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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Hertfordshire => Topic started by: CU on Thursday 24 January 08 15:27 GMT (UK)
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Please could someone tell me, if someone died in
Shenley Hospital Elstree in the 1950's. Where would they be buried?
I know this hospital was treating the mentally ill.
Thank you.
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Ideally, you could do with someone who worked there. :-\ However, Shenley is equi-distant to St Albans and Barnet so I suppose that it is feasible that this person could have been buried in either place. :-\
Some of Hertfordshire's mental hospitals were built to house Middlesex patients and records are kept at The London Metropolitan Archives. Records for those that were administered by Herts, should be at HALS.
http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/leisure_heritage/libraries_archives_museums_galleries/lma/
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,24217.0.html
Here is a little background info for Shenley hospital from Chris Reynolds', excellent Genealogy in Hertfordshire site.
http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/data/topics/t070-long-stay-hospitals.htm
Here are the details for the department governing St Albans cemeteries. They can be very helpful when trying to locate internments.
http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/leisure/parks/cemeteries.htm
This is all that I could find for Barnet. It might be worth emailing them.
http://www.barnet.gov.uk/atoz.htm?type=82&filter=cvs
Other than this, I suspect that you will need a former staff member to answer your question.
Rick :)
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Thanks Rick for all the infomation. I have seen Chris Reynolds site and it is very good.
People don't like to talk about mental illness.
I will keep at it and hopefully find them.
Thank you
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Cu
In order to reach folk who may have worked at Shenley who may be able to help with this. It might be worth writing to the letters page of a local newspaper.
There's no need to be specific about the individual. You could just ask to make contact with anyone who worked at the hospital in order to determine where someone who died there in 1955 might have been buried.
http://www.stalbansobserver.co.uk/aboutus/history/
Just a thought.
Rick :)
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Thanks for all your help in this. I will write and hope that someone can help me.
I just feel I must know what became of her.
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Hi CU
First I would Try
Allum Lane, Elstree, BOREHAMWOOD, WD6 3PJ 020 8207 7497 I think this is the nearest.
2nd you could try
Carpenders Park Cemetery
Oxhey Lane, WATFORD, WD19 5RL This would be the case if they were registered for Middx
Or I would try
Watford
http://www.watford.gov.uk/ccm/content/leisure-and-community/cemeteries.en;jsessionid=6F6C34E5FDA6D40E466734AB52242A82
This is very close to where shenley was.
Try Allum lane I think they would at least point you in the right direction
I hope you do find what your looking for & let us know how you get on As I have never thought about this and my wife had Grt & Grt Grt Grandmothers die there in 52 & 70
Den
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Thanks Den, I have tried at Allum Lane Elstree but the first burial was in July 1962,
which is too late for my lady. I then tried Elstree church and they told me to try
Shenley Church. I have emailed them and they said they would take a look at the
register for me. I'm waiting, will let you know.
Cheers ;D
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Hope you do find something
should there be a grave, i am in Watford so dont mind having a look for a stone,if you wish.
Its a pity it has closed down because years ago my wife wrote to them asking about her 2 and got a lovely letter back about their illness (dimentia) in both cases, but they never mentioned the funerals
Den
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http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O77494
This link says there are records but I don't know how much they charge for looking at them.
She wasn't a local girl and there is not trace of her at home with any member in their graves.
If you know what I mean, so she should be there somewhere.
Thanks for the offer, I will keep you in mind if I can find her. ;D
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I have just noticed your enquiry re: Shenley Hospital. The hospital was actually in the village of Shenley not Elstree as you have written. There is also a churchyard in Radlett in which some people from Shenley have been buried. I do have a book on who is buried in Radlett Churchyard and can look up for you if need be. The other place that you could try is West Herts Crematorium in Garston, Watford which is not to far from Shenley. Where I work at the moment have got nurses that used to work in Shenley and when I go back to work from sick leave I could ask them if need be. I hope that this could be of some help to you.
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Hi
Shenley mental hospital was situated on the outskirts of Shenley village which lies between London Colney and Borehamwood.
There was a church located on the edge of the village called St Botolph's which was subsequently replaced in 1839 by a new parish church, St Martins located centrally in the village.
The churchyard for both churches is opposite the original Shenley hospital site and can be found next to the old original church - this area is known as Shenleybury.
At the entrance of the churchyard is a board of names, dates and positions of graves. I have found relatives of mine who died in the 1940's & 50's who are buried there.
If you have no luck, I don't mind having a look at the chruchyard site when I am next in the area.
Good luck.
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Thank you so much Maurella for your help and information.
I will PM you with the information.
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Thank you Kayfr for your information. It would be wonderful if any of the nurses you know could
remember anything, but my late Great Aunty died in 1951. This may be to long ago.
I really am trying to find out where she would be buried. I will PM you with details.
