Might i find details of the estate of a "lunatic" c 1830 in a public archive?

[hall and walsh]

I have a series of Belfast newspaper adverts 1820s- 1840 for the sale of property and land of an ancestor of mine from lurgan who was referred to in a very matter of fact manner as "a lunatic".      

As he was seen to be unfit to manage his estate is it likely or possible that it would have been managed or oversighted by a government agency? Or was this kind of thing managed by private lawyers?   Would records still be available?

Thank you.

[aghadowey]

See this guide on National Archives site-
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/mental-health.htm

[hall and walsh]

See this guide on National Archives site-
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/mental-health.htm

Thanks very much for the link. The National Archives site seems to refer to asylums in England. If there is no reference to Ireland should I assume that there would be no records to be found about Armagh, or Belfast?

The site says that "Before the 1890 Lunacy Act, people of means had to make private arrangements for any lunatics in the family. Private madhouses were licensed by the justices of the peace, and were examined by several series of government commissioners. Records of private asylums are kept locally."

thank you!

[aghadowey]

Ireland was part of the U.K. You need to read down further to 6. Property of lunatics and idiots - the role of Chancery, etc.

There was an 1871 Act for Ireland-
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1871/22/enacted

There are a list of earlier ones for Ireland in this list-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunacy_Act

[hall and walsh]

Excellent!

Ireland was part of the U.K. You need to read down further to 6. Property of lunatics and idiots - the role of Chancery, etc.

There was an 1871 Act for Ireland-
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1871/22/enacted

There are a list of earlier ones for Ireland in this list-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunacy_Act