Porirua Lunatic Asylum, established in 1884, was once New Zealand's largest hospital. F Ward housed 'refractory' (disturbed) female psychiatric patients from 1910 until the 1970s. Until the advent of tranquillisers, refractory patients who were thought likely to soil and remove their clothes, or who were considered unpredictable or dangerous, wore canvas and heavy cotton clothing like soft-jackets with a variety of strong fastenings. Examples of this 'strong clothing' are on display at the Porirua Hospital Museum, housed in the former F Ward building, which is now a registered historic place.
Courtesy of Porirua Hospital Museum
Using this item
Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
by Marguerite Hill
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.