Henry Landor


Henry Landor was the first medical superintendent of the Asylum For The Insane, London, Ontario, which was built to his specifications. He was one of those at the forefront in North America of the movement for moral treatment of mental patients. Earlier in life, he was a settler, farmer, physician, scientist, and explorer in Western Australia, and then he became a naval surgeon in South Africa.

Early years

Dr. Henry Landor was born in 1815 in Anglesey in Wales. He was educated in Liverpool under the care of Dr Prince. He graduated in the session of 1835-36 from the Aldersgate School of Medicine in London, England, receiving a Silver Medal.

Western Australia

Landor and his brothers Edward Wilson Landor, a lawyer, and George W Landor, arrived in the Colony of Western Australia on 27 August 1841. Landor was appointed a Magistrate on 16 November 1841.
Landor farmed in partnership with Nathan Elias Knight, occupying a grant "on the Dale", and advertised for sheep and cattle 'on shares". They also leased Rivett Henry Bland's 4,000-acre farm in York.
While there, Landor became concerned with the spread of disease among the aborigines. It was his opinion that contact with white settlers had been the cause of the virulent diseases. He took it upon himself to gather as many aborigines as he could to look after them properly, and he applied unsuccessfully for government money for a hospital, though received some funds for medical treatment.
Landor was appointed a magistrate for York on 23 April 1844, having jurisdiction in civil disputes up to 10 pounds.
Knight and Landor got Bland's corn-mill functioning and continued to farm Merino sheep on their property as Bland and Trimmer had done before. Landor and Knight won the York Agricultural Society's first prize for the best merino ram. Landor was involved in the early discussions on behalf of the Society with the Government with a view to bringing convicts to Western Australia. Landor's partnership with Nathan Knight was dissolved on 2 September 1844.
In 1842, Henry Landor and Henry Maxwell Lefroy explored to the east of King George's Sound, taking with them to help translate, the 10 year old aboriginal boy Cowits, who was living in the Landor household. They discovered a "very large tract of excellent land, well-watered and abounding with herbage."
In December 1844, Landor explored the Deep River and reported that the country he passed over was well adapted for sheep and stock grazing and well supplied with water and timber, including a "tree so high that he could not look over it", being Karri.

Medical career

In 1845, he took up a position as Government Surgeon to the British Naval Forces at Cape Coast Castle, Capetown, South Africa. He developed malaria and had to return to England to convalesce, where he developed an interest in insanity.

Caring for the Insane

In 1850, he became the resident physician of the Higham Retreat in Norwich, England. In 1859 he became a member of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh.
In the fall of 1860, he emigrated to Canada and settled in London, Ontario. He engaged in private general practice until 1868.
From 1868 to 1870, he was appointed medical superintendent of the Malden Lunatic Asylum in Amherstburg, and then in 1870 he became the first Medical Superintendent, Asylum For The Insane, London, Ontario, which was built to his specifications.
"With so many incurables", he wrote, "treatment is confined to taking care of comforts good and nourishing food, clothing well, and working with those who have the strength to work, exercising out of doors those who can walk." He believed in amusement and occupation "daily dances in the afternoon for an hour or two, music, stereoscopic views, etc and spin, knit, and make all the socks and stockings used. Employment is the rule of treatment."
"The admirable order, discipline and working condition in which he left the institution bear ample testimony to the zeal and fidelity of his unremitting labors. He was a true, though unostentatious philanthropist. His constant aim appeared to be the good of his fellow creatures." Landor introduced the "cottage system" to North America. The cottages were small satellite buildings on asylum grounds which eased overcrowding and afforded greater freedom of activity to chronic, quiet patients.
Landor expressed resentment at the control exerted by Inspector John Woodburn Langmuir, who was responsible for Prisons and Public Charities, complaining in 1876 that the system had become "too unbearably military for endurance."
Landor died at the London Asylum for the Insane, Ontario, on 6 January 1877 "burdened by diabetes, depressed and disillusioned".
The London Daily Free Press described him as "a gentleman universally respected on account of his attainments, and independence and sincerity of character and those with whom he was on intimate friendship felt an affection for him which may be said to be rare."

Academic work

Landor's publications or other academic work included:
His cousin was Walter Savage Landor. In 1852, he married Mary Shaw in Stockport, England and they had 10 children, the first four of which were born in Norwich and the rest in London, Ontario.