Tone Vale Hospital
Encyclopedia
Tone Vale Hospital was a psychiatric hospital located approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the north west of Norton Fitzwarren
, near Taunton
, Somerset, England, in what is now the village of Cotford St Luke
. It covered a large catchment area, with patients originating from places as far apart as Porlock
(on the north western edge of Somerset) and Yeovil
(on the south eastern edge).
In 1986, under Margaret Thatcher
's government, the Audit Commission published a report Making a Reality of Community Care, which proposed the policy that became Care in the Community
and led to a number of mental hospitals being closed in the United Kingdom.
In 1987, Tone Vale had 504 inpatients.
In 1992, the number had reduced to 350,
and in March 1994, a year prior to its closure,
the hospital had 117 inpatients.
James Stutt, an electrical engineer, worked at Tone Vale from 1931 to 1977, and devised an electroconvulsive therapy
(ECT) machine which enabled electroshocks to be administered in controlled doses.
In the 1940s, Dr John Walsh was one of the few psychiatrists in the UK to experiment with transorbital lobotomy. In 1949 he operated on eight women at Tone Vale using electroconvulsive shock as anaesthetic.
Somerset and England cricketer Harold Gimblett
was admitted to Tone Vale with depression
in 1953; he was treated with ECT.
, rather than on a ward in the main hospital.
.
Norton Fitzwarren
Norton Fitzwarren is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 2,325.-History:...
, near Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, Somerset, England, in what is now the village of Cotford St Luke
Cotford St Luke
Cotford St Luke is a village in the district of Taunton Deane, Somerset, England. Cotford St Luke is a new village that was established following the closure of Tone Vale Hospital and Cotford Asylum in the 1990s...
. It covered a large catchment area, with patients originating from places as far apart as Porlock
Porlock
Porlock is a coastal village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated in a deep hollow below Exmoor, west of Minehead. The parish, which includes Hawkcombe and Doverhay, has a population of 1,377....
(on the north western edge of Somerset) and Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
(on the south eastern edge).
History
The hospital was founded in 1892 and built in 1897, and was originally known as the Somerset and Bath Asylum, Cotford.In 1986, under Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's government, the Audit Commission published a report Making a Reality of Community Care, which proposed the policy that became Care in the Community
Care in the Community
Care in the Community is the British policy of deinstitutionalization, treating and caring for physically and mentally disabled people in their homes rather than in an institution...
and led to a number of mental hospitals being closed in the United Kingdom.
In 1987, Tone Vale had 504 inpatients.
In 1992, the number had reduced to 350,
and in March 1994, a year prior to its closure,
the hospital had 117 inpatients.
Notable people associated with Tone Vale
The hospital's first Medical Administrator was Dr Henry Aveline.James Stutt, an electrical engineer, worked at Tone Vale from 1931 to 1977, and devised an electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy , formerly known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Its mode of action is unknown...
(ECT) machine which enabled electroshocks to be administered in controlled doses.
In the 1940s, Dr John Walsh was one of the few psychiatrists in the UK to experiment with transorbital lobotomy. In 1949 he operated on eight women at Tone Vale using electroconvulsive shock as anaesthetic.
Somerset and England cricketer Harold Gimblett
Harold Gimblett
Harold Gimblett was a cricketer who played for Somerset and England. He was known for his fast scoring as an opening batsman and for the much-repeated story of his debut...
was admitted to Tone Vale with depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
in 1953; he was treated with ECT.
Associated institution
Following the arrival of psychiatrist Dr M F Bethel in the 1950s, child and adolescent psychiatric patients were treated at Tone Vale’s associated institution, Merrifield Children's UnitMerrifield Children's Unit
Merrifield Children’s Unit was a residential children’s and adolescents’ psychiatric institution in the grounds of Tone Vale Hospital approximately north west of Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton, Somerset, England, in what is now the village Cotford St Luke.-History:The Merrifield Unit was...
, rather than on a ward in the main hospital.
In literature
Tone Vale Hospital is celebrated in the book The Tone Vale Story: A Century of Care, edited by David Hinton and Fred Clarke. A less favourable view of the institution is given by Joyce Passmore in her memoir The Light in My Mind. Margaret Sparshott's poem 'Tone Vale Hospital' is included in her published anthology A Matter of Identity.Current status
Many of the Tone Vale Hospital buildings have been demolished, but those with Grade II Listed status, including the Church of St Luke (the hospital chapel), have been preserved and incorporated into the new village of Cotford St LukeCotford St Luke
Cotford St Luke is a village in the district of Taunton Deane, Somerset, England. Cotford St Luke is a new village that was established following the closure of Tone Vale Hospital and Cotford Asylum in the 1990s...
.