congetital imbecilie!

[Nick29]

If Florence was unable to live independently she obviously stayed at the hospital for life? The problem is I can't find her death registered at all. She was born Christmas eve 1889 - I can't think she'd have married so why can't I find her death?

I don't think you can rule out marriage.  Also, in 1911, the country was only 3 years away from WW1 - that could have changed her life in all sorts of ways.

[genjen]

I don't think you have given her full name on here. If you do, we could help you to search for her death.

Jen

[JenB]

I don't think you have given her full name on here. If you do, we could help you to search for her death.

Jen

Florence Venn
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,465070.msg3256298.html#msg3256298

[genjen]

Thanks Je, I hadn't seen that thread.

I've had a quick look at the deaths on An*****y and can't see anything obvious at the moment but will keep looking.

Jen

[LizzieW]

Interestingly, one of my g.uncles was in a mental asylum in 1911 and he, and all the other inmates, is just shown as "lunatic".

[sarahLB]

Thanks Jen for looking  Lizzie - Florence's brother was also in an institution and he is listed as feeble minded. Checking on different websites it seems it was all down to IQ.

[LizzieW]

Sarah - According to the admission page of my g.uncle's notes (which is all the Manchester Archivists would let me have as he went into the asylum more than 100 years ago, but stayed there until he died in 1964, less than 100 years ago) my g.uncle was hearing voices, so I assume he was something like a schizophrenic, rather than a lunatic, which to me implies someone whose mental illness cannot be treated, even today.  My mum remembers visiting him when she was a young girl and told me he seemed (to her) quite normal and was working as a gardener at the asylum.

[rancegal]

  Some time ago, Brian Rix was talking about his daughter who had Downs.
   When she was born, one of the doctors asked in all seriousness if he had been drunk when she was conceived!

    That's why Lord Rix became involved with Mencap and had a lot to do with changing attitudes towards people with mental health problems

[LizzieW]

Talking about weird diagnosis, I came across an inquest in the British Newspapers (whilst looking for something else).  A man had had one drink of beer and then suffered severe stomach pains and dropped dead.  The autopsy (how they did that in the late 1800s I don't know) suggested that he might have been poisoned.  The doctor would have none of it and declared that the cause of death was by drinking beer that was too cold.

I know some girl recently had to have her stomach removed after drinking a cocktail laced with liquid nitrogen - which it seems is a current fad - but they wouldn't have done anything like that in the late 1800s surely?