Susan Mary Vargues 1850-1904 Admitted to Asylum After its Closure?

[ljb1125]

Hi all,

As the title says, I’m baffled as there are two separate records corroborating that my named relative was admitted to (and died in) Hoxton House Asylum in 1904, two years after every source I’ve read advises it was closed to admissions. Is there somewhere I should start looking/asking questions about this major discrepancy? I’ve read many links provided on this forum in regards to this asylum, but none so far have answered my query.

Thanks,
Lauren

[crisane]

I see that there is no middle name recorded on the death record on FreeBMD
Do you have her death certificate? If so what address is given for place of death and who was the informant?
Like you I can only see articles saying Hoxton house was closed in 1902 and most of it demolished in 1911.

[ljb1125]

I see that there is no middle name recorded on the death record on FreeBMD
Do you have her death certificate? If so what address is given for place of death and who was the informant?
Like you I can only see articles saying Hoxton house was closed in 1902 and most of it demolished in 1911.

I have just ordered her death certificate and am now awaiting delivery. Her age at death was also recorded incorrectly on the register, as well as omitting her middle name, although the district of registration (Shoreditch) implies she was indeed at Hoxton House when she died.

[rosie99]

Deceased online has the burial register

Susan Vargues
burial date 24 August 1904
location Newham

[ljb1125]

Deceased online has the burial register

Susan Vargues
burial date 24 August 1904
location Newham

Thank you for the nudge in this direction. The full record further confirms that she was resident in Hoxton House at death. A mystery, indeed.

[rosie99]

Maybe it just closed for admissions in 1902, I see it was not demolished until 1911

[ljb1125]

Maybe it just closed for admissions in 1902, I see it was not demolished until 1911

Yes, it was closed for admissions in 1902. However, Susan wasn’t admitted there until 1904, albeit as a transfer from another asylum rather than as a new patient. This has been corroborated by two different records. I’m trying to work out how that can be possible.

[cath151]

Hi
Do not have access to full articles but there are a couple of mentions in the Shoreditch Observer dated  Sep 3rd 1904
"closing of Hoxton House as a private asylum. A committee of Guardians had paid a visit to the house and found the eight or nine Shoreditch patients being satisfactorily cared for."

" we hear that the Hoxton House private asylum in Hoxton Street was finally closed on Wednesday evening all the patients and staff having been transferred to other institutions"

Cathy

[ljb1125]

Hi
Do not have access to full articles but there are a couple of mentions in the Shoreditch Observer dated  Sep 3rd 1904
"closing of Hoxton House as a private asylum. A committee of Guardians had paid a visit to the house and found the eight or nine Shoreditch patients being satisfactorily cared for."

" we hear that the Hoxton House private asylum in Hoxton Street was finally closed on Wednesday evening all the patients and staff having been transferred to other institutions"

Cathy

Cathy, thank you so much for this! I will chase this up.