Obtaining Asylum Records

[monkeymagik]

Hi Jan, sorry to but in on your thread, but could I ask how you got hold of copies of asylum records?
Is there a web site you could recommend, that might give me a clue where to start?
I have a relative that was committed to Stanley Royd Asylum Wakefield. I have heard different stories on why he was committed & would like to find out more.
My family were led to believe he passed away many many years before he actually did. So we were all a bit shocked when I discovered what had really happened to him.  It would personally mean a lot to me to be able to put the record straight.
Any help would be appreciated thanks Nic.

[mudge]

Hi mm
Does the asylum still exist?  If not you need to contact the relevant local County Council Records Office, and enquire whether they hold them, and if they don't, enquire whether they know who does hold them and where
If they do hold them, then under the freedom of information provisions, they can usually arrange to find the records and get copies (usually at a cost) or for you to personally see / copy them, after clearing it with the NHS.
Usually proof of family connection is required before they release them to you (ie family tree and birth certificates)
Of course different Councils may have different arrangements to do this
mudge

[parf]

Hi Nic, Thats ok, its a change for me to be able to add something or help instead of always asking for help !!!

I found my Grt Grt Grandmothers records in the Records Office.  I found her on the census in Gloucester first of all & went there, then found out she had come from Somerset Asylum so went there as well.  I dont expect you will find anything on the internet.  I am talking about 1883 - 1902 so well within the 100 years that the records are alowed to be looked at.  I found her case notes, love her, It gave a discription of her as well, so I could kind of picture her.  I found her in the admission books, so It gave next of kin & where she had come from, She died in the Asylum in Somerset, really sad!!!!  I found out a lot from both ROs, well worth looking at.  Are you looking to look at more modern records ?  I asked at Hereford Ro to look at another relatives info from another Asylum in Hereford & because it was in the 1920s I had to write to an address, I think it was NHS Trust, for permission to look at the notes. I havent had a reply yet.

Hope thats of some help
Jan

[Niksmum]

strange i emailed for my gt gt gt grandgfathers records and they were emailed back me for a small fee.
i did not have to sign anything or prove any connection.

Irene

[monkeymagik]

Thank you Jan, Mudge & Irene.
The Asylum is closed now. In 1984ish 19 frail, mentally ill people died of food poisoning epidemic at the hospital .
During the investigations that followed, it came out that, rats and cockroaches "thrived" in the hospital's kitchen. Food was sent to patients mouldy and open drains were left to fester. Inmates were left all night with no nursing supervision. And the record-keeping was so diabolical, they did not know how many patients were actually in the asylum. The hospital was described by the press as Barbaric.
I have recently found out (contrary to what I was told) my G.G Uncle did not die until 1991, so he lived through this. I am disgusted & disturbed by what I have discovered.

I have a very strong suspicion that all this may make it very difficult to obtain any information, but I will give it a go.
Best dust of my spade & start digging.
Thanks Jan for letting me Butt in. Nic

[LizzieW]

I managed to get asylum records of a g.g.uncle as he died in 1902, but had problems with the records of a g.uncle who was admitted to the same asylum in 1907.  Fortunately for me (but not for him), by 1908 he was deemed fit enough to live in what appears to have been some sort of sheltered housing on the asylum site, and no further entries were made on his records.   Therefore, they let me have a copy.  The poor man lived there until his death in 1984.  Looking at the records, it seems he may have had epilepsy and just wasn't allowed home.

The archives staff were adamant that there was a 100 year rule, that would have prevented them from sending me the records if there had been any more entries after 1908, even any part of the records that were made pre 1908.  Apparently, there isn't a 100 year rule, it is just a "Jobsworth" rule to keep us in the dark.

Lizzie

[mudge]

Re Lizzie's comment on 100 year rule, she's correct.  The information is covered by the "Freedom of Information" regime introduced a few years back for NHS records.
As I previously mentioned different establishments seem to operate to different rules, made up locally for their own convenience. At the end of the day any resistance to provide the information can be challenged
mudge

[LizzieW]

Mudge

I think it was because I was challenging their 100 year rule that they backed down and let me have my g.uncle's records.  The people at the archives  then told me it was the Mental Health Trust who had made the ruling.  Strange that, because it was the man in charge of records and information at the Health Trust, who told me I could have the records, gave me a reference number and told me who to contact!

Having said that, after I got g.uncle's records, I saw from his admission info that one of his uncle's had died at the asylum.  As this must have been before g.uncle was admitted in 1907, I was outside the 100 year rule.  I looked at all the men who could have been my g.uncle's uncle and narrowed it down to a couple.  I then wrote to the archives again, giving the names and they found the records of my g.g.uncle.  They sent them to me for about £5, including a photograph.  Until I received them I wasn't convinced it was g.g.uncle as the records stated he was a labourer.  In fact he was a master butcher in Manchester, but the home address was correct.

Lizzie

[Pilgarlic]

I contacted The East Kent Archives last week in regards to my G Grandmother who went to Chartham Asylum.

The Chief Archivist there wrote back -

Embargoed records cannot be browsed regardless of ID and death certificates being proffered, because they contain records of hundreds of other patients and this would be a breach of the Data Protection Act. Access to such records can only be via the archivist undertaking a paid search on your behalf, and you would need to provide a death certificate before we could release the information to you (unless the records already state that the patient is deceased).

Pilgarlic