Editing Hanwell (section)

===Healthcare===
[[File:St Bernards Gatehouse 2008.jpeg|thumb|{{center|St Bernard's Gate House <br />(Grade II) }}]]
Lying to the west of the [[River Brent]] and so actually in the precinct of [[Norwood Green]], the Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum was commonly referred to as the [[St Bernard's Hospital, Hanwell|Hanwell Asylum]] because it was closer to the centre of Hanwell than either Norwood or Southall. The [[Psychiatric hospital|asylum]] was opened in 1831 to house [[pauper]] [[lunatics]]. In 1937 it was renamed [[St Bernard's Hospital, Hanwell|St Bernard's Hospital]] by which it is still known today. Built on some of its former grounds to the east is [[Ealing Hospital NHS Trust|Ealing Hospital]]. Most of the original asylum still remains, with over half having been turned into the St Bernard's Gate housing development and the rest remaining as a [[psychiatric hospital]]. The most interesting parts are the chapel and an entrance arch, visible from the [[Uxbridge Road]]. Within the grounds of Hanwell Asylum, on the west side of the main block, was a small isolation hospital.

The hospital was remarkable as one of its physicians, [[John Conolly]], 1794–1866, was progressive in the treatment of patients and avoided the use of restraints. A memorial garden dedicated to him is at the junction of Station Road with Connolly Road. The hospital did have a museum housed in its chapel, but this collection has now been broken up and relocated. It included many items ranging from patient registers, reports and a large assortment of medical equipment, including a [[padded cell]], consisting of a wooden framework with padded door, walls and floor, but no ceiling.

Within the boundary of Hanwell proper, there were three more asylums. These were all private. The first one recorded, was "Popes House", which admitted its first patient (it is thought) in 1804.

Later, "Elm Grove House" in Church Road was turned into an asylum by Susan Wood. Her husband was the brother of Mrs Ellis, the wife of William Ellis, the first superintendent of Hanwell Asylum.<ref>Roberts, Andrew (1981). [http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/01.htm The Lunacy Commission] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004125757/http://www.mdx.ac.uk/WWW/STUDY/01.htm |date=4 October 2008 }} Middlesex University web, London. Retrieved 11 September 2008.</ref> (This is not to be confused with the similarly named Elm Grove in Ealing which the [[East India Company]] took over in 1870 and created the "[[Royal India Asylum]]", which closed in 1892.)<ref>A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden (1982) [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22581 Ealing and Brentford: Public services] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417054700/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22581 |date=17 April 2009 }} Pages 147–149. Retrieved 11 September 2008.</ref>

Another local asylum was "Lawn House", the home and privately run asylum of Dr John Conolly, which he opened after retiring as superintendent of Hanwell Asylum. After his death in 1866, it was taken over by his son-in-law [[Henry Maudsley]] who ran it until 1874.

Down Green Lane and on the west side was the old "Hanwell Cottage Hospital", which was named "The [[Queen Victoria]] and War Memorial Hospital". This was built in 1900 and paid for by public subscription and run on voluntary contributions until the creation of the [[National Health Service|NHS]] in 1948. In 1979 it was replaced by "Ealing District General Hospital", on the other side of the [[River Brent]]. The southern Portland stone and brick pier of the cottage hospital's entrance, bearing the inscription <small>HANWELL</small> was preserved as a permanent reminder of Hanwell's first hospital. The two original Edwardian street lamps outside the entrance were also preserved, but then mysteriously disappeared, causing enquiries to be made.