Norfolk County Asylum records (Thorpe)

[Nick_Ips]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has any recent experience with the Norfolk County Asylum records at the Norfolk archives? I've had a look at the NRO information leaflet number 15 and cannot work out whether I'll have to get a paid-for search done, or if the records are open.

The person I'm looking for is Mary MYHILL (nee PLATTEN) who was born 1854 in Hickling. She married Henry Richard MYHILL in 1873.

On the 1891 census (RG12/1506/29/p13) Henry is shown as married, but Mary is not with him. On the 1901 census he is a widower.

I've located a burial at Hickling on 11-10-1898 for a Mary MYHILL aged 44 with the entry 'Thorpe Asylum' in the 'Abode' column.

I've searched the 1891 census for Mary and have been unable to find her, but looking at Thorpe Asylum there is an entry for "M M" aged 37, married, Labourers wife, Lunatic. (RG12/1538/155/p28).

My guess is that the reason Mary wasn't with Henry in 1891 is she was a long-term patient and may well be the "M M" entry on the census.

I'd like to check this by looking at the records for the asylum to see if there is an admission record for Mary before the 1891 census. If she died in 1898 then it is over 100 years, but I can't work out from the NRO leaflet whether this would be an open record, or if I'd have to pay the NRO to carry out a closed record search.

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

[berkeley]

Hi Nick, Hickling P.Rs are on family search and gives her burial details. They say that she was buried 11/10/1898 was 44yo died Thorpe asylum, Dave.


Ooppss just had a senior moment, sorry.

[The Yokel]

Hi Nick

NROCAT (http://www.archives.norfolk.gov.uk/ shows the record you require as Open:-

Records of St Andrew's Hospital, Thorpe St Andrew
Admission Registers
CatalogueRef   SAH 180
Title   Admission Register
Date   Mar 1881-Nov 1906
Description   ? private patients.
Level   Piece
Repository   Norfolk Record Office
Ref No    See where this entry fits within the collection as a whole

Access Status   Open
Physical Description   Repaired 2003
CatalogueStatus   Catalogued


so you should be able to view it.

The safest bet is to contact the NRO first.

I see that Marys death was registered in the Blofield RD, which includes Thorpe next Norwich.

yokel

[Nick_Ips]

Thanks Dave, it was the PR which pointed me to the asylum. What I don't yet know is if the burial is for the person I'm interested in.

Thank you Yokel. I wasn't sure if the admissions register would contain enough information to verify the connection. If not it would need to be the patient records for which I'm not sure what the situation is with them being open/closed.

But I will take up your suggestion of contacting the NRO first. It will be a longish trip for me to get there so I want to make sure I'll be able to see what I need to.

Many thanks again,

Nick

[Olleyke]

Hi Nick,

I've visited and looked at the County Asylum records a few times, St Andrews only once and Norwich (Hellesdon) a few times. The admission register usually just contains the date of admission, but if you look at the case book, it tends to hold a lot of information, sometimes even a photograph of them.

[rosie99]

I see their was an 8 year old child with his father in 1891.  It was not unusual at this time for women suffering from post natal depression to be admitted into asylums as 'lunatics' etc 

Rosie