Tooting Bec Hospital

Tooting Bec Asylum was established in 1903 by the Metropolitan Asylums Board. It was built to relieve pressure on Leavesden and Caterham Asylums which has resulted in adults being admitted to Darenth Schools. The location was specifically intended for older patients to be nearer family and friends. The first phase, which accommodated about 1,000 patients, was followed by a second phase of an extra 900 beds which eventually opened in 1925. After 1930 the LCC ran the hospital until 1948 and the establishment of the National Health Service.

No case records prior to 1970 have survived.

<p>Enquiries about post 1970 records should be directed to the Librarian, South Western Hospital. Some records relating to the Hospital are held in other series at LMA. These include the Metropolitan Asylums Board (MAB), the London County Council's Asylums Committee to 1914, Asylums and Mental Deficiency Committee 1914-1922, and Mental Hospitals Committee 1922-1948, and the London County Council's Public Health Department (LCC/PH/MEWT). In addition the Bermondsey Board of Guardians (B/BG) and Hammersmith Board of Guardians (HH/BG) have records relating to Tooting Bec.</p>

• <corpname>Tooting Bec Asylum</corpname>
• <corpname>Tooting Bec Hospital</corpname>

Patients' records are closed for 100 years by powers vested in the Lord Chancellor under Section 5 of the Public Records Act 1958.