Death from Insanity and Exhaustion

[benn34]

Hi guys,

I wonder if someone can advice me please.

I have today received a copy of my 3rd great grandfather William Lambs death certificate who died 31st Dec 1891 at 125 All Saints Street, All Saints in Hastings and the certificate registered his death as Insanity 15 months and exhaustion 7 days.

I have never come across anyone in the family who suffered from insanity so i dont know what would of happened to him as he appears in all the 1871, 1881 and 1891 census. Are there any hospital records etc I can access to find out.

Any help would be appreciated.

Ann

[ColC]

Was there anything indicated in column 16 of the 1891 census?

If not I suspect it was more likely to be what we now know as dementia or similar.

Colin

[benn34]

Hi Colin,

I have just had a look and there is nothing in that column.

Ann

[MaxD]

Folk were more direct in those days about such things.  A great grandfather died of what they termed insanity in an infirmary and I was able to see the medical records at (in his case) the Surrey record office.  Colin's question about column 16 refers to the classification (if appropriate) of someone as deaf and dumb, blind or lunatic imbecile or idiot (note the, to us, insensitive terms).  As he died at home I'd guess that he hadn't had any treatment for whatever his condition was.  In any event, as with my great grandfather and later a grandfather, the treatment for mental illness then tended to be lock them up till they passed away!

maxD

Interesting that where he lived had, until 1837, been the Hastings workhouse.
http://www.hastingschronicle.net/oldTownWorkhouses.html

[benn34]

Hi maxD,

How awful for your great grandfather and a later grandfather :-(  I cant imagine the loneliness they must of felt being away from family and shut off from the world having to cope with their illness and like you say the terms that they use on the census are just horrendous.

Thank you for the attachment regarding 125 All Saints Street. I actually looked up the address earlier on google street view and for a workhouse it was really small.

Ann

http://www.zoopla.co.uk/property-history/125-all-saints-street/hastings/tn34-3bg/18988484

[petmas]

General Paralysis of the Insane or GPI was what is now known as Tertiary Syphilis and very common in Victorian & Edwardian especially in ex servicemen

[MaxD]

Indeed, sadly that was the situation with the great grandfather although in his case he was not ex-,service, just a very naughty boy :-)