'Hortham Colony' opened in 1933 and was later renamed Hortham Hospital. It closed in 1991. The site was redeveloped for housing in the early 21st century.
‘Colonies’ were a type of institution where people with disabilities or illnesses lived together in self-contained ‘villages’. They were established for people with epilepsy, tuberculosis and – following the 1913 ‘Mental Deficiency Act’ – for people classed as ‘mental defectives’. Sometimes people whose behaviour simply did not conform to the moral values of mainstream society were also admitted. Often, between 900 to 1,500 people would live in these ‘villages’, in ‘villas’ which housed up to 60 people. Sites may have included a school, workshops, kitchen, laundry, and farm, which provided education and (unpaid) employment. There may also have been recreational halls and playing fields. ‘Colonies’ were first built in the 19th century. Some became psychiatric hospitals in the mid to late 20th century, however some continued until the 1990s.
Sources: Historic England, ‘Disability History Glossary’, Historic England website, accessed 18/02/2026.
Historic England, ‘'Mental Deficiency' Between the Wars: Life in the Colony’, Historic England website, accessed 18/02/2026.
Historic England, ‘The Shifting Borderlands of Disability’, Historic England website, accessed 18/02/2026.
This is part of the Series: FEL01/02 Photographs Taken By Herbert Felton For The Architect And Building News, The Architects' Journal, And The Architectural Review; within the Collection: FEL01 Herbert Felton Collection
Source: Historic England Archive
Photographer: Felton, (Leo) Herbert
Early 20th Century Learning Disability Hospital, Health And Welfare