1995, the buildings were neglected and fell into a state of dangerous decay, hastened by vandalism and arson attacks, before Vale of Clwyd-based contractors Jones Bros drew up ambitious plans to redevelop the site and save the magnificent original central building. Those plans have now been approved by Denbighshire County Council, subject to detailed agreement, paving the way for a project which will boost the local economy by £75 million and create 1,200 jobs. “It’s got to be good for Denbigh and I’m glad that the original 1848 building is being retained and restored,” said Clwyd, who began his career at the hospital as a 19-year-old nursing assistant in 1965 and worked there for 30 years. “I’m pleased that it is a local firm that is carrying out the redevelopment because it will provide jobs for the area and apprenticeship opportunities for young people. At last something positive is being done.” Clwyd, whose wife Carol was also a nurse, retired in 1999 after helping find new roles for the 500 staff who remained when the hospital closed in 1995 when there were still 600 patients. He then took charge of the Ablett Ward, the psychiatric ward of Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan, named after Joseph Ablett, the wealthy
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