Hidden Now Heard Exhibition at Swansea Museum

Description

Photograph of part of the Hidden Now Heard Exhibition at Swansea Museum about Hensol Castle Hospital. In this photograph you can see a visitor participating in an activity replicating the work completed by residents at Hensol Castle during their industrial therapy. Industrial therapy was one of the day activities available to Hensol residents and this particular activity was the construction of ballpoint pens for the general market. This was seen as giving the residents purpose and drive on a day-to-day basis. The residents who took part in industrial therapy would earn small wages from the work (much, much lower than minimum wage) which they would be able to spend themselves. Many ex-residents recall spending their wages in the pub or on new clothes. In the exhibition, this was replicated with dismantled pens. Visitors were encouraged to put the pens together as a take-away from the exhibition. The radio (pictured at the far end of the table) played a loop of oral histories relating to industrial therapy and leisure activities so that visitors could listen to these whilst they put the pens together.