A BUNDLE OF OLD documents handed over to the Civic Society for safe keeping has revealed a dark side of the health care service for Bourne in past times. 

They relate to building conversion work at the former workhouse which was established on the site close to what is now the Wellhead Gardens in 1836 although as time went by its role was altered to suit changing social conditions. 

During those early years of the 19th century it provided a home for the destitute, usually husbands and wives with several children who were sent there because their distressed circumstances had become so dire that they were no longer able to cope and had even been evicted from their home, either because they were unable to pay the rent or the breadwinner had lost his job and with it the tied cottage in which the family lived. There were other equally sad cases who were admitted, often old couples who could no longer fend for themselves, or men and women whose partners had died and had no money for food or relatives to provide for them.  

An account of the social deprivation of this period is part of the workhouse story and the social disgrace of becoming an inmate persisted well into the 20th century while today it is remembered in folklore and literature as a place synonymous with hunger and poverty.  

By 1930, the workhouse had become known as the Bourne Poor Law Institution and occupied a site of just over three acres. Although poverty was still an essential factor for those who were admitted, part of it was also designated as a hospital for patients with mental illness and the documents that have just come to light describe the alterations to the premises between 1937-39 that were sanctioned by the Ministry of Health, Kesteven County Council and the Lincolnshire Joint Board for the Mentally Defective, who were then responsible at a local level. 

Similar conversions were being carried out at workhouses elsewhere in the county and that at Bourne was modelled on building work underway at the Holbeach Institution, with a total bed complement of 104, the accommodation provided being for adult females classed as being low and medium grade mental defectives although it has been suggested that these hospital units were also used for young unmarried girls who were sent there after becoming pregnant, their babies adopted while they may have been detained for the rest of their lives, a practice not unknown at that time.

The mass of paperwork bears evidence to the slow pace of progress and, in many cases, the inefficiency of the contractors who are repeatedly called back to remedy poor workmanship and in some cases the use of sub-standard materials. Everything seems to have been done by letter, involving builders, suppliers, consulting engineers, hardware merchants, architects and surveyors, making long delays inevitable.

The nature of the accommodation meant that security was of paramount consideration and so various locks and bolts were given a high priority. A list of those provided and installed indicate that no part of the premises could not be secured and included larders and linen stores, lavatories, washrooms, window, gates and doors in corridors and wards.

One of the most serious faults in the work was the wood block flooring because institutionalised buildings such as this invariably had a smooth and polished finish which was thought to be the most hygienic method at that time but the contractors had difficulties in completing the job. Nails were constantly protruding and workmen returned several times to extract them before the risk of injury was finally removed although everyone involved was blaming someone else for the defects, finally deciding that the materials were faulty. There were also water leakages through the roof and skylight, blocked drains and on one occasion smoke was seen coming up through the floorboards in the matron’s office where an investigation decided that the cause was the fireplace which had been badly fitted.

There is a belief that workmanship in past times was often superior to that which we encounter today but the continuing correspondence over this project does not bear this out and there was even a dispute over the type of steam pans required for food preparation after those supplied caused flooding on the kitchen floor because the drainage system was inadequate. This was a particular problem as the huge receptacles were used for a variety of foods, soup on one day, vegetables on another and possibly milk or porridge on another, and so the utmost care was needed to ensure absolute cleanliness to reduce the risk of contamination yet it took several weeks to find a satisfactory solution to the problem.

The original estimates for the work shot up across the board and each of the contractors involved submitted revised bills with explanations as to why their costs had been increased but after many weeks of consultation and exchanges of letters, the work was eventually completed and everyone paid.

The building continued in its role as a mental hospital for the next few years and during the Second World War of 1939-45, children were also admitted and the bed complement increased to 134 but no alterations or improvements were carried out to the property.

But in 1948, the building became known as St Peter's Hospital for mentally handicapped women and children and from then on, a gradual programme of improvements began to modernise the entire complex. By 1965, administration had passed to the Sheffield Regional Board but improvements continued and there was further reorganisation in 1969 when more patient beds were added, bringing the total number up to 155.

Other improvements between 1971 and 1982 made St Peter's one of the most modern hospitals of its kind in the country with a matron and six nursing sisters, 12 daytime and seven night time nurses, a male charge nurse for night time duty and five cadet or trainee nurses. But it was not to last. Government legislation brought a reduction in the use of such institutions and St Peter's was slowly run down and patients moved out under a policy of care in the community and by 1992, the building was standing empty.

In 1997, the site was bought by the local printing firm, Warners Midlands plc, which owned the adjoining premises, for an expansion of their business interests and as it was not listed or reckoned to have any architectural merit, the entire building complex was demolished in 2001, its disappearance marking the end of an era for which few people would grieve.