Understanding the past

1908

Royal Commission on the Care and Control of the Feeble-Minded concluded that learning disability was an inherited condition but rejected sterilisation, though this had been argued for by some witnesses who were called. Instead, the idea of protection in specialised institutions or by a guardian in the community was proposed

1913

Mental Deficiency Act (England and Scotland) made it a duty for local education authorities to identify all children with learning disabilities between the ages of seven and sixteen. It established four categories of ‘mental deficiency?: ‘idiots?, ‘imbeciles?, ‘feeble-minded persons? and ‘moral imbeciles?. The Act also required local authorities to provide accommodation for people identified as needing care and support

1914?1918

First World War

1927

Mental Deficiency Act responded to concern about non-institutional provision. It led to an increase in occupational centres and focused more on supervision than on segregation of ‘mental defectives?

1927

Glasgow Parish Council buys Lennox Castle and its estate with plans to convert it into an institution for ‘the mentally handicapped?

1929

Report of the Mental Deficiency Committee (Wood Committee) argued for more use of varied forms of community care

1929

Building work at Lennox Castle began

1936

‘Lennox Castle Certified Institution for Mental Defectives? was opened by the Lord Provost of Glasgow

1939?1945

Second World War

1941

Maternity unit opened (closed 1964)

1945

Election of Labour Government

1946

National Health Service Act

1948

Lennox Castle Hospital placed under the National Health Service (NHS)

1952

Howard Mitchell born at Lennox Castle

1970s

Total number of beds at Lennox Castle Hospital 1620

1970

Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act required local authorities to provide services for disabled people in the home and in the community

1974

Lennox Castle Hospital placed in the Northern District of the Greater Glasgow Health Board

1979

Election of Conservative Government

1990s

Beginning of resettlement of residents of Lennox Castle Hospital

1990

National Health Service and Community Care Act (included Scotland) began the move away from institutional care towards independent life in the community

1991

Total number of beds at Lennox Castle Hospital 830

1993

Lennox Castle Hospital becomes part of the Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health Services NHS trust

1997

Election of Labour Government

1998

Greater Glasgow Health Board seeks approval to close the hospital by 2002

2001

Lennox Castle Hospital partially closed. Total number of beds reduced to 139

2002

Lennox Castle Hospital closes

2003?2004

All of the former hospital building is demolished

2006

Planning permission given for the former hospital site to be developed as a sports academy and training facility for Glasgow Celtic Football Club and for a housing development to be built in another part of what had been the hospital?s grounds