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Buildings

Basic Site Details

City of Glasgow District Asylum for Pauper Lunatics
Gartcosh
Glasgow
Scotland
Information from Managers Minutes per Suzanne Mireylees.

The new Gartloch Lunatic Asylum and Hospital, which has been completed by the Glasgow and Distruct Lunacy Board, has just been opened for patients. The asylum and hospital are situated on the old Gartloch Estate, lying about seven miles east of Glasgow. The buildings consist of two parts, asylum and hospital, with workshops, laundry, electric lighting plant etc. The asylum comprises four blocks, the male and female patients’ accommodation being separate, and each block is connected to the administrative department by covered ways. In the central portion are a dining hall, kitchen, sculleries and general stores, and over the dining hall is placed a recreation hall. The official block is situated to the north, and is flanked by two toweres, each rising to a height of 130 feet. Here are the Board Room, doctor’s room, waiting rooms etc on the ground floor; and on the upper stories, sleeping accommodation for the staff. Each block is divided into two wards with dormitories above, and is equipped with boot rooms, lavatory accommodation, and large bathrooms entered from the corridors. Like the asylum, the hospital consists of two main parts, one for male and the other for female patients. These are of similar construction and arrangement, and in each are placed observation wards for newly-admitted patients, wards for physically ailing inmates, for those requiring special nursing by reason of old age and infirmity, and for those suffering from infectious diseases. It is entirely separate from the asylum and has its own kitchen, dining hall, doctor’s room, nurses apartments, etc. The asylum has accommodation for 380 patients and the hospital for about *. But meantime only part of the buildings are in occupation. Special water reservoirs have been constructed and the electric light has been installed. The architects were Messrs Thomson and Sandilands of Glasgow. The total cost of the work will, it is estimated, be about £200,000. [Builder 26 June 1897 p575]

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:

Alt classic

NameCurrent NameNotes
Gartloch Lunatic AsylumNoAlternative original title
Gartloch HospitalYes

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:

Class classic

ClassificationOriginal ClassificationNotes
HospitalNot Known
AsylumNot Known

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:

event classic

Event TypeFromToNotes
Competition held1889
1889/11/01Competition won
Construction18911897Main building and wards, west lodge
Construction1894Doctor's house; superintendent's house and mortuary
Construction18941895Farm steading
Construction18961897Hospital
Construction1897Farm cottages
Construction18981902Nurses' home
Construction18991900Hall
1902Farm Colony Pavilion
Alterations and additions1975cUpgrading and modernisation.

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.

design classic

PersonPartnership GroupRoleFromToNotes
David BarclayB1889Second premiated competition design (£100 premium)
H & D BarclayB1889Second premiated competition design (£100 premium)
Henry Edward Clifford1889Third premiated competition design (£50 premium)
Hugh BarclayB1889Second premiated competition design (£100 premium)
John ThomsonA18891902Won competition and secured job
Robert Douglas SandilandsA18891902Won competition and secured job
Thomson & SandilandsA18891902Won competition and secured job
William MitchellA18901897cAs apprentice/assistant to Thomson & Sandilands
James ChristieA18931899As apprentice to Thomson & Sandilands
Alexander SkirvingC1902Farm Colony Pavilion
Archibald CrawfordDArchitect1975CUpgrading and modernisation.
John Crowe McBrideDArchitect1975CUpgrading and modernisation.
Watson, Salmond & GrayDArchitectural practice1975CUpgrading and modernisation.
William MacDonaldDArchitect1975CUpgrading and modernisation.

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:

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NameNotes
City of Glasgow Lunacy Board
Glasgow Parish CouncilClient for Skirving work

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Child Structures

This structure or site has the following component or child structures (click on an item to view details):

Child classic

NotesName
Situated on western edge of Gartloch Hospital site.Gartloch Hospital, new nurses' home

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:

bio ref classic

AuthorYearTitlePartPublisherNotes
Darragh, Alison2011Prison or Palace? Heaven or Hell? An architectural and social study of the development of public lunatic asylums in ScotUnpublished PhD thesis, University of St Andrewsvol 2, pp 258-64, 281 (cottages), 284 (farm colony), 287 (superintendent's house)vol 3, pp 79-82 (photo showing towers complete)
Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts1890993
Harper, Roger H1983Victorian Architectural Competitions: An Index to British and Irish Architectural Competitions…London: Mansell Publishing
RIBA1975RIBA Directory of practices
Richardson, Harrietn.d.Scottish Hospitals SurveyUnpublished typescript (copy in DMW Archive)Listed as Gartloch Hospital
Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts1897328 (Thomson & Sandilands)

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:

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Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Builder1889/11/16LVIIp356
Builder1898/09/17LXXVp255 - nurses' home
Building News1889/11/15*p682 - H & D Barclay work
Builder1897/06/26p575 - opening

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:

arc ref classic

SourceNameCat NumberItem NameNotes
Glasgow City Archives, Mitchell LibraryMinutes of the Managers of Gartloch Asylum
Greater Glasgow Health Board ArchivesGreater Glasgow Health Board ArchivesAnnual Reports HB 1/6
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register33873Gartloch Cottages
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register33868Main buildings - asylum section, hospital section and nurses' home
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register33869Superintendent's house
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register33870Mortuary
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register33871West Lodge
RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination PapersJames Christie: L v16 no1180; William Mitchell: L v25 no2034; Robert Douglas Sandilands: F v17 p51 no1122 (microfilm reel 12); Alexander Skirving: F v17 p53 no1123 (microfilm reel 12); John Thomson: F v17 p55 no1124 (microfilm reel 12)