Unlocking the Past - A Royal Albert Hospital Archive

An old black and white image of a group of women from the hospital

The Royal Albert Hospital in Lancaster

Between 2005 and 2007, this Community Service Volunteers (CSV) Heritage Lottery Funded oral history project, based in Lancaster, documented the residential and working culture of a former large Victorian long stay hospital for people with learning difficulties.

Managed by a member of the Research Group, the project produced a website and a major exhibition, as well as providing critical input into nurse training at the University of Cumbria, the history curriculum at Lancaster University and course work at Central Lancaster High School.

Contact us

About the Group

If you woud like to get in touch with the Social History of Learning Disability (SHLD) Research Group, please contact:

Liz Tilley 
Chair of the Social History of Learning Disability (SHLD) Research Group
School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

About the website

If you have any feedback or would like to report a problem with the website, please contact WELS-Research-Admin@open.ac.uk.