Memories of Mapperley Hospital

John Holmes has been working for the BBC for over 50 years.

He worked on Down Your Way, Any Questions?, Any Answers? and The Natural History Programme for Radio 4, but he’s mainly known for presenting shows on BBC Radio Nottingham and his series of walks, Holmes & Away for BBC East Midlands TV.

His first visit to Mapperley Hospital started a lifetime interest in mental health issues and in 2011 he presented a unique half hour documentary at Rampton Hospital for Inside Out East Midlands.

At the time of his introduction to the wards at Mapperley, in 1967, he was a student in Mining Engineering at the University of Nottingham and joined the BBC in 1969.     

Below John shares some of his memories of Mapperley hospital:

“In the summer of 1967 I made my first visit to Kate’s place of work; she was a student nurse at Mapperley Psychiatric Hospital. To be honest, I was worried about going. In Essex our equivalent was Runwell Hospital, although we referred to it in those days as that Lunatic Asylum on the Hill.

My father ran a furniture shop, and one day we had to make a delivery to a member of staff at Runwell. Because of all the stories that were told about dangerous an unpredictable behaviour there, l was apprehensive about going. The general feeling amongst the public was that the ‘hospital on the hill’ was definitely a place so called ‘normal’ people never went near. Our delivery was totally uneventful, of course.

Well, Kate was working at Runwell’s equivalent in Nottingham. She told me there was nothing to worry about and on the whole she was right, although when I walked into the building I did feel vulnerable, I just trusted Kate’s judgement.

Her ward sister was Vicki ‘Reilly and when I went onto her ward, I was surprised to feel totally safe and came to love the place and the patients, and returned regularly. Several Christmases we visited with our children, and I, along with local GP Dr Everton and Joe O’ Reilly, Vicki’s husband, carved and served the Christmas dinner.

When Mark, our first was born we even visited to share our precious new bundle of joy with the patients. It proved to be good therapy for them and us.

I also got to know many of the staff very well and regularly attended their functions, such as the dances and sporting events. I miss those days now.”

John Holmes at Radio Nottingham Library