Lancaster County Asylum 1889

[cristeen]

Hoping for some insight I have a marriage record from 1889 which states the bride's residence as County Asylum Lancaster. Did some employees live on site? Or the alternative, were inmates/patients allowed to marry? There are some asylum records online and I haven't found this lady in them, no mention in local newspapers either. Information on the asylum itself doesn't allude to live-in staff. I have this lady living with her aunt in 1881 and grandmother in 1871.
Any thoughts appreciated, thanks 
Christine

[brigidmac]

if inmates were there due too poverty it seems logical that a marriage would take them to a better place ;

where was the groom in earlier censuses ?

what was the aunts circumstances ?

age of bride ?

i have a few examples of Asylum also being the local hospital so she could have been in hospital before ...
also some women were interned for being pregnant outside of marriage ,could she have been there for a biirth ? ...check those records ..good luck and keep us informed .

[Joney]

A trawl around suggests that the asylum went through several changes of name and Wikipedia refers to it becoming Lancashire Moor Hospital in 1929. The  records are at Lancashire Archives and appear to include Staff records from 1858. The institution appears to date back to 1816 and was for those with mental problems. I've never had occasion to look at staff records for a place like this, but the patient records are often detailed with photographs Can't post the links - new browser so I'm currently mystified by how to make it paste.
 Good luck !

[lancaster.jim]

Hi,

You wrote -

> I have a marriage record from 1889 which states the bride's residence as County Asylum Lancaster. Did some employees live on site?

At this time there four County Asylums in Lancashire, Lancaster Moor Hospital, Whittingham, Prestwich, and Rainhill.  All of these were well away from centres of population.  This meant that most of the staff at this time would be housed on site.  For a better description of the asylum system and about Lancaster Moor in particular, have a look at -

http://www.countyasylums.co.uk/about/

Hope this helps,

Jim Lancaster (Bury, Lancs.)

[rosie99]

If she was employed at the Asylum the marriage certificate should state an occupation

Who is it that you are referring to. 

[Joney]

Good website, lancaster jim !

[stanmapstone]

If you look at the 1891 Census there are 181 live in staff at the Asylum on census night. RG12 Piece 3468 Folio 65 Page 1

Stan

[stanmapstone]

Another Web Site "Index of English and Welsh Lunatic Asylums and Mental Hospitals"  Lancaster is at http://www.studymore.org.uk/4_13_ta.htm#Lancaster

Stan

[cristeen]

The lady concerned is Clara Gardner born 13th December 1862 in Poulton (Morecambe) and baptised 24th April 1863 at St Mary's Lancaster. The baptism record states mother was Mary and father Richard, a fisherman. I had suspected Clara was illegitimate and the marriage record I hopefully have attached corroborates this. I have not bought a marriage certificate yet but may have to if I want to solve this one. Her mother was Mary Gardner born 1830, I suspect the Richard named on the baptism record was her grandfather who died in 1855. Her husband was the son of her aunt Elizabeth who married a Poulton fisherman and moved to Annan sometime before 1869. (There are strong family links to Annan during this period. Many fishermen from Poulton lived at Annan short term for the herring season.) Clara and William have Mary Gardner, mother-in-law, with them in Annan on the 1901 Scotland census and Mary finally dies in 1930 aged 103, buried at Annan.
I am fairly sure the asylum must have been the one on Lancaster Moor as they were married in Lancaster. The witnesses are probably William's younger brother and Clara''s step-niece.
She is not the only illegitimate birth in this family, I suspect there were a couple more in this generation and definitely some in later generations.
Thanks to all of you for the input