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Topic: RAINHILL HOSPITAL - Records (Read 3008 times)
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Valda
Global Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 9718
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I don't think many people would have sought refuge in an asylum in the 1930s which were pretty grim places, often with locked wards and very seriously ill people. When they shut the last locked ward at my local asylum when I was a teenager the remaining men were transfered to the psychiatric ward at Winson Green prison!
Considering there was no national health you would have to 'bribe' a doctor to refer you as mentally ill and then more doctors would have to continue to keep you in the asylum because they believed you were mentally ill so you would have to feign some element of mental illness (one of the treatments for which at the time was electric shocks).
Yes I do know the stories of young women who had had illegitimate children being forced into asylums and kept there and institutionalized but they were ususally young girls.
I also know there was a stigma in having a close relative in an asylum so I can understand what might be said to family members to make that situation as tenable as possible for them.
Unless you were a direct descendant of the woman I would think it exceedingly unlikely any of her case notes would be released either by the record office or the hospital which ever place held them for you to find out further information. It would need a request from one of her children or grandchildren, if none of her children were still alive.
Regards
Valda
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churchmouse
RootsChat Extra
Posts: 43
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Lots of stories about the hospital and its patients!!! Pre 1952 there was little or no medication to help people with the symptoms of their illnesses. Yes, mental illness in a family was a stigma, but many of these patients were visited by their families for years and years..psychiatry was in its infancy and although not the best by todays standards the term asylum (place of safety) was the best available....sure there were young women who were put into the hospital because of a pregnancy related mental health problem, a serious problem even today but this type of patient is always freely referred to as being very common, it was not. Those patients and their families of not many years ago had little choice but to be admitted to places like Rainhill and Winwick, they were safer than their communities. Most of the patients from these hospitals were succesfully discharged into the community when these hospitals closed. Rarely to completely independent accomodation with many of them going to supported and residential accomodations.
With regards to patients bribing Dr's to be diagnosed as mentally ill, I find that very unlikely , the hospitals of the 1930's, as the writer said were pretty grim place. Since the introduction of the mental health acts then for patients to be transferred to prisons from a mental hospital would suggest that these patients were already detained by the courts. Not in recent years (50+ ) could informal patients be transferred to prison for reasons of hospital closure....
Lots of myths about mental patients and hospitals.
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Rosemarie
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 319
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This site may answer questions about access to the records for Rainhill and
Merseyside hospitals generally.
http://archive.liverpool.gov.uk/leaflets/hospital.html
Marie.
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All Census Data included in this post is Crown Copyright (see: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk) IRELAND - Sauce, Hatchell, Connolly, Costello WALES - FLINT - Roberts CHESHIRE - IRBY - Ledsham, Roberts, Bennett LANCASHIRE - ALTCAR - Howard, Bolton LIVERPOOL - Howard HALEWOOD - Ellison, Turton, PRESCOT - Cross, Hornby, Prescott WIDNES - Connolly, Cross, Currie, Prescott MANCHESTER - Currie SCOTLAND - Currie, Lindsay, McDonald, Savage, |
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jacko-to
RootsChat Member
Posts: 125
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Oh dear - I have not read the death certificate properly - SORRY
Mary Ann's death certificate states "County Mental Hospital Annexe, Eccleston, Whiston RD".
Have been in touch with Liverpool records office today & they have asked me to get permission off NHS Trust 5 (Whiston), have written today - will let you know how I get on.
Angie 
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Rea - Ireland & Liverpool Dawson- Cornwall & Liverpool Hall - Preston & Liverpool Delaney - Dublin & Liverpool Morris/Jones/Parry/Prees - Llanberis Cray - County Clare & Liverpool Gillespie - Belfast & Liverpool Brown/Little - Newry Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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goggy
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1456
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Thank you for your replies and comment's,also for new light on a old problem.This rellie was my G'Ma,alway's spoken of in hushed voice's,but little ear's pay more attention in such circumstance's don't they!
She was from a somewhat influential family,I'm sorry that I may have inferred bribery,such was not my intention.More acceptable perhaps to say co-operative ?To ease the condition,and I suppose, from the memories of two people, she would have been just the person to keep up the act!
Thank you all again.
Goggy.  
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liverpool annie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 13089
Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Poor Grandma - Goggy! 
