ABSTRACT
This was the situation in 1947 when the Hospital came to celebrate its sevenhundredth anniversary. The main focus of the jubilee was a special day of celebrations, complete with a garden party and Founder's Day service. The anniversary was brought forward from October to June in the hope that those invited would be better able to attend and to take advantage of the summer weather. Repair work on the war damage was rushed so that all the buildings could be opened for inspection.6 Queen Mary, Bethlem's President since 1941, was invited as the guest of honour and she readily accepted. No expense was spared, despite earlier doubts that not enough money was available to meet the cost of repairing the bomb damage. The celebrations saw an important gathering of those involved in hospital and mental health administration, although Aneurin Bevan, Labour's Minister of Health, was unable to attend. Poor weather did not deter the 700 guests, and few seemed concerned that Queen Mary wore a similar outfit - and certainly the same shoes - to the one she had worn to the opening of the new Hospital.7
