Magdalen Hospital School/Rockhall House (Bath)

[Ashtone]

According to the 1921 census, I've discovered that my granny's cousin was an inpatient in this Institution, located on Combe Down in Bath. I know this charity cared for people with learning disabilities at the time.

My Google searching hasn't revealed much about this charity, except for a general history, which I'm not bothered about.

Does anyone have any insights into this charity, particularly if they had a family member there? Was it a grim place? How long did inmates stay inside? Did they stay there until they passed away?

The relative in question is (unfortunately) described in more derogatory terminology in the 1911 census, so I'm not shocked to find her in an Institution a decade later. But I'd like to know if inmates at the Magdalen Hospital School were sadly "lifers".

[Milliepede]

When did your lady pass away - was she still there at the time of her death?

[Comberton]

Do you have access to a newspaper search? A couple of entries to look at
Bath Chronicle & Weekly Gazette
27 Jan 1923 page 30
12 Nov 1927 page 26
Very sad to read

[Ashtone]

Comberton - thank you for the newspaper articles. I no longer have FindMyPast access, and my BNA three free views were used up recently. But I did see the unfortunate terminology used for both bylines.   

My relative wasn't from Somerset, so it was by a fluke I found her in the 1921 census today.
Just searched for a death registration and sadly found it. Looks like she died shortly after the census was taken. She wasn't even 21! I'd plump for her death cert, but will probably have doubts regarding cause of death. Call me cynical.

I'm not a fan of vulnerable people being institutionalised, so I'm upset with the mother for doing this to her daughter. Especially in a place so far from where the family lived. I bet they didn't even visit the poor lass.