She must have been beside herself - left with no man - all the children - expected to work but no idea of how to do it - or even what to do ! She was not the only one in that position .... terrified of going to the Poor house - there was such a stigma attached to that in those days .....
better to be sickly - more likely to get sympathy and help ..... ! maybe she thought it was an easier way out !
Annie 
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goggy
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1456
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G'Day Annie!
Yeah,that's what Ive worked out after recent info,so poor Isaac deserves my most abject apologie's.
I was also made aware of the Poor Law people's antics at an early age,and think that the distribution of G'Ma's possession's was in part for fear of those people.
One thing I do know,when her parent's are made known to me,I'm in for a suprise,G'Ma+G'G'Ma were chalk+cheese ,one a typical Seaman's Guv'nor,the other used to finer thing's and with a totally different attitude!
That is something yet to come!!!
Goggy.
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liverpool annie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 13089
Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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We need to get going on them again Goggy ! 
Give me a shout if I can help !
Annie
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goggy
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1456
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Thank you Annie,you've been very patient.
Trouble with this lot is that all that was written or learned by me has all been turned inside out!
Richard Binstead has done a sterling job as far as he was able,but we are :-[his first Binsteed's.
Hence,(nice word that)my laxity in telling you the story.
G'Ma has had to wait a while for her turn as that,s the 'Prendy' side.
Believe me,they are an ARMY!!
Thank,s again Flower.Be well.
Goggy.
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Subwoofer
RootsChat Pioneer
Posts: 1
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I am interested in learning more about the history of the Rainhill Assylum, if anyone could email me with information it would be greatley apreciated.
Sorry for the off-topic post
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liverpool annie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 13089
Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Subwoofer and welcome to RootsChat !
Not sure what it is you want to know ..... but this site may give you some ideas and of course if you Google you'll come up with some others !
http://www.institutions.org.uk/asylums/england/LAN/rainhill_asylum.htm
Tell us what you would like to know ..... and maybe somebody can help !!
Annie
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hwlambert
RootsChat Veteran
Posts: 529
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Can anyone help me please. I am also looking for records on a patient James Henry Wood at Rainhill on the 1891 & Salford Workhouse on 1901 census. James Henry Wood was left orphaned in 1863 when his mother died and was cared for by an aunt until his marriage in 1874. It appears he may have been in and out of Rainhill as his family has grown between census.
1891 census, Rainhill Asylum, St Helens, Lancs
James Henry Wood Patient Married 40 Bookkeeper p.o.b. Unknown Lunatic
1901 census Salford Union Workhouse
James henry Wood Inmate Married 50 Corporation ledger Clerk Derbys Glossop-looks like "L" (lunatic) in end column
Are these two places the same?
As I am living in Australia can someone please let me know how and where to order these records via email.
Thanks so much,
Heather
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frenchdressing
RootsChat Member
Posts: 242
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Can I ask your opinion on an entry for Rainhill on the 1901 census?
My gtx2 gd, Joseph Clementson, died in the County Asylum, Winwick in 1904. Cause of death; General paralysis 2 years. Aged 59, occupation; Colliey Engineer.
He's not on the 1901 census in Winwick but there's a G Clementson, born England, aged 57/59? Occup. Colliery Engineer. Next to his occupation there are the intials in capitals ED. He's classed as "Lunatic".
He was born in 1844 so was 57 in 1901. Can I safely assume it's my Joseph who was transfered to Winwick when it opened, maybe after having a stroke?
My grandmother used to tell me that one of our ancestors had "Religious Mania" and used to recite the bible to people waiting at the station but I always understood that it was a woman. It was probably him unless there was more than one a bit off their heads.
Pat
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Sale, Jones, Clementson, Whitecross, Westwick, Hodgson, Roberts, Williams, kerr, Currie, Elliott, Payne, Mager, Tittley, Morrison, Scott, Brown
Lancashire, Wirral, C° Durham, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Berkshire
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Valda
Global Moderator
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 9718
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General paralysis 'of the insane' was ususally caused by syphilis. If that is the case with Joseph he would be in the latter stages of the disease when he was admitted to an asylum. His Winwick medical case record would give you details of any past treatment in any other institutions which would confirm whether he was the man in Rainhill in 1901. Within the doctors then known medical knowledge the case records would also give you details of what had caused Joseph's illness, its duration and symptoms.
The ED next to his occupation is nothing to do with Joseph. It is one of the later pencilled marks made by the statisticians when they worked on the census returns after they had been handed in.
Regards
Valda
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