Blog - History

Our volunteer Barbara takes a look at the life of the psychiatrist Alexander Morison.

James Hadfield's life had a lasting impact on the place of those with mental health issues in criminal law.

In comparison with the Brilliant Figures exhibition that preceded it, Impatient! is far more topical. Sophia Gal explains...

One of our most distinct archive voices is that of Joan Rosalind Gunther.

Bethlem has many sailors amongst our patient records. Find out more in this blog post about Navy admissions during the Napoleonic wars...

You may think that an escape from the locked wards at Bethlem would be an elaborately planned event, not so in the case of Lawrence Walkerlaw in 1813...

Mince pies, plum pudding, fruit pies and golden syrup! Join us as we tuck into the long and distinguished history of puddings at Bethlem...

Our work placement student Hong Namgoong looks at the similarities between the Anatomy of Melancholy and the Korean medical text DongUiBoGam

Listen to a recording of Dr Mary Ann Lund's talk on The Anatomy of Melancholy and Robert Burton's use of writing as a form of therapy.

Bethlem Museum of the Mind are currently showing archival photographs from the time the Maudsley was used as a military hospital, treating psychological casualties of WWI.

The credibility of a certain infamous quote is called into question...

A tweet from UK Parliamentary Archives leads Colin Gale, Bethlem Museum Archivist, on an unexpected journey.