Murder Trials

[jorose]

For the 1911 census, use initials and "Broadmoor" as the residental place to turn up details of the inmates there.

[polkadot41]

Thanks for that.  Any idea why they just used initials?

The gent from the mining site got back to me as well and included a copy of the 1911c for Broadmoor. Thomas had been listed as a widower

Really don't think the family would have claimed the body so I'm just waiting for the burial details and I should probably buy his death certificate just out of curiosity.

I've really enjoyed this one!!

[Billyblue]

Thanks for that. Any idea why they just used initials?
 

It is thought they used initials only, for privacy reasons.  Bureaucracy at times has compassion!
This was also the custom for 'lunatic asylums' - a friend of mine tracked down one of her ancestor's family in this way.
Dawn M

[Valda]

Hi


Census instructions for institutions

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/hitch/gendocs/census2.html#HOME

It was up to whoever was responsible for the institution's schedule whether the return was made with initials or full names. Institutions were given the leeway to do either. Since institutions were also places such as prisons, the individual decision in many cases was also to do with expediency. Some institutions had numbers of people well into the hundreds and the census was a considerable bureaucratic burden on them.

Returns vary between asylums. Some will have full names. Some will be initials only. This varies between census years with the same asylum returning full names or initials in different censuses.
It was not until the 1920 Census Act that a statutory prohibition on disclosure became law, so for some officials the individual decsison they made would also have been influenced by their concern for privacy for their patients.


Regards

Valda

[Ruskie]

Really good news that you've discovered all this extra info Carroll. Well done.

[Jeuel]

Hi

Broadmoor's archive is at the Berkshire Records Office.  I had a gt gt gt uncle who was there and got his records recently.  Didn't say much though.

If he was sent to Broadmoor he must have been released/transferred  if the Freebmd death is correct.  If he died in a criminal lunatic asylum there would have to have been an inquest, it was routine.

It's interesting that he was found guilty.  My chap was found "innocent on the grounds of insanity" in 1862 but after an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria's life she insisted that the man be found guilty, so he was found guilty but insane and the law was changed to allow that verdict in future.

[Valda]

Hi


Rampton was built to ease the strain on Broadmoor so it is very likely patients were transferred once it was opened.


The M'Naghten Rules apply to criminal insanity and were based on the attempted assassination of the British Prime Minister, Robert Peel, in 1843 by Daniel M'Naghten

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M'Naghten_Rules
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_M%27Naghten


There were several assassination attempts on Queen Victoria. The perpetrators were all tried for high treason. Only the first perpetrator Edward Oxford was found insane pre the M'Naghten rules which attempted to provide standardised guidance to judges.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Oxford


Regards

Valda

[polkadot41]

I have had to write to Rampton Hospital for help, they won't look into anything without a letter.  I can't find any records of the family claiming his body so I'm trying to find were they would have buried him. 

I have tried the Council but they have no record of him.
Have ordered his death certificate today.  Any idea were the inquest records would be, I've asked Rampton just incase they can help.

Many thanks to you all for all your help!!

[Valda]

Hi


Do you mean Nottinghamshire or Berkshire Archives won't allow the early release of the hospital records deposited with them with out Rampton's permission?

Inquest records have very patchy survival rates. If they have survived then Nottinghamshire Archives should hold them, otherwise the local newspaper may be the only source, but they are less likely to report an inquest unless the death was one that was not from natural causes.


Regards

Valda