congetital imbecilie!

[sarahLB]

The 1911 census has just unveiled the infirmity column and has revealed that my grandfather's sister was in an asylum and listed as a imbecile. Someone has added congenital above it. Does anyone have any idea what the condition could have been, I've got an idea but would like confirmation. She's also listed as a wara helper, any idea what that could be?

many thanks

[HannahB]

Could be Down syndrome which was poorly understood at that time - or just retardation.

[sarahLB]

Hi Hannah, that was my first thought too. The girl in question was in the workhouse system from an early age and was left there by her mother. I'm wondering if that was the reason.

[genjen]

Does it possibly say Ward Helper?

Probably Downs Syndrome but if she was helping on the ward, it would seem that she was actually quite a capable person. It is distressing to us to hear our ancestors described as imbeciles but I think we should just accept that it was the terminology of the day.

Jen

[aghadowey]

Congenital merely means that the condition was present from birth.

[stanmapstone]

Some terms did have  formal definitions in the UK although they are no longer used :
Term Idiot  IQ 0 to 25  Modern term Severe learning disability
Imbecile  IQ 25 to 50  Moderate learning disability
Feeble minded (moron)  IQ 50 to 70  Mild learning disability
Those with an IQ of less than 50 usually need care throughout life and are unlikely to educable in the formal sense.

Stan

[genjen]

Presumably some families put children with such learning difficulties into care simply because they couldn't afford to keep anyone who wasn't able to pay their way within the family and if the mother was in any form of paid employment, she couldn't give up the time to look after a child with special needs.

But that begs the question...who paid for the life long institutional care?

Stan - one for you, I think.

Jen

[stanmapstone]

The 1913 Mental Deficiency Act defined imbeciles as not being idiots, but were "incapable of managing themselves or their affairs, or, in the case of children, of being taught to do so." 
http://studymore.org.uk/mhhglo.htm#MentalDeficiency
Asylums for lunatics were provided by a County or Borough, or by a union of Counties or Boroughs, and were funded by the rates http://studymore.org.uk/mhhtim.htm

Stan

[Nick29]

No ages were mentioned in the original post, but it should be noted that the maximum life expectancy for Downs Syndrome sufferers was 45 to 50.