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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lincolnshire => Topic started by: harrygeorge1 on Tuesday 16 October 18 16:28 BST (UK)
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I am on the search for a Lunatic Asylum in or near Grantham 1893. Also possibly the 1891 census with a list of employees. I am looking for Clara French, age unknown, place of birth unknown, the only information I have is a birth certificate of her son James Rowlie (not sure if Rowlie is a middle name or surname) born 18th February 1893 in Greetham. Clara is down as working in a Lunatic Asylum. The informant is Mary Stubbs (present at birth).
Thanks in advance Andrea.
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Was a lunatic asylum in south Rauceby opened in 1897. x
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From the lunacy act in 1845 each County was to have a Lunatic Asylum, St John's Hospital Lincoln appears to be the one for Lincolnshire.
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There's some information about mental health treatment on the Lincs to the Past website at
https://www.lincstothepast.com/exhibitions/lincolnshire-asylums-the-treatment-of-mental-health-issues/
It looks from this as though the most likely place in 1893 might have been the Lincolnshire County Lunatic Asylum (later St John's Hospital) at Bracebridge Heath, as Jebber says - see
https://www.lincstothepast.com/exhibitions/lincolnshire-asylums-the-treatment-of-mental-health-issues/st-johns-hospital/
Although it's on the edge of Lincoln nearest Grantham, I wouldn't say it was exactly close.
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I'm presuming that the birth cert you have comes from this GRO ref
James Rowlie French Jun 1893 Oakham 7a 352 mmn not given.
Emeltom
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I'm presuming that the birth cert you have comes from this GRO ref
James Rowlie French Jun 1893 Oakham 7a 352 mmn not given.
If so, then might 'Grantham' be a misreading or mistranscription of Greetham, which is in the Oakham registration district? Grantham has its own district, so a birth there wouldn't be registered in Oakham.
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I'm presuming that the birth cert you have comes from this GRO ref
James Rowlie French Jun 1893 Oakham 7a 352 mmn not given.
Emeltom
It is the right one, and it is Greetham not Grantham, my mistake.
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I'm presuming that the birth cert you have comes from this GRO ref
James Rowlie French Jun 1893 Oakham 7a 352 mmn not given.
If so, then might 'Grantham' be a misreading or mistranscription of Greetham, which is in the Oakham registration district? Grantham has its own district, so a birth there wouldn't be registered in Oakham.
After getting my magnifying glass out, it is Greetham not Grantham, my mistake.
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I've found a couple of lists of mental hospitals, though there don't appear to be any close to Greetham to which she could have commuted on a daily basis. The nearest ones seem to have been the Leicester Borough Asylum and the Leicester and Rutland Asylum. Anyway, have a look at the lists and see what you make of them:
https://www.countyasylums.co.uk/the-asylum-list/
https://historic-hospitals.com/mental-hospitals-in-britain-and-ireland/asylums-in-the-united-kingdom-in-1898/
If she was a single mother, as the birth registration suggests, then it's quite possible that the address in Greetham was the home of her parents or another relative, so in 1891 she could be almost anywhere in the country.
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I've found a couple of lists of mental hospitals, though there don't appear to be any close to Greetham to which she could have commuted on a daily basis. The nearest ones seem to have been the Leicester Borough Asylum and the Leicester and Rutland Asylum. Anyway, have a look at the lists and see what you make of them:
https://www.countyasylums.co.uk/the-asylum-list/
https://historic-hospitals.com/mental-hospitals-in-britain-and-ireland/asylums-in-the-united-kingdom-in-1898/
If she was a single mother, as the birth registration suggests, then it's quite possible that the address in Greetham was the home of her parents or another relative, so in 1891 she could be almost anywhere in the country.
Thank you. The later was a concern I had. Another being she had been sent away to have her baby.
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Just to confuse matters, there is a village called Greetham in Lincolnshire, near the Town of Horncastle
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Just to confuse matters, there is a village called Greetham in Lincolnshire, near the Town of Horncastle
I knew it would be a long shot when I posted my request. But we can live in hope.
