Northumberland County Lunatic Asylum

[MaryThorn]

Does anyone know where the records are kept for this?  Also what information can be found in the records? I have a suspicion my 3 x G Grandfather was admitted here in 1879 but with a common name it's difficult to determine from the admission register alone if it's him.

[solidrock]

I think they are at Northumberland Archives.   

http://www.experiencewoodhorn.com/collections/


email.. archives@northumberland.gov.uk

[stanmapstone]

See the Hospital Records Database at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=2469&page=76 which lists what records are available.

Stan

[MaryThorn]

Thank you both.

[mckha489]

As to what might be in them.  I’ve only seen one, from Hampshire, for a xxuncle of mine in the 1870s.  It had a full page describing his symptoms and behaviours in the words of both parents.  (The father said he had been queer from birth, but the mother was very detailed)  Sufficiently detailed we were able to get a modern diagnosis

[geordiesue]

Does anyone know where the records are kept for this?  Also what information can be found in the records? I have a suspicion my 3 x G Grandfather was admitted here in 1879 but with a common name it's difficult to determine from the admission register alone if it's him.

Hi Mary

My 3 x great grandmother was admitted into Morpeth Lunatic Asylum in 1861 and she died there in 1868 aged 47. I found the record at Woodhorn Archives. This record was found on the  Registers of admissions NRO 3680/36 Index. It tells you their age, occupation, who authorised her being sent there. My ancestor was sent there with Mania and supposed cause of insanity was fright from falling down a Well. It tells you what condition they are in. The book is really big and each admision spans over 2 pages. I believe there is another book which might tell you treatments they have tried. I was amazed how much info there was in the book

Susan

[c-side]

Hi Mary,

If you let me know who you are looking for I can check out the registers at Woodhorn this week.  Even with a common name it's worth a try.

Christine

[TriciaK]

As a side issue, I worked at St. Georges for a couple of months in 1955, during college vacation.
If I remember right, most of the people there were of low ability, rather than mentally disturbed.
There were also quite a few young unmarried mothers with their babies.

[2zpool]

The first antipsychotic was introduced around 1952.  This lessened the need for folks to be in a mental hospital setting all the time. 

Janis