RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: kerbab on Tuesday 02 February 10 04:07 GMT (UK)
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Hi there. Is anyone able to (morbid as it sounds) give me any info on this please. My 2 gt grnadfather was in here 1891 and appears to have died here also. His name was Edward Price aged 38. His wifes name was Alice Price. Thankyou.
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Hi
I don't know if this is the only one, but the one that immediately springs to mind is the Lancaster Moor Hospital. Googling it gives a plan for it's gradual closure and redevelopment of the site and old victorian buildings at Quernmore.
Would that be the right area?
(Link below).
http://www.rootschat.com/links/07z5/ (http://www.rootschat.com/links/07z5/)
Loks as if there are recrds in Lancashire Record Office. Links on here - depends on date for closure though. Might not be here either.
Photo's here
http://www.beyondthefence.fpic.co.uk/c1478819.html
There is a red herring here, I've realised .
Was she definitely in Lancaster. Many old records give Lancaster for the county, and there was Lancaster County Assylum at Rainhill, too.
Best wishes
Emms
http://www.rootschat.com/links/07z6/ (http://www.rootschat.com/links/07z6/)
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PS
Photo's of all the county asylums here.
Loads of mentions but I've not found a really good history of it and it might not be the right one
Emms :)
http://www.countyasylums.com/mentalasylums/lancashire.htm
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Hi emms. All it says is Lunatic Asylum lancaster. The Ecclesiastical parish is Christchurch on the print out which I received some time ago by a friend who has access to ancestory.com. I am sure he died there as his wife remarried in 1895.
DEATH
Edward Price / Age 37
June 1891 / Lancaster
Vol No: 8e / Page No: 675
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Hi Kerbab & Emms,
You have the right asylum there, looking at the census, it is the Moor Hospital asylum. It is converted into houses now. It was a big place, the census suggests about 2000 people there, staff & patients included.
If Edward died in 1895 he is very likely to be buried in the municipal cemetery which was/is very nearby.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/072i/ links to the cemeteries department, who should be able to confirm this if you email them with date of death.
All the local history books for round here suggest that the asylum was reasonably advanced for its time. Dr Edward De Vitre made many innovations in the 1870s. I seem to recall in one of the old newspapers, seeing a sits vac advert for musicians to work at the hospital, presumably for patient therapy?
Hope that helps
:) Barbara
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Hi,
My 3 x gt grandfather died in Lancaster Lunatic Asylum in 1874 after being admitted there in 1873.
I contacted Lancashire Records Office by email giving all the details from the death certificate and they were able to confirm they had his medical record for the whole time he was there. They said they could arrange to send a copy as I don't live locally and I think the total cost including the researcher's time, photocopying and postage was £25.00. However, a friend happened to be going to Preston and collected the copy on my behalf so it cost much less than that in the end.
It was well worth the effort and although the document makes sad reading, I am so pleased I managed to get a copy.
Barbara H - thanks for the info re the municipal cemetery as I hadn't thought where my ancestor might have been buried. I think I assumed the Asylum had its own cemetery as workhouses sometimes do. I will have a go at finding his grave now.
Luzzu
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Wow good morning to you both and thankyou!! Well I certainly will be looking ito this.
Hmmmm wonders if you both know about my other posting about Beauchief Abbey and why someone would have been there in 1915??? I posted that in the Yorkshire pages.
Am off to grab brekkie and have a look at the sites mentioned. Thankyou :)
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This is the site for the cemeteries in the area.
http://www.lancaster.gov.uk/planning-environment/environmental-health/cemeteries/
I have looked at the records for Lancaster Asylum at Preston and they are fantastic, quite detailed, some even have photographs of the patients.
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Hope you dont mind me joining in Kerbab...
I have someone who is listed as being in a institution (1911) in Lancaster - ASHTON AND SCOTFORTH ROAD. Does anyone know what kind of institution this was please. Can i get any info from the Records Office do you think.
Thank You.
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Hi to everyone,
The Asylum on Ashton/Scotforth road was the Royal Albert Asylum for Idiots and Imbeciles (I think it had an even longer title than that originally). In modern terms, the Royal Albert catered for people with learning disabilities while the Lunatic Asylum catered for people with mental health problems.
We had some chats about the Royal Albert a while back, so if you put Royal Albert into the Rootschat search at the top of the page, they should reappear. Patients were usually young people withi disabilities, it was a kind of specialist boarding school, they would stay for about seven years or so.
