Stirling District Lunacy Board 1890-1907 UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

[davy.campbell]

Extract 18th Feb 1892.......Dr. Macpherson reported that a male pauper ex district patient named Alexander Purdie chargeable to the parish of kirknewton was found killed on the railway on the 3rd inst. Purdie had escaped from the ayslum on the morning of that day by a door left open for the convenience of workmen employed in the alterations now going on. He duly reported the accident to the procurator fiscal and General Board of Lunacy neither of whom had however taken any steps in the matter

[davy.campbell]

Extract 17th December 1891... Dr. Macpherson repoted that during the past month there had been two sudden deaths in the asylum- one a male patient named Donald McLeod and the other a female patient named Margaret Lindsay. The former had received a fracture of the scull resulting from a fall while under a cow vulsive? seizure or fainting fit and died on 23rd november, while the latter was found dead in bed on the morning of 21st november. Both cases he had duly reprted to the proculator fiscal and General Board of Lunacy neither of whom however had taken any stepps in the matter.

[davy.campbell]

Extract 19th March 1896..... Dr. Macpherson brought up the case of Agnes White a voluntary patient who on account of nervous symptoms desired admission to the asylum as a voluntary patient. She came from the parish of Gargunnock, but was not a pauper, and offered her work in future for board and treatment. The commissioners in Lunacy having sanctioned her admission, and in consideration of the fact that she was a good worker, the committee agreed to comply with the request, on the payment, by her, of a nominal sum for board, of 5/- per annum.   

[davy.campbell]

Extract 21st april 1898....No. 3994 Janet Walls or Whitelaw......Dr. Macpherson reported that this patient rendered useful service on the farm and that she was present boarded with the farm steward where she was better and more contented than when she was boarded in the asylum. The patient receives all her food from the farm steward and some compensation ought to be made to him. It was agreed to allow Mr. Brown 4/6 per week for the patients keep.

[davy.campbell]

extract 20th sept 1906.... Dr. Robertson intimated that he had been approached by a representative of The Scottish Central Electric Power company who wished the asylum to take a supply of electricity from that Coy. Their offer was 1.3/4d per unit. Dr. Robertson submitted statistics showing at that present the cost of the electric light was less than the above amount. Dr. Robertson was sanctioned to inform the Scottish Central Coy that unless they could reduce their quotation it would not be accepted. Further consideration of this matter was continued until the november meeting.  

[davy.campbell]

extract 21st sept 1905... Purchase of Land.... Mr Brown reported that about 47 acres of land adjoining the asylum (part of the farm of Inches) had been purchased from Mr Aitkens at the price of £3900. He also made a statement as to the condition of the sale.

[josey]

a fall while under a cow vulsive? seizure or fainting fit and died on 23rd november,

Probably convulsive.

Interesting extracts! Regarding the patient who worked on the farm: in the 1990s I lived for 10 years in a flat in the[converted  ] Murthly Mental Hospital near Perth which closed in the 1980s. They too had a farm & a laundry where patients worked. Local people who had worked there [there were 400 patients & 300 staff, most of the village had worked there but the park surrounding the hospital was open access] said it was a very tranquil place.

Josey

[davy.campbell]

Hi Josey thanks, yes i remember when the patients worked at Larbert. The grounds were all full of fresh produce, they had a large greenhouse with a huge vine with loads of grapes. The book has loads of info about the price of farm produce ect, seems patients came from quite far afield as well. I see Perth mentioned several times. The part i am reading at the moment, is a request to dispose of the two cows which supplied milk to staff, and purchasing milk from a local supplier!

[davy.campbell]

extract 20th april, 1905.....Photographing Patients.....Dr.Robertson intimated that all patients were photographed at the time of their admission to and discharged from the asylum and he proposed to allow the electrical engineer to do this in his spare time and to pay him £10 for doing so. This was agreed to.