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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: tabia s on Sunday 15 April 12 17:57 BST (UK)
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I would like to see the medical record for my great grandfather who died at The London County Asylum, Banstead, in 1915. Would I be able to see the record under The Freedom of Information Act and how would I go about it? I live abroad and am not planning to go to London again until after the summer so all contact would have to be either on the net or post.
I think this question as been posted on the forum before but I canīt find it. Grateful for any help, ideas etc.
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A few years ago I got the records of my g grandfather who died in Three Counties Asylum Bedfordshire in 1915 by writing to the current NHS Trust responsible for Mental Health in the area asking for their permission in writing, I then emailed a copy of their letter to the Bedfordshire Records Office with my request. I had no problems with the trust or the records office but I know other people have had difficulties in other areas.
This is the RO I think you want for Banstead
http://www.ancestor-search.info/CRO-Surrey.htm
and the relevant NHS trust
http://www.sabp.nhs.uk/
By the way the records do make for very sad reading but I am glad to have them all the same
Jan ;)
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Thanks very much for the information Janan, much appreciated. Itīs easier than I first thought so I feel more optimistic. I have his death certificate so I know the causes of death and they are sad reading, however, we would like to know more.
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Good luck :D
Jan ;)
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Hi
The surviving patient records are deposited at the London Metropolitan Archives.
http://search.lma.gov.uk/scripts/mwimain.dll/2200/2/1/7677?RECORD
There are access restrictions of 100 years, not just from the death of the patient but from the last entry in the relevant register.
I suggest you make an enquiry directly to the LMA to see if there is any way of obtaining access. They may make a charge for the research but not for providing an answer to your enquiry.
Dawn
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Sorry for misleading you about which Records Office holds the records for Banstead Asylum - I see now that although Banstead is in Surrey the asylum was run by Middlesex. Here is an old thread which has some interesting info
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,220480.0.html
Jan ;)
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At least if you can't see the records now, it's not long until 2015. In the case of my g.uncle who went into an asylum in 1907 and stayed there until his death in 1968. I was allowed a copy of the entry page of his records and the first few entries until mid 1907 and then nothing else! I keep thinking I'll contact the archivist again and ask for more records up to 1912.
Lizzie
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No problem Janan, we all make mistakes. Thanks for the link, it has been useful.
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Thanks Dawnsch, iīll get in touch with them. I didnīt know the access restriction also applied to the last entry in the relevant register, hope iīll be lucky though.
Tabia
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Hi LizzieW, I was sad to read your g uncle had been in an asylum for so long, had he been born later things might have been very different for him.
If iīm only allowed a copy of the entry page and the first few entries that would be alright to begin with. As he was in the asylum for about a year before his death there may not be very much.
I hope you will be allowed more info now that time has passed.
Tabia
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Hi Tabia
Yes, I guess with modern medication he would have been able to live outside the asylum. His diagnosis on admission was mania and delusions. He said he was hearing voices. My mum remembers going to visit him with her mother (my g.uncle's sister) in about 1916/17 when mum would have been 5 or 6 and she said she was very frightened at what she was going to see, but when she got there, she found he was just a normal man doing gardening in the asylum grounds.
Lizzie