Thank you your help.
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I have still not heard from Shenley Church. Maurella tell me, that there is a board of the people
buried at the church at the entrance. Please does anyone live near to the church?
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I live near-ish and am happy to go and have a look for you if you let me know who you're looking for.
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Well heard from Shenley Parish church, My lady doesn't have a marked grave there. I will try and trace where the burial register for 1951.
I have emailed West Herts crematorium in case there is not trace at Shenley.
They email back saying it was not open until 1959.
Hope that may help someone .
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Hi Cath
What a sad, sad story - poor Annie. I can see why you want to locate her - I would to.
It is certainly logical that those 'passing on' in Shenley hospital would be buried at the churchyard but it seems as though Annie may be the exception for some reason.
I think the nearest church to Shenley would be London Colney (built in 1826) or in the opposite direction and further away the small town of Borehamwood.
Another thought .... as the West Herts Crem at Garson did not open until 1959 I suspect the then nearest Crem would have been at Hendon which opened in 1923. If all else fails.....
Anyway I will keep my fingers crossed that the burial register for 1951 reveals where she is, bless her.
Let me know if I can help in any way.
Cheers
Maureen
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Hi Cath
Didn't have any luck finding Shenley parish records I'm afraid. I keep promising myself a trip to HALs, so if you haven't found it by then I can have a look there.
I found quite an interesting book on the hospital itself. As far as these institutions went, it was a 'modern' and progressive hospital set in about 300 acres with a farm and 130 acres of garden. It opened in 1934 and housed 2000 residents. It was bombed twice during World War 2. It closed in 1998. I can remember there being many stories of residents who "escaped" and would wander around Shenley village in various states of undress. As with a lot of these places, it is now a large housing estate :-\
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Many thanks Jlo, for your kindness in trying to find Annie. I am waiting to get some more details and when they arrive I will try and access the Shenley hospital records. I have emailed London about the hospital records, I am trying to find out when she went into the hospital. The hospital records also may
tell me where she was laid to rest.
Thank you again
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Found them, Shenley Parish Register held at Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies
Reference: DP99/1/18
Register of burials
Creation dates: Feb 1939-Sep 1951
Does anyone know how much they charge for a check on a date given burial?
Thank you
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Hi Cath,
I searched the Shenley PRs at HALS today and found three burial entries for 'Annies' in 1951 all from Shenley Hospital. If you will contact me by PM with a surname I will give you details.
Regards ... Peter
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Hi Cath,
Thank you for the PM. The majority of the burial entries at Shenley about this time were for patients of Shenley Hospital. Whilst I found three Annies in 1951, I regret your Annie was not one of them.
Regards ... Peter
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Thank you Peter for your time and trouble.
You're a Star
I will keep looking for her.
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Hi there
Does anyone know what happened to Shenley after it was a hospital? If it's the same place that I'm thinking of wasn't it a (private) club in the mid to late 1960's? I think my father was connected to it.
Many thanks
Lyndsey
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http://www.shenleypark.co.uk/
Here Lyndsey this may help you
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Thank you CU
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I have now looked in the following place for a burial, but can't find her. Can anyone think of
any where else?
Shenley Church
Entree Church
Allum Lane Entree
Watford cemeteries
West Hert crem - St Albans
Hanwell - City of West Minster
Hendon cemetery
Edgwarebury cemetery
She is not buried in Cheshire or Derbyshire, where her family lived or/and her husband family lived.
Thank you
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The church at London Colney, St Peter, only 2/3 miles from Shenley.
Cheers
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Thanks, thats the next one then ;D
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Another one to conside could be Frogmore church which has burials for this date. It is situated on Watling Street, not far from Harper Lane which leads to Shenley. I live 5 mins away and would gladly look for you if you can tell me a surname.
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Thanks, will PM Lifetoo short ;D
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Does anyone have access to St Peter's London Colney Burial register for Jan 1951.
Thank you
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Had a quick visit to St Peters church today. I met the gardener who helped me look for the grave. Unfortunately we were unable to locate it and he did not recognise the name. That is not to say she is not there as there are lots of graves and time was limited. I have passed my phone number onto the gardener who will speak to the vicar and if he comes up with anything will ring me. There is no listing of graves though. Will still try to get to Radlett soon but I am informed that the graves there are not in good order.
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Thanks Lifes too short for all your help. Which Church is St Peter's? Sorry don't know the area
and have try so many places now I need to keep them all written down.
Anne may not have a stone though, but hopefully I could find her in the register of the places I am trying. I have written to some place and enclosed a SAE but some don't answer :'(
Thanks again
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St Peters church is in London Colney which is opposite Shenley where you would have thought your relative was buried. Prior to the M25 being build in between the villages are about 2/3 minutes apart by car. Not knowing the background of your relative I assume I am right in saying nobody still alive has any clues to her resting place. How frustrating !!!!