If anyone finds ancestors in any of the Lancaster cemeteries and would like photographs, I am in that area & very happy to take photos. Just send me a PM or ask if you need help with location. The cemeteries department on Astoria's link are great for the town cemeteries, and the local library has have lists of MIs done by the FH groups for several local churchyards
:) Barbara
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hello there - no definetly not, this is how we all make a connection in the land of cyber space. I may have to write/email the lancaster records myself. barbara thankyou for your information. I have a picture of edward actually as well. This was also on the ancestory.com.
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Hiya Barbara, thanks ever so much for this info, i will have a search now, thats a very kind gesture as well :)
Kerbab, thanks for this.
Great thread with great help by the way ;)
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Hi,
Lancaster Moor Hospital is in the ecclesiastical parish of Christ Church. So it does look as though this is the hospital where your family member died.
The hospital is now totally closed, with the patients being returned to the community. The administration block has been tuned into very upmarket apartments, whilst the forbidding and very scary main building is being turned into more apartments.
Carolyn.
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hello there - no definetly not, this is how we all make a connection in the land of cyber space. I may have to write/email the lancaster records myself. barbara thankyou for your information. I have a picture of edward actually as well. This was also on the ancestory.com.
I've just emailed them - keep you updated :)
I have never seen any of my Grandfathers or thier familes - hope i touch lucky ;D
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Hope you get lucky with the Asylum records and find a photograph of your ancestor. Unfortunately I didn't find one but was very happy with what I did find.
Barbara - that is a very kind offer re the Lancaster cemeteries and if I manage to locate my ancestor's grave, I would very much like to ask for a photo.
:)
Luzzu
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Hi all
Looks like you're finally in with a chance of some good information, kerbab. I hope it works out!
Thank you for all the great links and offers everyone. I'll definitely be investigating those.
Best wishes
Emms
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I was about to start a very similar thread when I happened on this one! I have been looking for
my gt grandfather on the 1911 census, as he didn't appear with his family. There had also been rather odd entries about him on both his daughters marriage certificates and on a death certificate.
This weekend I think that I found him in the 1911 at Rainhill County Lunatic Asylum. I've found a 1916 death that might be him and have sent for the certificate.
I am just incredibly sad though and can't stop worrying about how awful it must have been both for
him and his family. :'( I didn't even know his name 2 years ago!
Elin
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Just looked at this thread with interest as I have a relative who died in Lancaster lunatic asylum in 1908.
I visited Preston RO last year to seek out info but was unable (not allowed!) to see anything because of the 100 year thing! (my relatives records would have been more than 100yrs old, but other records in the same box were not). :(
I was interested to see Astorias post about how good the asylum records are with some photos of inmates/patients.
Last week I contacted PRO again to find out if I'm any nearer being able to access my relatives records. They have replied saying they will look into it for me. I don't really want to have to pay a lot of cash for a researcher to find everything for me if within a few weeks or something I could go to Preston and find the stuff myself.
Perhaps i'm being a bit cynical here, but the record office were VERY quick to tell me (last year )that their researchers would be happy to look up the information for me!
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I have this morning had confirmation after along search, that my Great Grand Father died in Lancaster Lunatic Asylum! He died from general paralysis on the insane'; which I am aware is the condition of untreated syphilis.
As sad as it is .. I would like to know more about the Asylum and possibly his records, can any body point me in the right direction please.
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Hi,
Welcome to Rootschat :D.
I think you should contact Lancashire Records Office.
http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/education/record_office/
My 3 x gt granddad also died in Lancaster Lunatic Asylum in 1874. He also died from general paralysis of the insane. I emailed Lancashire Records Office and they were able to confirm what documents they had which included his medical record (unfortunately it didn't include a photograph but I understand some do). As I live overseas, the charge was going to be £25.00 to obtain copies but a friend went to Preston in person and was able to obtain copies for me at a fraction of the cost.
I was advised that people who died in Lancaster Lunatic Asylum were buried in the Municipal Cemetery. I emailed them and they very kindly sent me details of the grave location and number.
http://www.lancaster.gov.uk/planning-environment/environmental-health/cemeteries/
A very kind Rootschatter went to have a look for me and although the tombstone is long gone, I now have a photograph of the location of the grave.
I hope you have as much success as I did.
Luzzu
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Hi and thank you for your help, I will follow up both your suggestions.
After reading some www pages it was a huge place that cared for hundreds of patients.But what a sad end!
NicNic
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Records for the Asylums and Hospitals in Lancashire are held at Lancashire County Council Archives dept.
Here is a weblink for you to search for records either by the name of the Asylum or Hospital or by inputting
Patient Registers etc.. some entries are coded, so you have to click on them to read the name.