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In case Mary Stubbs (informant at 1893 birth) might be connected, here are a couple more surnames to consider.
In 1891 she's in Greetham with husband William, and two children; the birth of the younger one, Priscilla, was registered in Oakham district in Sep qtr 1875, with mmn AVERY.
Also with them in 1891 is a granddaughter Blanche M Weldon, born Long Eaton. Her birth was registered in Shardlow in Dec qtr 1882 with the spelling WHELDON, mmn Stubbs.
What else do you have on James Rowlie French, other than his birth? Any census returns, marriage certificate, service record etc?
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In case Mary Stubbs (informant at 1893 birth) might be connected, here are a couple more surnames to consider.
In 1891 she's in Greetham with husband William, and two children; the birth of the younger one, Priscilla, was registered in Oakham district in Sep qtr 1875, with mmn AVERY.
Also with them in 1891 is a granddaughter Blanche M Weldon, born Long Eaton. Her birth was registered in Shardlow in Dec qtr 1882 with the spelling WHELDON, mmn Stubbs.
What else do you have on James Rowlie French, other than his birth? Any census returns, marriage certificate, service record etc?
Thank you for that. I was told by James's grear grandaughter that he was adopted by James and Mary Rowlett and he took on the Rowlett surname. He was living in Stanground District in 1901 census. He married Margaret Isbister in 1919 Paddington. 1939 living in Orton Longueville Peterborough.
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She may not be connected, but there is a Clare/Clara French in Stamford, approximately 10 miles from Greetham, in 1891. She was a parlour maid, born in Atherstone in 1868 (GRO has 1870).
May just be a coincidence, but a Clarie French married a George Charles Fraser in Liverpool in 1898. In 1901, born in Atherstone in 1870, she was an Asylum Nurse in Croydon.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9XK-CWD
David
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David's find looks good, but meanwhile I'm intrigued by the similarity between the surnames Rowlett and Rowley, and I wonder if there's a bit more to this than meets the eye. I've done a bit of hunting and come up with the following, but there's more that could be looked into which I don't really have time to do at present.
1901 census - James and Mary A Rowlett in Stanground - household includes James F and a married daughter Sarah E Robinson, 22. Could she be the Sarah E Rowlatt with birth reg Dec qtr 1891 in Kettering, mmn Clarke? (Incidentally, James junior is listed as born Grantham, with Rutlandshire crossed out and Lincs inserted - presumably the enumerator misread the household schedule and the checking clerk changed the county instead of the town.)
1911 census - James in Fletton. Married but wife not present; length of marriage (crossed out) 32 yrs. This might point to marriage in Peterborough Dec qtr 1877, James Rowlett and Mary Annie King at same reference. Note discrepancy with Sarah's mother's maiden name above - can this be explained?
1911 census household includes as boarders Alice Rowley, 29, said to be married, and her daughter Violet Alice, 3, born Hackney. Note re-appearance of Rowley. Also Violet's birth registration (Dec qtr 1907 Hackney) has no mmn, which might suggest that Alice wasn't actually married.
As well as the things I've noted, I'm wondering if James Rowlett might actually be father of James Rowlie French, and he took him in because Clara was unwilling or unable to look after him. Maybe her new husband didn't want James around?
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If Clara/Clarie French is the right person, she married again to Robert Saxby in Islington, Q1 1905. Living in Islington in 1911.
She then seems to have married Lieb Rosner in Rochford District Q2 1928 and died Q4 1936 in Worthing District.
Rowlie/Rowlett sounds promising.
David
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She may not be connected, but there is a Clare/Clara French in Stamford, approximately 10 miles from Greetham, in 1891. She was a parlour maid, born in Atherstone in 1868 (GRO has 1870).
May just be a coincidence, but a Clarie French married a George Charles Fraser in Liverpool in 1898. In 1901, born in Atherstone in 1870, she was an Asylum Nurse in Croydon.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9XK-CWD
David
Thank you for the information. It will give me something to look at.
