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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Surrey Lookup Requests => Surrey => England => Surrey Completed Look up Requests => Topic started by: cranstone on Tuesday 13 March 07 11:49 GMT (UK)
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Hello
I have no idea I'm afraid if I have the right county as Banstead Lunatic Asylum was run by Middlesex, so I apologise if I have the wrong county.
I wondered if anyone knew where they held their admissions records and death records as I am trying to find information on my 3x g.grandfather who died there in December 1885.
I would like to find out about his admission and whether he was buried in their own graveyard or anything else about his time there.
Please can anyone help?
Many thanks
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Looks like the LMA (London Metropolitan Archives) is the place to go based on what I saw via Google ...
Database information that Banstead became a Surrey asylum is incorrect:
"Banstead Asylum was built and maintained by the Middlesex Justices prior to 1889. It became the responsibility of the London County Council on 1 April 1889" (London Metropolitan Archives Catalogue), which is confirmed by the following:
1900 89 year old patient's death certificate shows him as dying from "chronic brain wastage" in "the London County Asylum, Banstead".
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Hi
This site is always worth visiting for asylum info
http://www.mdx.ac.uk/WWW/STUDY/4_13_TA.htm#Banstead
Jan ;)
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Yes, records are at LMA and this is what they have:
Record type Date range
Administrative 1871 - 1990
General 1871 - 1970
Finance 1871 - 1964
Nursing 1973 - 1983
Admission & Discharge 1877 - 1977
Staff 1877 - 1946
Pictorial 1877 - 1890
Clinical & Patients 1877 - 1972
Other information
Established 1877 as the Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum. At some point became known as Banstead Hospital closed 1986 and was converted into a prison
Source: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/search.asp and search for Banstead
Good luck
Colin
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Aha!
Have I found the reply button? I have been thanking everyone personally and not this way as I didn't know about it.
So thank you to everybody that has been helping me.
And I will try to get into the habit of thanking people this way. Thanks for letting me know Jan!
Regards
Cranstone
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;D ;D ;D
You've done it!
Happy hunting
Jan ;)
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Here are some pictures of the hospital
http://www.countyasylums.com/mentalasylums/banstead01.htm
Jan ;)
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Hello again Cranstone,
The pictures Jan directed you to, the first three certainly, if you don't know, are of the remaining original buildings that are now part of Downview Prison. Hence the high green fence.
On the first one, the Porters Lodge is the two storey building. The long roof, with the windows and clock tower in it, is new and houses the visitors centre. I still remember having to squeeze up into the top of the clock tower because someone had forgotten to switch on the automatic summer time setting when it was installed.
Regards,
Phil
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Hi Phil
Thanks for the information.
Would you know if their cemetery was built over?
Regards
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Thanks Jan too for the pictures.
Regards
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I don't know. Both prisons were up and running when I was working there.
This group may know the answer though:
www.bansteadhistory.com (http://www.bansteadhistory.com)
Phil
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Thanks for the info. Phil. I have emailed them to see if they know anything.
Regards
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Hi Phil
Thanks for the information.
Would you know if their cemetery was built over?
Regards
i'm a bit late to the party, but no! their cemetary has NOT been built over. if you wish to know i will give you directions to get there.
rich
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Hi Rich
Welcome to Rootschats
On the Surrey guide to burials at the top of the Rootschat Surrey board asylum cemeteries are also included. I wasn't quite certain of the street the cemetery's address would officially be classed as so I've written
Banstead Asylum, Sutton Lane? Banstead, Surrey SM7 1877-1955
This was a Middlesex later a London county mental asylum. Burial registers are held at the LONDON METROPOLITAN ARCHIVES
Is Sutton Lane correct?
Regards
Valda
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Hello Rich,
Do you know if the CWGC grave is still there?
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=401158
Phil
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hi.
in response to valda's and forester's question's, sutton lane is the road that leads up to the main gates of the hospital, which now marks the primeter of "crown property" (highdown and downview prison's) and is know known as both sutton lane and highdown lane. the farm is no longer part of crown property (and is known as Fairlawn farm) and now has its own entrance gate, the cemetary is a part of the farm (infact its a horse paddock), and so i would assume the address was that of the farm. which also brings me to to my second point which is in response to forester's question, the cemetary (now the paddock) unfortunatly only has a hand full of head-stones left, and i've not been in the paddock to take a look at them.
dirctions
to reach the cemetary you need to go to the corner of fairlawn road and sunnymede avenue, and at the very corner where these roads meet there is a track which runs between the old hospital walls (on your right) and a golf course(on your left), go down the track ( about 20- 30 meters, maybe a little more) poke your head over the wall and you'll see the remaining headstones.
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Thanks Rich,
I'll answer your PM later. Internet has been down for the last couple of days and I haven't caught up yet.
Phil
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hi guys,
i have an update concerning forester's question surrounding the cwgc memorial, and it is still infact on the site of the hospital (as a matter of fact there are two), however they are inside highdown prison, one is in the corridor of the admin block and the second is in the chapel (or multi faith room, as its now known).
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Rich,
I would guess that they are memorial plaques, possibly to the staff. There is one listed on UKNIWM for the 1st World War, but it is catalogued as lost. Maybe it has since been found. If I remember rightly Downview incorporated the few remaining original buildings, maybe they were tucked away in there.
Phil
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i can confirm that they are not plaques listing prison staff, prehaps staff of the hospital, but i will try to find out exactly what they are, and who is listed on them.
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Rich,
If you could please, that would be much appreciated. I am working on another lost memorial (church in S E London) at the moment.
Phil
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I've just learned that a relative died in the Banstead Asylum. Are there any lists anywhere, of inmates names and dates etc. Does anyone know? Thanks flownthenest
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hi my name is neil rolley. my great grand fathers name is james allen rolley born 1867 in dundonald ayr scotland. his father was william rolley and mother margret allen. james allen rolley had a son, thomas rolley, who emigrated to cessnock in sydney.
please contact me. we should swap notes.
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Hi Neil,
Please contact me at (*)
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rollo_4
Tried to PM you, but your message box is full. We have many records to share of William Rolley and Co.
flownthenest
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Hi Neil
Welcome to Rootschat ;D
You're inbox isn't actually full but you need another post for the personal message system to be activated.
Once you have that post count you can exchange information with flownthenest including email addresses off-forum.
Dawn