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Messages - john_w

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 ... 17
1
Unwanted Birth, Marriage, Death Certs H to M / Lucy Leaman
« on: Friday 18 August 17 14:41 BST (UK)  »
Birth certificate. Born 27 Jan 1871, South Brent, Devon to John and Martha Leaman.

2
Northamptonshire / Re: Northampton Lunatic Asylum
« on: Monday 12 June 17 16:03 BST (UK)  »
In the not too distant past, prior to modern Mental Health legislation,  it was all too common for women to be committed to an asylum because of pregnancy. It only took one doctor and one family member, or a person in loco parentis,  to sign the relevant papers.

When I first worked in a Psychiatric Hospital in the middle 1960's there were a number of elderly women patients who were totally institutionalised due to their long stay but who had no psychiatric diagnosis. Looking at their records most of them were admitted when well under 20 years of age, had been working as a servant in a big house and were pregnant.

The story passed on by more experienced  staff and, sometimes gathered from conversation with the patients themselves, was that they had become pregnant ( not always as a result of consensual activity ) by a son  of the wealthy man who owned the house (some claiming it was the man himself). In those days before free health care, the local doctor would depend on such people for the majority of his income and with the  wealthy man able to sign in loco parentis it was very easy to remove the problem.

To be fair to those who signed admission papers it is possible (probable?) that some of the servants had suffered mental health problems because they would have been well aware of the consequences of pregnancy in those circumstances and were subsequently committed to the asylum for genuine health reasons.

 

3
The Common Room / Re: The Mental Health Act.
« on: Monday 20 March 17 13:09 GMT (UK)  »
I deal with this sort of thing in my job. Happy to help - either here or by PM.

4
Devon / Re: Littleham, Exmouth, Graveyard
« on: Monday 02 May 16 11:16 BST (UK)  »
Sorry I can't help with a map, but I can confirm it is a very large graveyard. Any of the online satellite maps will show you just how big it it.

You may be interested to know that Lady Nelson is buried there.

5
Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs / Birmingham photographers
« on: Wednesday 20 March 13 16:40 GMT (UK)  »
I have a photograph which is one of two people and some idea of the date would helpful. Does any body know when this company were active?

Hudson & Co
Gt Western Arcade & City Arcades
Birmingham



6
Devon / Re: another Devon geography question
« on: Wednesday 29 August 12 11:02 BST (UK)  »
Don't forget the village of Alfington near Ottery St Mary.

7
Northamptonshire / Re: brampton ash
« on: Thursday 31 March 11 15:18 BST (UK)  »
Its a nice little place. One church. quite a big one with floodlights in the grounds so possibly lit up at night. A farm and a dozen or so houses. All of them out of my price range.

No shop or post office as far as I could see. It does have a telephone box, an old fashioned red one.

8
Northamptonshire / Re: brampton ash
« on: Tuesday 29 March 11 19:46 BST (UK)  »
I drive past Brampton Ash quite often, I will go and have a look the next time I go that way.

9
Technical Help / Re: Re xD memory card compatibility.
« on: Tuesday 15 March 11 20:27 GMT (UK)  »
I posted the card on the 8th. Did it arrive?

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