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Many Thanks again. Yes all long gone. I just need to find her last resting place, so she is not forgotten, if you know what I mean.
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Had a call from the gardener at St Peters church. He hs spoken to the warden and they have checked the church grave records. Unfortunately your great aunt is not listed as being buried there unless it is an unmarked grave. Back to square one I,m afraid.
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Many Many Thanks for all your help. Another one to cross off the list.
It is so kind of you to help me like this.
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Just an update. I tried Harrow cemetery office.
They don't have Annie either.
So if anyone one comes across my Annie Darwent died 24 Jan 1951,
please let me know. I think she will be in an unmarked grave, so she
will only turn up in a register.
I am running out of cemeteries. Thank you all for your help.
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Shenley Mental Hospital closure
I found your conversation and wondered if any of you could help me too -
I am looking to trace two people, my birth parents, who were patients at Shenley Hospital from approx 1965-1969, Marguerite Bridget Cunningham and John Butler. I was born in 1968 while my mother was there, and placed in adoption, they seem to have vanished as I have been looking everyehere, all the sites available, with the help of social services and there is just no trace of them after Shenley and very little before. No one knows where the records are and there just isn't any info at all on them. I am 40 now and have been looking for years. I would love any information about them then or now that anyone has. thanks you.
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Will send you a PM
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thank you for your message, I can't reply personally it doesn't let me, new to this site have to get the hang of it. I will be around later thanks S
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Hello,
Not sure how to do this but will try.
Looking for info re Shenley hospital orchestra, I came across your messages.
My Mum and Dad worked at Shenley Hospital from 1946 to the late 1970s.
All patients who died there and who were not taken for burial by their family were buried at St. Botolphs Churchyard at Shenley Bury. There is a list of all graves by the entrance. If I can find the tel number ,I'll get back to you.
I have more about the hospital itself which I will post in the next few days
Hope this helps
Regards Glynis
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hello
I have received a PM. How do I send a PM on this system please?
Glynis
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Shenley Hospital was located in the village of Shenley, Hertfordshire. My parents worked there !946- to late 70s. We lived in the village. I went to the village school and in the 1960s worked at the hospital during my college vacations.
Before I describe the hospital, I have to say that I, nor my family,ever witnessed any patient from the hospital in any state of undress. Patients were free to walk around the hospital and village if they could unless, rarely, they were under a legal restriction. Patients were accepted as part of the communityand several were local characters. At Junior school we used to play by the gate and we often talked to the patients. We did not see them as apart from us. I remember one character " Pinky". He had a sweet, round, rosy face , twinkling round eyes and a toothless round smile. He often walked past the school gate and we all said hello and waved to him and he was happy
The hospital was state of the art for the time. Large houses and villas were set in magnificent parkland.The treatment of the wide variety of Psychiatric problems was progressive.
Many patients suffered from depression and some, whose lives had hit them too hard, had suffered breakdowns. Although some patients had serious illnessses ,such as schizophrenia, most were just like you and me with different life experiences.
The hospital had a full Symphony Orchestra, the musicians were patients, staff and staff family. I played in the orchestra for several years. Some of the musician patients were very seriously ill yet the most wonderful musicians.
One man played the violin like a sweet bird singing. Another man would always be the first to arrive. We would enter the huge, empty concert hall to hear him playing his own soulful music on his cello. It would cut your heart in two and make you weep. He was a genius.
We played in competitions , sometimes winning , and the hospital had a full sized concert hall where we gave concerts to patients and the general public together.
In the 60s there was a very popular "Rock and Twist" each week. The bands were all well known 60s bands and people came from all the local towns.
Huge dances and balls were held in this hall and the patients had a social club with dance floor where there were regular dances to jazz and dance music. My Dad played in these bands.
To be continued
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Shenley hospital continued.
The patients had many other wonderful facilities. There was a full working farm, an occupatioal therapy unit, workshops, tennis courts, a cricket ground designed by WG Grace, a full sized church, a social club, a full sized concert hall with stage, a walled fruit and vegetable garden, all set in beautiful grounds.Patients used and worked in all of these areas.
There was a school of nursing and a special mother and baby unit.
The baby unit was housed in a large family sized house, and was of a very high standard. Mothers suffering from post natal depression and their babies were helped to recover there. I knew the two Sisters in Charge and can reassure anyone that the patients were very well cared for.
I will write more if anything comes to mind but I would like you to know that this was hardly a "mad place". It was, for the greater part, a sanctuary for people like us who had just been beaten by life.
Glynis
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this is just a thought and may not lead to anything, but as an institute, the hospital i'm guessing would have used the same undertaker. probably had a contract with one, presumably local. It might be worth trying to locate undertakers local to the area and see if they have any records?
like i said, just a thought.
good luck
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Thanks for that, good idea. I will need to find
out what the local undertakers are called.
