Christmas at the Three Counties Asylum
This photo is courtesy of Melanie Peterson the granddaughter of Dr Edward Menzies. It shows her Mother Katherine Peterson (nee Menzies) standing outside the main entrance to the Three Counties Hospital in the snow in the 1940s:
Easter at the Three Counties Asylum
This is the service for St Luke's Chapel in 1979:
The Queen's Coronation, June 1953
In 1953 the nation was gripped by the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Three Counties Hospital was no exception, and a large Decca television was purchased in anticipation for the great event. The committee and superintendent knew this would give great pleasure to both patients and staff so they purchased the Decca 1000 projection television.
This was at great expense to the hospital at £185. This was the only set at this price made large enough to be put into a hall or pub as it was far to big for the average home. The walnut body of the set was separate to the silver screen which could be wall mounted and this measured 4ft x 3ft. (1.3m x 1m). The body also contained three eight inch speakers which gave a lovely rich deep warm sound.
Photos showing how the television looked when set up (courtesy of www.thevalvepage.com):
The Three Counties Hospital Cricket Team
Sport was always a very important part of life at Three Counties Hospital. It was decided very early in the life of the asylum that it should have a cricket team. During 1862 the superintendent of the asylum, Mr William Denne, gave instructions to construct a cricket pitch and a pavilion. An area of land was set aside near what was then the rear of the asylum, and by 1863 the levelled pitch had been laid and the pavilion built. It would be one man's job all year long to look after the pitch.