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David's find looks good, but meanwhile I'm intrigued by the similarity between the surnames Rowlett and Rowley, and I wonder if there's a bit more to this than meets the eye. I've done a bit of hunting and come up with the following, but there's more that could be looked into which I don't really have time to do at present.
1901 census - James and Mary A Rowlett in Stanground - household includes James F and a married daughter Sarah E Robinson, 22. Could she be the Sarah E Rowlatt with birth reg Dec qtr 1891 in Kettering, mmn Clarke? (Incidentally, James junior is listed as born Grantham, with Rutlandshire crossed out and Lincs inserted - presumably the enumerator misread the household schedule and the checking clerk changed the county instead of the town.)
1911 census - James in Fletton. Married but wife not present; length of marriage (crossed out) 32 yrs. This might point to marriage in Peterborough Dec qtr 1877, James Rowlett and Mary Annie King at same reference. Note discrepancy with Sarah's mother's maiden name above - can this be explained?
1911 census household includes as boarders Alice Rowley, 29, said to be married, and her daughter Violet Alice, 3, born Hackney. Note re-appearance of Rowley. Also Violet's birth registration (Dec qtr 1907 Hackney) has no mmn, which might suggest that Alice wasn't actually married.
As well as the things I've noted, I'm wondering if James Rowlett might actually be father of James Rowlie French, and he took him in because Clara was unwilling or unable to look after him. Maybe her new husband didn't want James around?
Thank you, there's lots of information there for me to work through and look at. I had initially researched the Rowlett's and had made a connection with Fotheringhay, which is heading towards Kettering from Peterborough but when I was told James was adopted I assumed the research had been a waste of time. If family stories are true the Rowlett men all seemed to have problems keeping faithful to their wives.
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Some additional information on Clara French of Atherstone:-
Richard Bradford of Witherley married Mary Bosworth in Sibson on 5th September 1830.
Elizabeth Bradford baptised in Sibstone (Sibson), Leicestershire, on 6th March 1831, daughter of Richard and Mary.
Elizabeth Bradford married Francis French on 16th October 1854 in Atherstone. Witnesses - John and Ann Bradford.
I can't find a baptism for Clara but there are some for her siblings:-
William - 5th October 1862 in Atherstone
Elizabeth - 6th August 1865
Catherine - 1st March 1868
David
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Some additional information on Clara French of Atherstone:-
Richard Bradford of Witherley married Mary Bosworth in Sibson on 5th September 1830.
Elizabeth Bradford baptised in Sibstone (Sibson), Leicestershire, on 6th March 1831, daughter of Richard and Mary.
Elizabeth Bradford married Francis French on 16th October 1854 in Atherstone. Witnesses - John and Ann Bradford.
I can't find a baptism for Clara but there are some for her siblings:-
William - 5th October 1862 in Atherstone
Elizabeth - 6th August 1865
Catherine - 1st March 1868
David
thank you David.
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Hi.
I was just flicking through the list of topics and came across this.
I don't know of an asylum in Greetham, but there was a private asylum at Greatford Hall which is about 4.5 miles from Stamford.
It was quite famous in it's day as it was owned and run by Dr Willis who treated George 111 there in the late 18C.
The Hall was destroyed by fire in 1922 so was in place during the time period your interested in.
Hope this helps
Thanks
Cal
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Hi.
I was just flicking through the list of topics and came across this.
I don't know of an asylum in Greetham, but there was a private asylum at Greatford Hall which is about 4.5 miles from Stamford.
It was quite famous in it's day as it was owned and run by Dr Willis who treated George 111 there in the late 18C.
The Hall was destroyed by fire in 1922 so was in place during the time period your interested in.
Hope this helps
Hi Cal,
Thank you for that information. I will have a closer look, there maybe information somewhere regarding employees.
Since first posting this I have had a couple of DNA matches and together we have pieced together Clara's family.
Thanks
Cal