Cheers Mr Top Banana ;D
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Shenley hospital continued.
The patients had many other wonderful facilities. There was a full working farm, an occupatioal therapy unit, workshops, tennis courts, a cricket ground designed by WG Grace, a full sized church, a social club, a full sized concert hall with stage, a walled fruit and vegetable garden, all set in beautiful grounds.Patients used and worked in all of these areas.
There was a school of nursing and a special mother and baby unit.
The baby unit was housed in a large family sized house, and was of a very high standard. Mothers suffering from post natal depression and their babies were helped to recover there. I knew the two Sisters in Charge and can reassure anyone that the patients were very well cared for.
I will write more if anything comes to mind but I would like you to know that this was hardly a "mad place". It was, for the greater part, a sanctuary for people like us who had just been beaten by life.
Glynis
Hi Glynis
What a wonderful insight and as my ex wife had both her G Grandmother & GG Grandmother there it is so reassuring to know they lived out a good life there.
Thank you so much
Den :)
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I have just stumbled across this site and am hoping someone will be able to help me with my query. I am trying to find out all I can about my Great Grandmother who lived at Shenley as a patient from about the 1930s to the day she died on 24th December 1963. Her name was Mary Ann Cross (nee Few) but I think she was known as Annie as that is what appears on her death certificate.
I know she was committed to an infirmary around about 1910 (around about the time my Grandmother was born) but was moved to Shenley, probably about the time it first opened. My cousin and I have our own theories as to why she was in there but so far our efforts to find out anything have drawn a blank. I doubt we will ever know why she was first sent away from her family in the first instance as records no longer exist but I would be thrilled to find out anything regarding her.
Thank you in advance for any help anyone can give me.
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Hi
Don't know how much help this is.
From my own experience of the patients, patients used to walk into Radlett (and other local villages)
So these (current) local Undertakers may have some relevance =
Chas A. Nethercott & Son Ltd
20, Aldenham Rd
RADLETT
WD7 8AX
Tel: 01923 852899
Treeves Funeral Service
52 Shenley Toad
BOREHAMWOOD
WD6 1DS
Tel: 0208 953 1444
Co-operative Funeral Service
60/62 Shenley Road
BOREHAMWOOD
WD6 1DS
Tel: 0208 207 1939
Ray
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Thank you so much for the information Ray.
I will try them one by one. Still no sign of my Annie,
but I will find her one day.
DonnaMc, I got my Annie records for the Record Office.
The photocopy told me when Annie went in, how old she was and
where she came from. Annie died in the hospital so it gave me details.
I think it cost me about £21. Hope that may help you
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Hello CU
Thank you for that piece of information. Yes it will help in my search because my Annie also died at the hospital. I will write to the records office and see what they can give me.
Kindest Regards
Donna
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I came across this message and am interested in finding out more about life in Shenley village when the hospital was functioning. Glynis, I couldn't work out how to message you, but would like to hear more about your experiences.
Shenley Hospital was located in the village of Shenley, Hertfordshire. My parents worked there !946- to late 70s. We lived in the village. I went to the village school and in the 1960s worked at the hospital during my college vacations.
Before I describe the hospital, I have to say that I, nor my family,ever witnessed any patient from the hospital in any state of undress. Patients were free to walk around the hospital and village if they could unless, rarely, they were under a legal restriction. Patients were accepted as part of the communityand several were local characters. At Junior school we used to play by the gate and we often talked to the patients. We did not see them as apart from us. I remember one character " Pinky". He had a sweet, round, rosy face , twinkling round eyes and a toothless round smile. He often walked past the school gate and we all said hello and waved to him and he was happy
The hospital was state of the art for the time. Large houses and villas were set in magnificent parkland.The treatment of the wide variety of Psychiatric problems was progressive.
Many patients suffered from depression and some, whose lives had hit them too hard, had suffered breakdowns. Although some patients had serious illnessses ,such as schizophrenia, most were just like you and me with different life experiences.
The hospital had a full Symphony Orchestra, the musicians were patients, staff and staff family. I played in the orchestra for several years. Some of the musician patients were very seriously ill yet the most wonderful musicians.
One man played the violin like a sweet bird singing. Another man would always be the first to arrive. We would enter the huge, empty concert hall to hear him playing his own soulful music on his cello. It would cut your heart in two and make you weep. He was a genius.
We played in competitions , sometimes winning , and the hospital had a full sized concert hall where we gave concerts to patients and the general public together.
In the 60s there was a very popular "Rock and Twist" each week. The bands were all well known 60s bands and people came from all the local towns.
Huge dances and balls were held in this hall and the patients had a social club with dance floor where there were regular dances to jazz and dance music. My Dad played in these bands.
To be continued