Atcham - Lunatic Asylum?

[Sharon66]

Hi

My grandmother's sister Hilda Esther DANAVELL born in 1902, Marylebone, London, died in 1918 at the age of 16.
The BMD reference for her death was registered in Atcham which is a very long way from where the rest of her family lived in London.
There has been talk in the family of her having 'mental issues' and I wondered if she had been sent to a Mental institution in or around the area of Atchum.

I have done some research on the net and found a couple of possibilities:-

1) Salop Infirmary, St Mary, Atcham.
2) Royal Salop Infirmary - couldn't find any reference to it housing mental patients though.
3) Royal Shrewsbury Hospital known as locally as Shelton.  Originally: Shropshire and Wenlock      Borough Lunatic Asylum

As I am not familiar with the area at all I was wondering if any kind sole could give me their thoughts on the matter.

Yours hopefully
Sharon

[Valda]

If she did die in an asylum her death certificate would clearly state so. Once you have a copy of that, if she did die in an asylum it would be relatively easy, if the records have survived, to track her medical case history. With the death certificate you can ask quite specific questions about the institution concerned and where the records are held. If she didn't die in an asylum then there are obviously other questions to ask about why she was in the area, and perhaps where she died and who registered the death will give you clues to that.

Regards

Valda

[Sharon66]

Wow that was quick!

Thank you Valda for your reply.
I am currently awaiting for her death certificate to arrive but thought I'd look into it a bit why I was waiting.
To be honest if she wasn't in the Asylum I have no idea why she would be there. My grandmother had told me that her sister died young and had 'medical problems' but other than that she wouldn't talk about it. Understandable in that day and age i guess.

Regards
Sharon

[Valda]

As she was only 16

Deaths Jun 1918
DANAVELL  Hilda E  16  Atcham  6a 721

I would think if she was institutionalised (no evidence as an unmarried mother) then she may not have been in an adult mental asylum which was primarily designed for patients' with a mental illness (and certainly in the C19th and early C20th what we consider as physically illnesses such as epilepsy would be considered a mental illness), though she could have eventually ended up in one, but she may have, as a younger child been institutionalised because she was considered mentally handicapped (again any number of reasons for that some physical).

Regards

Valda

[Lloydy]

Hello, and Welcome to Rootschat

Just thought I would mention that records for SHROPSHIRE AND MONTGOMERYSHIRE COUNTIES AND WENLOCK BOROUGH LUNATIC ASYLUM AT BICTON HEATH (LATER SHELTON HOSPITAL) are held at The Shropshire Archives.

Details available on this website: http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/archives.nsf

[Valda]

The major medical problem of the time was tuberculosis. Patients could be sent to sanitoriums for that, though Shropshire, or possibly Montgomeryshire does seem to be a long way away from London. However she could have been sent to recuperate with someone known or connected to the family. It would also have removed her from London while there was a war on.

Regards

Valda

[Sharon66]

Thank you to you both for your responses.

As soon as I get her death cert I think I will be able to move forward as a will have her cause of death and where she was at the time. She has such a rare surname that it has been notoriously difficult to research her family beyond 1826 but then because it is so rare you can practically guarantee that they are one of mine.
Its just that I am so impatient. Once I get my teeth into a thread I want instant results so I can take the next step and find out more!

Sharon

[hodnet2000]

hi ,,, just to let you know that there was a workhouse at Cross Houses ( Berrington ), Could this be a possibility, which i think would have housed all sorts of people not just the poor. T he only other mental institution that i know of is Shelton Hospital, which still operates as a mental hospital to this present time,  best wishes in your search

[Sharon66]

Hi Hodnet 2000,

Thank you for your reply.
Hopefully I'll recieve the death cert within the week so then  I'll have something definate to work with and I'll be back asking for more advice!

Kind regards
Sharon