Blog - History

Our new series, 'In the Spotlight' looks at the personal stories of some of Bethlem's historic patients.

In the course of his research at the Library of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia our Archivist stumbled upon a letter written to Dr Silas Weir Mitchell

Christmas at Bethlem was a difficult time for families.  Read about the story of Emma Lane, admitted in 1893.

Find out how marital problems affected women in Victorian times through the records of Kate Marian Merriman.

See how the medical records of an appreciable number of the young women admitted as patients of Bethlem in the late nineteenth century provide evidence of a clo

Hear the story of Louis Box, who was admitted in 1891.

"These are the times of Jack the Ripper."  Elizabeth Bishop (admitted to Bethlem June 1895)

Find out how gender affected mental health during thetime of World War Two.

Hear about the experiences of being admitted to the incurable ward in the 19th century.

Find out more about women and madness in the 19th century.

See Bethlem's contributions to the History of the World in 100 Objects.

Here we learn more about the process of being admitted to Bethlem in the Georgian period.