RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Warwickshire => Topic started by: antonycorrigan on Saturday 21 May 22 13:48 BST (UK)
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Hi all,
Does anyone know where I can find any patient records for a Mr Theophilus Wood who was admitted to Hatton County Lunatic Asylum on 15 January 1870 and died whilst there on almost a decade later on 21 March 1879.
Theophilus was my 3 x great grand-uncle and I'd like to learn more about him.
He died at just 43 years of age.
Thanks for any help with this.
Antony
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https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/9be0c62f-51fb-435b-b193-91f791258cb3
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/N13853637
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Thanks for these links Shaun. I did come across these but unfortunately, they cannot be viewed online.
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No they can't but your query was where you could find any records. They are at Warwickshire RO.
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Thanks Shaun J for that link - perhaps something I should explore in connection with my father. I believe he suffered some mental problems around 1962 (my birth year) and was apparently sent to Hatton for some Electric shock therapy. How long he was in there for I have no idea and noone in the family wanted to mention it.
I am guessing this "therapy" which sounds pretty brutal to me was administered in the same facility or grounds of the asylum at Hatton.
Does anyone know ?
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"Therapy" would have been administered at Hatton asylum / hospital.
I did a placement there in 1994 as a student nurse, the hospital had very much closed by then...
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The record for theophilus I am sad to say bears the same status as all the others which is the awful 'Lunatic'.
I believe that because he was home with his parents until his mother died he may have been 'Downs syndrome' and was unable to care for himself.
Many Downs children were placed in these institutions, i worked in one in the 80s and many had been there for 30 years.
Hatton is now a housing estate.
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The record for theophilus I am sad to say bears the same status as all the others which is the awful 'Lunatic'.
I believe that because he was home with his parents until his mother died he may have been 'Downs syndrome' and was unable to care for himself.
Many Downs children were placed in these institutions, i worked in one in the 80s and many had been there for 30 years.
Hatton is now a housing estate.
That seems strange if he was the posters 3x great grandfather, I see nothing wrong with a person with downs syndrome having a family - but it'd have been usnusal wouldn't it?
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We always knew the former Hatton Psychiatric Hospital as the Central Hospital, Hatton, Warwick (closed).
Parts of the main buildings are housing called Tredington Park, Warwick.
https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/history-of-the-central-psychiatric-hospital-site-at-hatton
Leigh House, Hatton
https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/catalogue_wow/hatton-central-hospital-exterior-of-buildings
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Next to the Central was the former King Edward VII Memorial Sanitorium, Hertford Hill, Near Warwick.
Photo
https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/catalogue_wow/hatton-hertford-hill-hospital
Sanitorium Hospital 2005
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3211
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The patient records are at Warwick records office. I found my 4 x great grandfathers records and they were very interesting. He was sent there from Nuneaton workhouse saying he was a danger to himself and others, but I think the matron at the works house knew he was better off at Hatton. He had electric shock treatment for a nervous complaint, and I think on the whole they treated him the best way that was available at the time. He died there and was buried there. His record even had the burial ground reference on it. Sadly the grave markers were removed and used as landfill then the estate was built. I did find out, thanks to Warwick District Council, which one of the 2 burial grounds he was in. I did visit, and the burial grounds are marked with 2 huge stones and a plaque, but no names.
These days he would have been in a care home, and his complaint would have been treated better.
The team at Warwick records office are really helpful, it’s worth a visit.
Lisa
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Hi,
Theophilus was my 3 x great grand uncle, not grandfather.
The record for theophilus I am sad to say bears the same status as all the others which is the awful 'Lunatic'.
I believe that because he was home with his parents until his mother died he may have been 'Downs syndrome' and was unable to care for himself.
Many Downs children were placed in these institutions, i worked in one in the 80s and many had been there for 30 years.
Hatton is now a housing estate.
That seems strange if he was the posters 3x great grandfather, I see nothing wrong with a person with downs syndrome having a family - but it'd have been usnusal wouldn't it?