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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Inverness => Topic started by: kimc on Wednesday 26 November 08 15:10 GMT (UK)
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Hello Everyone
I'm new to this site but not Genealogy been hooked for over 20 years.
I'm trying find out about my Great Grandfather Charles tillman (Tilman,Tilmon,Tillmon) born 1866 Nettlestead Kent England, married a Sophia appears on England census 71-1901, the story we have says he ran away and I have found him on Ellis Island records 1910 can't find him coming back but he died 16 Feb 1920 at District Asylum Inverness he cut his own throat poor man, the death cert says he was a janitor usual address 35 Outram St Invergordon.
Would there have been an inquest and how did he get from America to Scotland.
Any help or info would be brilliant
Kim :)
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Hi Kim
Welcome to Rootschat :)
There are no inquests as such in Scotland. Instead such cases would be reported to the Procurator Fiscal who would decide whether or not to hold a fatal accident inquiry.
Regards
Gadget
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I see that there is a Register of Corrected Entries note on the death certificate. If you go to the certificate on the Scotlands People site and click on the Red RCE icon at the top of the page, this will take you to the entry and give more information and, quite probably the report of the procurator fiscal.
Gadget
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Hello again
That was quick, thanks I will check it out
Kim
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Hello Gadget
Thanks for the tip you were right just confirmed he committed suicide, how can I check out his address and if he was in the asylum or they just took him there. So to be a pain but Scottish records are so different. :)
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If it says'usual address' then that is his normal address. I'm not sure how you could check if he'd been admitted for a period of time before he committed suicide or it was an emergency admission at the time :-\
I see it says 'for hours' on the cause of death.
Was there any indication on the RCE to show if he'd been admitted for a while?
There might be medical records but not sure how you'd obtain them. Local newspaper reports might be another source.
Gadget
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Thanks for all your help and advice, I will have a dig
Kim ;D
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Hi
I have always found health services archivists are really helpful.I had a relative who died in tragic circumstances at a psychiatric hospital in Edinburgh in 1945. They sent me a photocopy of her records after the senior psychiatrist had phoned me to talk through her notes. I couldn't believe how helpful everyone was.
I think the Inverness district asylum was probably Craig Dunain Hospital ( now no more). The health services archivist for the North of Scotland is Fiona Watson who I found really helpful too.
Her -mail is :
f.watson[at]nhs.net
Good luck
Carolyn
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I second what csa has said. Definitely contact Fiona Watson and she'll point you in the right direction.
For a person to be committed to a Mental Hospital, he/she had to be examined by two different doctors and a report submitted to the Sheriff Courts.
This will show all sorts of information including next of kin etc. and may show how he came to be in Scotland.
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Hi
Just picked up on this post, I also have an ancester who died in Inverness District Asylum, but this post is quite old, does anyone out there know if Fiona Watson is still contactable for information,
Lynn
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Hi Lynn
You now need to contact Highland Archives. They do not allow you to look at the registers in person as there could be information pertaining to others, but they will do the search and also copy and print out the relevant pages. The patient needs to have died 75 (or more) years ago to get any information though.
I wanted to know about a man who had died on 21st July 1936 and ontacted them 21st July 2011. I was able to get dates and also a lot of family information from the admission forms. The reports from the two certifying doctors and the Sheriff Court's warrants were also attached.
Having those dates, and because of the area the man was from, I can now check the Police Log Books which should give even more information. Strangely, the time limit on the Police Log Books is only 65 years so I could have checked them earlier. They need checked in person though and the ones I need are held in Portree!
It cost £28 in total. As I recall, the first 20 mins were free but they then charge £20 per hour, plus the cost of printing.
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Hi
I am not sure if NHS Highland has its own archivist or if Fiona Watson still covers the whole of the north of Scotland-I think she used to. Here are her contact details anyway -
Fiona Watson,Archivist,Northern Health Services Archives,Victoria Pavilion, Woolmanhill Hospital, Aberdeen AB25 1LD
Tel:01224 555562
Email: grampian.archives[replace with 'at' symbol]nhs.net
Good luck
Carolyn