This link should take you to the Lancaster Moor Hospital record
http://archivecat.lancashire.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=HRL&pos=8
also mentions the Burial Grounds etc..
This weblink will take you to 200 entries for Asylums and Hospitals
http://archivecat.lancashire.gov.uk/CalmView/Overview.aspx?s=register%20of%20patients
you will get codes not names, so click on the codes which will then give you the name of the place. To find these I put in Register of Patients in search bar.
You can search for others in the Search Bar top right
My Great Grandmothers brother died in the Royal Albert Asylum and buried in Scotforth Cemetery, the department for Cemeteries were extremely kind and helpful with finding his burial details, including the time !! and will also assist if I would like to visit his unmarked communal grave with 4 others.
Bendywendy
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Hi Bendywendy
Thank you!
I'm going to have a look at that!
Best wishes
Emms :)
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Hi Emms
I have just had an email from Lancashire City Council, they have passed my email onto the Archives Dept and they will then contact me for further details for my ancestor's patient records, will let you know how I get on.
This is the email address I sent my request for into to:-
enquiries@lancashire.gov.uk
I have had another go with their Archive Website, tis confusing as to what to type in Search Bar to find what one wants, would have thought they would have just put all info under one heading for the Asylums/Institutions/Hospitals etc., makes it difficult to find things, especially as they are also using coded letters/numbers instead of actual names!!!! ::)
Good luck
Bendywendy
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I don't think this breaks the Copyright Law, but if it does please remove.
Found this on their website:-
http://archivecat.lancashire.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=Q/A/M/6/10/1&pos=2
Q - LANCASHIRE COURTS OF Quarter Sessions.
A - Quarter Sessions: Administrative Functions
M - Lunacy
6 - Prestwich Asylum
10 - Registers of Patients
CatID Q/A/M/6/10/1
Level Item
Reference number QAM/6/10/1
Title Register of Patients - Lancaster Moor Asylum
Date 1891-1904
Description The patients' register was a schedule of inmates at a certain date listed in order of admission, with notes of discharge, and further admissions as they occurred. It was periodically re-written. This volume is part only of the register as revised in 1890 and contains a schedule of patients in hospital at that date who had been admitted between 1838 and 1884 only, with note of their discharge or death,
AccessStatus Open
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~#
Also another for Lancaster Moor Hospital, too big to copy
http://archivecat.lancashire.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=HRL&pos=1
CatID HRL Date 1826-1954
Includes:- Lancaster Moor Hospital was Lancashire's first County Lunatic Asylum. Lancaster Moor Hospital closed in December 1999. Lancaster Moor Burial Ground. Some records are closed. And much more detail.
Bendywendy
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Barbara H. Saw your offer to take cemetery photo in your note from Feb
Would like to get a photo of my grandfather and Uncle who are both
buried in Farmoor Cemetery Skerton. I have the section and row numbers.
I have not as yet figured out how to send a private message.
Any thoughts on how I can do it.
regards
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Hi EdwardAK, welcome to Rootschat :D :D
You have to make a number of public posts - three I think - before you can use the PM system, so two more posts and you'll be able to.
Not sure which cemetery you mean: Far Moor cemetery is the big one near the former asylum, whereas Skerton cemetery is north of the river Lune between Lancaster and Halton? Either way I can take a photo for you.
:) Barbara
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Thanks for the quick response. The cemetery is in Skerton on Halton Road near Road. I will try and get my 3 posts in so I can send you a message with the actual grave location of my grandfather and my uncle. Both died in 1912.
Ed
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I am interested in the Lunatic Asylum (Royal Albert Institution) as my great aunt, Elizabeth, seems to have been put in their around the time her mother passed away in 1909. I have sent off a not to Lancaster Records Office as I read they may have the records of her stay. Not 100% sure she went there but her history sort of indicates she was somewhat challenged.
Ed
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Well that's your three posts!
If you click the little green scroll under my avatar, that is the PM button. You can't attach images to a PM, so we might need to exchange personal email addresses as well.
The Royal Albert was the 'Asylum for idiots and imbeciles', and catered for children and young people with some sort of permanent or long-term disability. The Moor Asylum was the 'county lunatic asylum', so Elizabeth's illness/disability/mental state would determine which one she went to.
:) Barbara
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The 1911 Census shows ROYAL ALBERT INSTITUTION WITH BRUNTON HOUSE. When 15 years old she was a servant but on the next census she had no occupation so I will assume she had a long term disability. I have added the following to my records from your post.
