Still births/miscarriages

[aggiebagwash]

Acute mania is definitely not post partum depression. It's now called Bipolar disorder.

Basically it means the person can have episodes of depression and then elevated energy levels often leading to lack of sleep and or it can even  be so severe that they have hallucinations or mania. In the early years of the 20th century most people were locked away for their own safety because of the manic mood swings.

My great grandmother died from acute mania in an asylum in Scotland

Margaret

[carmay]

Thanks for the reply, Margaret. I'd been told so many different things about what acute mania meant. When I got my grandmother's death certificate, that is what was listed as the cause of death. My Mom had been told that her mother died of hepatitis. She had also been told that her mother died when she was 6 years old, when in fact, my Mom would have been 7-1/2 when her mother actually died. So evidently when my grandfather had to put her away, he felt it was easier to tell the children that their mother had died. I'm sure back in the 1920's a mental ward of a hospital was no place to take children to visit their mother. And she may not even have known who they were anyway. It's all rather sad.

Carole

[aggiebagwash]

Isn't it sad that something that today is a controllable illness should lead to isolation from family and friends and eventually death for our ancestors.

I've just started to research what life was like in the asylums and it's not a nice picture at all.

Margaret

[carmay]

I would be interested in your research. I know that the term "bedlam" came from the old insane asylums. What a horrible life that must have been for those who were put in there.

Carole

[aggiebagwash]

I'm still collating bits and pieces but I need to do a lot more. I would love to get hold of some medical records but most seem to have been destroyed.

Have a look at the BBC website for Bedlam Hospital it's very interesting.

Margaret

[midmum]

Hi,

Hospitals do keep birth registers that include stillbirths. Hope Hospital is no exception, it is now called Salford Royal Hospital and its maternity unit is due to close mid November. Only a stand alone unit will remain and hopefully about 600 births a year will take place there.

The old registers which are currently stored at the unit are due to be archived at Manchester Record Office once the unit closes.

Some midwives keep personal registers and these may sometimes have been deposited at archives so it is always worth checking as personal records often contain more information.

Midmum

[gh03]

Midmum, do you know how long hospitals would keep registers of stillbirths for and who you would contact to check the register?

[midmum]

Hi

maternity units or hospitals have to keep records for 25 years and then they can either destroy them or send them to an archive.
To access them or to see where they are it would be best to either call the hospitals maternity office or the relevant record office. Bear in mind though that confidentiality may mean that unless you are the mother you may not be able to access the records for 100 years.

I think, if my memory serves me right that Guy Etchells had a thread on this subject which included all the relevant legal niceties. Probably on the common room.

My local unit has registers going back a long way and I imagine many others do too.

Midmum

[midmum]

Hi
I have more info re Salford Royal / Hope hospital maternity registers.

From 20th July the registers dated 1934 - 2008 will be transferred to the Greater Manchester County Record Office. Access will be limited in accordance with the Data Protection Act. If you want info from them you will need to submit a "Subject Access Request" with proof of your identity.

After 100 years these registers will become open to the public.

GMCRO, 56 marshall street, New Cross, M4 5FU
tel 0161 832 5284
email archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.uk

hope this helps you

Midmum