15. Norrbygård

Norrbygård was originally called Västergården and is located in the village of Norrby. During the late 18th century, Norrby was overcrowded and the entire farm was moved to its current location. 1780 is considered the year Norrbygård was built in its current location. The farm developed into a real large farm with many employees during the 19th century. Norrbygård was one of the larger farms in the area until the beginning of the 20th century. At the boat harbor there was a sawmill and a mill that was driven by a permanently built-in locomotive!

Norrby Nursing Home. In 1919, Stockholm County Council became the owner of the farm. It was first used as a home for “unruly boys”, an expression for a kind of youth institution. During the winter of 1939–40, the farm was completed after a reconstruction to receive mentally ill patients. Several of them are described as original, the line between being wayward and mentally ill is sometimes difficult to draw. The agriculture is extensive – 346 hectares of land, of which 46 hectares are arable land. There is a barn with space for about thirty cows, a stable for four horses and a house for pigs and chickens. There is a shoemaker’s shop, a carpentry workshop and other practical activities on the premises. The patients participate in the work, both in agriculture and in forestry work during the winter. The female patients help in the kitchen and dining room. The work provides both employment and a certain structure in everyday life.

Norrbyhemmet . In 1959, the farm changed its name and character with more systematic training and occupational therapy. An extensive expansion took place in 1964–65. New care pavilions with 128 care beds and staff housing were built. The home has now become a transitional home with rehabilitation and job training. Norrbyhemmet became a very large workplace. The staff numbered almost 200 people and the SL bus line went right up to the home. Many residents in the area worked at Norrbyhemmet for some period – part of the local community.

Towards the end of the 1980s, a major change began. The county councils began to phase out psychiatric hospitals and nursing homes. Responsibility for the mentally ill increasingly passed to the municipalities. In 1992, Norrbyhemmet was closed down. The idea behind the reform was to integrate the mentally ill into society. But the reform was met with criticism. Many felt that patients often became isolated and lacked access to proper care. It happened that former patients returned to Norrbyhemmet and wandered around the area. The ambition behind the change was probably good, but the question is whether the patients were safer at Norrby? After the nursing home was closed, the premises stood empty and gradually began to fall into disrepair. For a period, the home was used as a refugee shelter.

In 2000, a new owner takes over and an extensive renovation and transformation of Norrbygård begins. The staff housing and pavilions are converted into condominiums and townhouses. The old mansion, which previously housed the county council offices, is renovated and converted into a private residence. There are currently a total of 76 homes in the area. Many are used as holiday homes, but a growing number have become permanent homes. The area is now popular and inhabited. Norrbygård has once again become a living farm – but in a new guise as
a residential area.

The Norrbygård area today