Ravenscraig Hospital, Greenock

Reference AC 12
Dates of Creation 1850-1994
Name of Creator Ravenscraig Hospital (psychiatric hospital : 1850- : Greenock)
Language of Material English
Physical Description 6 metres

Scope and Content

Registers, 1860-1994;
Case notes, 1935-1967;
Admission warrants, 1850-1962;
Daily registers, 1965-1969;
Visiting report books and 'notification of infectious disease' certificates, 1930-1961.

Administrative / Biographical History

Ravenscraig Hospital was built in 1876 as a Poorhouse and Asylum but was then called Smithston after the land it was built on. The building was officially opened in March 1879 amidst a public outcry at the construction cost of £122,904. The asylum and poorhouse then had accommodation for 750 inmates. Its previous incarnation was a poorhouse with lunatic wards built in Captain Street in 1850.

In March 1915, part of the hospital was emptied and handed over to the military authorities as a service hospital to be used for patients wounded in and invalided home from France and Belgium. The military authorities pulled out in April 1919. During the Second World War the hospital was requisitioned by the Admiralty and the patients were transferred to Dykebar, Gartloch, Larbert and Cuninghame Home Hospitals. The hospital became a stone frigate, called HMCS Niobe, for the Canadian Navy. In 1947 the hospital was reoccupied by the Local Authority and the patients were moved back in.

In 1948, with the inception of the National Health Service, the hospital came under the care of the Board of Management for Dykebar and Associated Hospitals and its name changed to Ravenscraig. After this date numerous improvements were made to the buildings and facilities including the opening of an Occupational Therapy department in 1951 and the establishment of out-patient clinics at Wellpark. Shortly after this Dr Haig Mitchell was responsible for implementing a day patient service which was the first of its kind in Scotland.

In the 1960s two new 120-bedded units, Corlic and Dunrod were built for long-term patients. The hospital was transferred to the administrative control of the Board of Management for Greenock and District Hospitals in 1969. With the reorganisation of the NHS in 1974 the hospital was administered by the Inverclyde District of Argyll and Clyde Health Board. The original buildings closed in December 2005.

Arrangement
Arranged in series.

Conditions Governing Access
Because of the sensitive nature of much of the information contained in these records there is a 75 year closure period on all patient records. There is a 100 year closure period on records of minors.

Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements
None which affect the use of this material.

Appraisal Information
Appraised according to standard procedures.

Custodial History
Received from creator.

Accruals
No further accruals expected.

Related Material
AB1 Records of Argyll and Clyde Health Board; AC 20, Records of Dykebar & Associated Hospitals Board of Management.