Death at Durham County Asylum

[barryd]

I saw no "General" Hospital in Sedgefield until 1939.

He was recorded in Durham Hidden Depths but that entry was disappointing.
Barnen, J.
Age: -
Occupation: -
Lodge: Hamsteels
Date: Aug-1908
Event: Death
Document Reference: D/DMA Main Vol 010
Page Number: 126

[kabeja]

it could be related that brain damage suffered in the accident led to unusual behaviours (hence the asylum) or other physical problems such as catatonic episodes or epilepsy which might be dealt with in an asylum in those days

Given the specific reference to the accident on the death cert, i think syphilis less likely.

Hello Mabel, thanks for the reply.
I think you may be on the right lines with your reply. It would certainly make more sense than him being there for a physical general paralysis condition.
Any idea why the place of death was the asylum mortuary ?

[Pennines]

I think in your case Kabeja -- it could well be paralysis caused by the accident. He could have broken his neck or his back.

I confused things by mentioning my Gt Grandfather's 'general paralysis' --- sorry about that.

Maybe there is something in the on-line newspapers now that we have his name. I can't look now -- but will check tomorrow, (unless someone beats me to it.)

[kabeja]

I saw no "General" Hospital in Sedgefield until 1939.

Cheers barryd. It would appear then that he was there for a mental related condition after his accident.
I think the inquest papers are going to be necessary to try to understand what was going on.

[Jomot]

There is some information within the Hidden Depths collection at Durham County Records office.  I ordered something recently and it was very quick & easy.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/019ym/

Added: Apologies, I see someone else has already posted this reference, but if it helps my order was for a very similar reference number and gave some details of the accident plus the amount of compensation paid to his widow.

[kabeja]

I think in your case Kabeja -- it could well be paralysis caused by the accident. He could have broken his neck or his back.

I confused things by mentioning my Gt Grandfather's 'general paralysis' --- sorry about that.

Maybe there is something in the on-line newspapers now that we have his name. I can't look now -- but will check tomorrow, (unless someone beats me to it.)

No apologies needed Pennines, i think you may have given some relevant info about the term general paralysis in relation to terms used in the Asylums. I had assumed it was a referral to a physical condition and that is what i couldn't understand. With your info about your Great Granddad and his general paralysis being a term used in asylums and Mabels theory about the accident affecting his behaviour i think we may be on the right track.
If you are able to find time to look at newspapers and find anymore it would be appreciated. Thank you. He died 25th January 1908 and there was an inquest on the 28th January 1908. The Coroner was for the Stockton Ward.

[kabeja]

There is some information within the Hidden Depths collection at Durham County Records office.  I ordered something recently and it was very quick & easy.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/019ym/

Hello Jomot, thanks for the reply and the link. Forgive the ignorance but i don't know what the Hidden Depths collection is, i've not even heard of it before. I see your link is for James Barnen and his death in 1908. Is the link related to his union membership ? What, if any other info would i be able to get from the Hidden Depths collection about James ?

[Jomot]

Hi Kebaja

I added a note to my original.  The Hidden Depths collection is to do with mining.  The record I ordered had a similar reference number to the one for James Barnen and gave brief details of the accident (a fall of stone in my case) plus information regarding the compensation paid to his widow.

[candleflame]

Hi
You may already  know this but the Hospital at Sedgefield was called Winterton Hospital. If you search here on Rootschat, you will see several threads where people have asked various questions about people who died there, where they are or might have been buried and where patient records are. There are quite a few threads so it may be easier for you to search yourself and have a read through and it may fill in the answers to some of your questions though not all. A simple search term of Winterton Hospital searching all of rootschat will bring them up.