Asylum archives can change minds

Local people experiencing mental health problems make centuries-old connections in Norfolk archives

Change Minds investigates the lives of patients in Norfolk County Lunatic Asylum in the 1880s. Participants are local people on low income with mental ill health. One said:

“I had a great aunt in the asylum. My family said you’re just like Ivy. I wanted to discover how much was hereditary and how much because of mother. It’s really good to socialise rather than be tucked away under the duvet.”

Over an academic year, participants meet for a half day every fortnight. They start by researching someone from the asylum’s Case Books at Norfolk Record Office and through census returns in their local library.

Participants then explore history and identity in creative workshops, before Norfolk Sound Archives trains them to make oral histories. After a second cohort in 2016–17, the programme will conclude with a published book, and exhibitions across Norfolk and online.

“Change Minds is hoped to be a model for everyday good practice in heritage and mental health. Everyone in Norfolk, no matter who they are or where they live, can use our rich archives to connect with people’s histories, learn about themselves and contribute their story to the future.”

- Laura Drysdale, Director of The Restoration Trust

Change Lives is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and is a partnership between The Restoration Trust, Norfolk Record Office and Together for Mental Wellbeing. It is evaluated by researchers at Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust and the University of East Anglia.

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