Tooting Bec Asylum – A Forgotten Institution

A talk about Tooting Bec Asylum, the psychiatric hospital on Tooting Common from 1903 to 1995, told through patients' and staff stories.

The talk traces the history of Tooting Bec Asylum, which stood beside Tooting Common from 1903 until its demolition in 1995, and places the hospital in its historical context. Drawing on archives, published research and the memories, photographs and ephemera shared by former staff and local residents, it will uncover the hidden lives of patients and the experiences of those who worked there. The talk is part of an ongoing project recording the hospital's history, which led to the site receiving a Wandsworth Green Plaque.