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At Glamorgan Archives members of peoples first, a self advocacy group run by people with learning
disabilities, worked on a project researching the history of Ely hospital.
Right everyone, this is where we keep all the documents.
WOW.
So we have got four rooms like this in the archives all the same size. They are all up
there, so this is the bottom one. We have the mobile shelves so we can fit as much stuff
in as we possibly can.
Look at this ladies and gentlemen!
We were approached to work with Cardiff People First on the project and the idea of the project
was to look at the history of Ely Hospital and for the members of Cardiff People First,
many of whom had been residents at Ely, to be able to tell their story about the hospital.
For us here at the archives it meant that we could use the documents that we have got
which detail the history of Ely hospital, show those to the members of Cardiff Peoples
First, many of whom were former residents and help them to learn a bit more about the
history of the institution.
Some of the words that they use aren't very nice at all.
Many members of People First, once lived at Ely hospital themselves. The hospital closed
down following an enquiry into the mistreatment of many of the paitents staying there. Looking
through the hospital archives brought back memories both happy and sad for many of the
ex residents.
The bloke at the back is Robert. My brother in law was in Ely Hospital since he was 12
years of age.
Was it your brother you were looking for?
Yeah.
These are in alphabetical order so,
I was glad we were able to do the project because it brings all the old routines back,
what they were supposed to have done. The nurses, doctors, what they were supposed to
have done.
We looked at old historical maps, which actually showed the Ely area and how it had changed
over time. From what was quite a rural area on the outskirts of Cardiff with only the
hospital really there to becoming quite a built up residential area, a sort of housing
estate that we know today.
And Ely Hospital is there. Where the children's home is on the side now.
I remember the children's home.
Ely Lodge
I remember Ely Lodge. I got lost in there!
We have enjoyed working with Rhian and Susan from here. It has been a pleasure hasn't it
Jan to do all the work and find out how things have altered over the years.
I think the Ely Hospital project, has really shown that these documents are important because
they do detail a very important part of our social history. These things did happen and
its quite easy to try and forget them and brush them under the carpet. But the documents
have survived and they do detail exactly what happened, so it is very important indeed that
we have preserved them for those reasons.
One of the documents found had a special meaning to Martin, one of the founding members of
People First, as it related to his work to improve the conditions for Ely Hospital residents.
The Declaration of rights of declaration for residents. When I look at this, it makes me
feel proud I made this document. This was the first document I ever done. And, sorry
the tears are coming out now. And I am proud to be a part of Cardiff Peoples First, for
the voice for the people that cant speak out. And it makes me happy.
The members of Peoples First used what they had found out about Ely Hospital to create
an exhibition in Cardiff Story Museum, as well as films and animations.
Working with Cardiff People First has been an incredibly rewarding experience, I have
really enjoyed spending time with the membes at the records with them and encouraging them
to do their own research by choosing the records. It has been great to see how they have then
gone on and even use that material to produce the exhibition at the Cardiff Story and to
produce their story for this competition. Its really lovely to see that they have gone
on to do that from the research that we did here at the Archive.