"The Royal Albert was the 'Asylum for idiots and imbeciles', and catered for children and young people with some sort of permanent or long-term disability."
Ed
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Hi I am looking for some information about a patient Dolly,who was 100 years old when she died in Lancaster Moor Hospital,I need to find out more about her..please if any one can help me...
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Hi lolly 58
Read page 3 of this thread, details of where to find the records for Lancaster Moor Hospital is on there by me.
bendywendy
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Hi folks, this has all become a little confused but I found the Asylum Records are available via:
ACS.RecordOffice@lancashire.gov.uk
and the Cemetery records from:
environmentalhealth@lancaster.gov.uk
Both were extremely helpful and efficient.
Just a few words of caution; The Medical records can be heart wrenching and it is likely that the burials will be in unmarked graves but the cemetery administrator was good enough to tell me the area of the graveyard and even tell me the name on the grave my relly's burial was adjacent to.
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I'm new to this site, but not new to searching my family tree. I thought I would answer some questions for all of you looking for family members who were in the Lancaster Moor Hospital and Royal Albert Hospitals.
Whilst doing my tree I knew my Father's Grandfather had been head porter at Lancaster Moor in the early 1900. During my research I found he was a porter there since 1881, which appeared in the 1881 census. My Mother's Grandmother was admitted between 1901-1911, and died in there of TB in 1917. My mother started work there in 1963, and my 2 sisters worked there as nurses. I started work there in 1978 as a Pharmacy technician. I was then moved to Royal Lancaster Infirmary in 1980, and as part of my job had to visit Royal Albert Hospital.
The reason why I explained all this is that i can speak first hand about the hospital, so if anyone would like a more personal opinion of the hospitals I can give that.
Psychiatric care and treatment has altered so much in the last 20 years, and what seems awful today, was as caring as they could do 100 years ago. A lot of people have the image of some horror film, but the Moor, and Albert were good places. The wards were huge, the gardens were wonderful.
My Great Grandmother was admitted because she was a danger to herself, and a worry to her family. She would wander off in the middle of the night, ending up in police cells, not knowing who she was. When she was admitted she was cared for. She probable had dementia.
Ifanyone would like any help just ask.
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Thank you,I would very much like to talk to you about when you worked at lancaster moor hospital.
I am not sure if I am allowed to leave my email on here,but it would be good to message you on here if I can only correspond on here.
thank you
Lorraine
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Lolly, you need to make another post before you can send messages. Don't put your email address on the board, it will be removed to prevent spam. Just reply to this post and then you should be able to send a personal message.
Heather
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Thanks Heather,I look forward to talking to you soon.
Lorraine
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Hi Luzzu
Can I ask who you contacted at the Lancashire Records Office? I have a direct ancestor that appears in the Lancaster Lunatic Asylum in the 1891 census. It is the Asylum in Christ Church, does anyone know which asylum this is?
My ancestors name was Hannah Tomlinson and I would love to find out as much as I can from whatever knowledge they may have of her.
Any help appreciated
Martin - lewisfamilytree
Hi,
My 3 x gt grandfather died in Lancaster Lunatic Asylum in 1874 after being admitted there in 1873.
I contacted Lancashire Records Office by email giving all the details from the death certificate and they were able to confirm they had his medical record for the whole time he was there. They said they could arrange to send a copy as I don't live locally and I think the total cost including the researcher's time, photocopying and postage was £25.00. However, a friend happened to be going to Preston and collected the copy on my behalf so it cost much less than that in the end.
It was well worth the effort and although the document makes sad reading, I am so pleased I managed to get a copy.
Barbara H - thanks for the info re the municipal cemetery as I hadn't thought where my ancestor might have been buried. I think I assumed the Asylum had its own cemetery as workhouses sometimes do. I will have a go at finding his grave now.
Luzzu
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I worked as a Police Officer in Lancaster during the 1970's and spent a lot of time at the hospital dealing with staff and patient matters - whilst the building appears by modern day standards to be quite intimidating it was (and still is, with every credit to the builders who are currently converting it to housing) an impressive place.
As one of the earlier poster reports, the gardens were always magnificent; the place was airy without being cold (not sure what it was like when it first opened) and always seemed clean although the detergent smell was a little over powering. By all accounts when it opened it was a massive break through in social care and whilst some of the practices now appear barbaric I am sure our childrens children will think the same of some of the treatment we receive today to be similarly unnecessary.
So don't don't dwell on the fact that you had ancestors who spent time in this establishment. or others like it, particularly during it early days; they in some respect were fortunate to have such a facility - people elsewhere were still being left in the street to suffer.