From asylum to action in Scotland: the emergence of the Scottish Union of Mental Patients, 1971–2. Issue 1 (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gallagher, Mark
• Other Names: Philo Chris guest-editor.; Andrews Jonathan guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: History of psychiatry. Volume 28:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 101
• Page End: 114
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Counter-cultures -- history from below -- mental patient unionism -- Robin Farquharson -- Scotland -- Thomas Ritchie -- 20th century; Psychiatry -- History -- Periodicals; Mental illness -- History -- Periodicals; 616.89009
• DOI: 10.1177/0957154X16678124
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-154X

Abstract

By analysing a collection of documents authored by Thomas Ritchie, founder of the Scottish Union of Mental Patients (SUMP), this study recounts the emergence of mental patient unionism at Hartwood Hospital, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The discourse and action employed by Ritchie and SUMP are understood and situated in relation to intended audiences, social and material conditions of the asylum space, and transformations in cultures beyond the asylum, including nascent industrial strife, social liberalism, civil rights, the London 'underground' and counter-cultures.