Out of Sight, not Out of Mind

INSTITUTIONAL INDUSTRY
– The workshops and other work
“Back in the 1940s, 50s and 60s people were
expected to work. That could have been
taking Matron a cup of tea, working in the
kitchen, or on the farm. For a while, it was
felt it wasn’t right to ask people to work,
having exploited them in the past.
In fact, work is an important way of feeling
valued and having a place in your society, so
it was reintroduced.” ALISON LAST
“Some of them would get fed up in the
workshops. All of a sudden they’d just
knock all the stuff off the table and we’d
call the ward to come and fetch them.”
JANET MULGRUE
“Some of the people went out and earnt
money as builders, gardeners, refuse
collectors, or maids. There’s no way they
would be put into a hospital nowadays.”
DOT MACKIE
A bench made in the workshops at Monyhull
“Making things at the workshops was quite
repetitive, but they seemed to enjoy doing it.
There were the industrial workshops where
they did the curlers, made bits of furniture
and bird tables. There was another where they
did all the cushions, knitting and cutting up
bits of fabric to stuff things with.”
LORRIE LENNON
“We had so many different things going on at
Monyhull. They could work with the gardeners,
the porters or go to the workshops and do
contract work, which they loved. Combined
with the right medication, that meant they
didn’t have behavioural problems.”
DIANE CAPEWELL