Bloemfontein mental Hospital

[jwynne]

I don't know if this is the same hospital, but does anyone know where I might find Annual Reports of Bloemfontein Mental Hospital from 1928 to the early 1930s?
Also, any clues to where people dying without relatives in Bloemfontein Mental Hospital might be buried would be very helpful.
My great aunt was admitted there in October 1928, and was still there in August 1929. She had been abandoned by her husband, and was without funds or accomodation or any kind of support, and had been committed.
Thanks.
John

[rutti tutti]

Hi there John,
I  have split the topic to get a little more exposure. Please give us details of the lady and we can see what we can unearth.
Thanks
Ruth

[braw]

Hi,
Some background of the Mental hospital.

Was erected 8 May 1883
Officially opened in 1884
Recreation hall,main kitchen,Laundry and stores added in 1926.
Major extensions built in the 60,s 70,s 80,s and 90,s
Name change from Oranje Hospital to Free State Phychiatric Complex on 29 April 2003.

She was most likely given a paupers burial and laid to rest in the Memorium Cemetry.
 I will PM the contact details of the hospital

Bruce

[jwynne]

Annie Jane WHEATLEY (nee WYNNE) was a midwife, born in Wrexham in North Wales in April 1882.
She emigrated to South Africa around 1903, and married an Alfred Joseph WHEATLEY around, and had a son in 1907.
Mr. WHEATLEY fought in World War 1 in Africa and then in Europe, but when he returned to South Africa, he never rejoined his family.
Annie Jane was working in Bloemfontein, as “Matron of the Crèche”, but suffered a bout of enteric fever around 1926 and was never well enough to resume her midwifery duties. As a result, she and her son were dependent upon her portion of her husband's war pension.
Unfortunately, he had instructed the Government authorities to direct this to another woman, not his wife, with whom he subsequently had other children.
Annie Jane had extensive correspondence with the Government (which I have found via the NAAIRS database) seeking to get what was rightfully hers, and had to rely increasingly upon grants and charity from the Governor General's office and the British Empire Service League (BESL) to keep and educate her son.
You can see from the correspondence that she gets increasing concerned about what she feels is a male conspiracy against her, and she ended up homeless in Bloemfontein in 1928, in a distressed state, thinking she was being persecuted by the BESL and the authorities. She was admitted to the hospital on on 15th October 1928.
The last trace I can find of her is a letter she wrote in August 1929, to the Acting Secretary to the Governor General from her ward in the Mental Hospital in Bloemfontein.
In his 1935 will, Annie’s father left his property divided between six of his eight children. One daughter had died in 1895, aged only 18. Annie Jane wasn’t mentioned at all. She was either dead too by 1935, or was cut out of the will.
I would really like to find out what happened to this poor lady.
Any help or suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks.
Best wishes,
John Wynne
Cheshire, UK

Hi there John,
I  have split the topic to get a little more exposure. Please give us details of the lady and we can see what we can unearth.
Thanks
Ruth

[jwynne]

I have seen reference to Annual Reports for Bloemfontein Mental Hospital, mentioned in an article on "History of Mental Health Services in South Africa" "PART IV. THE ORANGE FREE STATE" in the South African Medical Journal from November 1974.

http://archive.samj.org.za/1974%20VOL%20XLVIII%20Jul%20-%20Dec/Articles/11%20November/4.9%20HISTORY%20OF%20MENTAL%20HEALTH%20SERVICES%20IN%20SOUTH%20AFRICA%20-%20PART%20IV.%20THE%20ORANGE%20FREE%20STATE.%20M.%20Minde.pdf

I would like to find out where those Annual Reports might be kept, and whether they might contain references to individual patients.

Best wishes,

John

I don't know if this is the same hospital, but does anyone know where I might find Annual Reports of Bloemfontein Mental Hospital from 1928 to the early 1930s?
Also, any clues to where people dying without relatives in Bloemfontein Mental Hospital might be buried would be very helpful.
My great aunt was admitted there in October 1928, and was still there in August 1929. She had been abandoned by her husband, and was without funds or accomodation or any kind of support, and had been committed.
Thanks.
John

[braw]

Ive sent you the contact details of the CEO,his Secretary and the Admimistration Manager,I suggest you start with them

[jwynne]

Hello,
I've finally found out that my great aunt died in the Oranje Hospitaal in 1955.
Does anyone know where she might've been buried, please?
Thanks,
John

Annie Jane WHEATLEY (nee WYNNE) was a midwife, born in Wrexham in North Wales in April 1882.
She emigrated to South Africa around 1903, and married an Alfred Joseph WHEATLEY around, and had a son in 1907.
Mr. WHEATLEY fought in World War 1 in Africa and then in Europe, but when he returned to South Africa, he never rejoined his family.
Annie Jane was working in Bloemfontein, as “Matron of the Crèche”, but suffered a bout of enteric fever around 1926 and was never well enough to resume her midwifery duties. As a result, she and her son were dependent upon her portion of her husband's war pension.
Unfortunately, he had instructed the Government authorities to direct this to another woman, not his wife, with whom he subsequently had other children.
Annie Jane had extensive correspondence with the Government (which I have found via the NAAIRS database) seeking to get what was rightfully hers, and had to rely increasingly upon grants and charity from the Governor General's office and the British Empire Service League (BESL) to keep and educate her son.
You can see from the correspondence that she gets increasing concerned about what she feels is a male conspiracy against her, and she ended up homeless in Bloemfontein in 1928, in a distressed state, thinking she was being persecuted by the BESL and the authorities. She was admitted to the hospital on on 15th October 1928.
The last trace I can find of her is a letter she wrote in August 1929, to the Acting Secretary to the Governor General from her ward in the Mental Hospital in Bloemfontein.
In his 1935 will, Annie’s father left his property divided between six of his eight children. One daughter had died in 1895, aged only 18. Annie Jane wasn’t mentioned at all. She was either dead too by 1935, or was cut out of the will.
I would really like to find out what happened to this poor lady.
Any help or suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks.
Best wishes,
John Wynne
Cheshire, UK

Hi there John,
I  have split the topic to get a little more exposure. Please give us details of the lady and we can see what we can unearth.
Thanks
Ruth

[pampoen]

A sad end to her life. If her son never paid for a stone the chances of finding the grave are slim. You can look up the website EGGSA and select the gravestone photos and search by name. I tried but nothing came up for Wheatley or Wynne.