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42
In June, 1928, the Council accepted the tender of Messrs. A. Evans & Co., Clactonon-Sea,
amounting to £3,302 10s., for this work, which was commenced later in the
year. Authority was given for expenditure of £750 for the equipment of the additional
accommodation. As from the date of the completion of the enlargement, it was
decided to increase the fixed staff of the institution by one carpenter-instructor.
Visiting
chaplain.
70. The Rev. W. E. Gardiner (Mistley) was appointed to be visiting chaplain
of Brunswick House, with effect from 1st July, 1928, in succession to the Rev. W.H.
Doggett.
Placing of
patients in
domestic
service.
South Side Home.
71. During 1928 no alteration was made in the administration of the South Side
Home. A number of patients were placed in domestic service. Experience has
shown that the most successful cases are those who enter daily employment, sleeping
in the institution. These girls use their leisure profitably, for, when they return to
the institution in the evening, they can be occupied with country dancing, needlework
etc., in the society of other girls. Moreover, the fact that they leave their
work every evening and return to it afresh in the morning, tends to keep their
interest in it alive, for it is notorious that steady application to a routine task is
frequently one of the most difficult lessons for a high grade defective to learn.
Industries.
72. During the year there was a steady output of handwork by the patients.
Sums amounting to £48 were received from the sale of the articles made.
Proposed
extension of
the Manor.
(c) Prospective Accommodation.
73. In October, 1928, plans for the erection at The Manor of three detached
villas for 60 patients each, two for male patients of the trainable and tractable type,
and one for female adult or adolescent defectives of intractable temper and criminal
antecedents were approved and were submitted for the approval of the Minister of
Health. This scheme for enlargement, together with the schemes in hand at Farmfield
and Brunswick House (see pars. 65 and 69 ante) will provide 253 additional beds
(193 for males and 60 for females).
New
institution.
Hollywood
Lodge,
possible
extension.
74. Allowing for this additional accommodation and tor the possibility later
on, when some experience should have been gained of the use of Hollywood Lodge
as a hostel (see par. 52 ante), of adding to the accommodation on the Hollywood
Lodge estate, and having due regard, also, to the fact that the Metropolitan Asylums
Board's accommodation at present used for defectives was expected to pass into the
Council's direct control, as a result of legislation (the Local Government Act, 1929),
then in contemplation and since passed, careful consideration was given during
1928 to the necessity for making still further provision for the cases of mental
defect for whose maintenance in institutions it was probable that the Council would
have to accept responsibility. The Mental Hospitals Committee received an exhaustive
report in the matter in June, from which it appeared that the total number
of defectives for whom the Council was then responsible under the Mental Deficiency
Acts was just over 4,900, of whom 2,828 were on the books of institutions (1,410 in the
Council's own institutions, 1,418 under contract), 47 under guardianship, and some
2,010 under supervision. The number of supervision cases included a considerable
number for whom institutional care was desired and was to be provided when suitable
accommodation could be found. The total number of supervision cases had increased
by 445 during five years—an average of 89 a year. There had been no substantial
increase in the number of guardianship cases. About 200 cases were awaiting institutional
care, either in places of safety or under supervision in their own homes. The
proportion of males to females in that number was roughly 9 to 11; the proportion
of adults to juveniles 5 to 2. Nearly one-half of these outstanding cases were trainable
and tractable adults.