Esther Howarth born 1857 Rochdale

[aber]

Hi

I would love an experienced researcher to help to discover what happened to my great grandmother Esther Howarth.

Esther was born to John (a butcher) and Alice Travis on 13 July 1857,  baptised 13 January 1861 (St Chad's Rochdale).  Esther married James Howarth (son of John and Jane (nee Hardman))  1880,  and had three children John Robert b 1881, Harry b.1883 and Ada b.1890 (all baptised at St Chad's).

Esther disappears from census records in 1891 (James is left looking after the children with the help of a domestic servant) and 1901 (Daughter Ada has died and James is on his own with John Robert and Harry).  In the next census her husband states she was a worker in an asylum.

Can census records of asylums be accessed?  What information do they give?
What information can Lancashire archives give? Likely charges?
When and where did she die?

Many thanks
aber

[jomcd967]

A possibility.....
1901 County Lunatic Asylum, Prestwich
E Howarth, 46, patient, married, housewife, born Rochdale Lancashire.

Asylum in the last column on the 1911 indicates to me that Esther was a patient, not a worker.

Jo 

[stanmapstone]

Can census records of asylums be accessed? 

Yes they can, the census records for all institutions, like Workhouses, Prisons, Hospitals, Lunatic Asylums, where people were inmates, are accessable for all the censuses.

Stan

[aber]

Thanks Jo.  Yes I thought Esther was probably a working patient in an asylum. If she was in Prestwich how could I find out when and where she died?

Thanks Stan. How do I go about accessing census records of asylums near Rochdale?

aber

[stanmapstone]

Do you subscribe to one of the sites that have the census records? I find one way is to search for "inmate" in 'Relation to Head' similarly you can search for"prisoner", "patient" etc.

Stan

[aber]

Thanks Stan.  Yes I do subscribe to a site that has census records but I am still learning how to use it.  I have tonight managed to access images of the complete Prestwich 1901 census but can't work out how to search within the records.  I'll try your suggestion of searching using patient or inmate and see how I go. 

aber

[rosie17]

If you have access to  ancestry she is on the UK Lunacy Patients Admission Records
Esther Howarth admission date 10 November Whittam   - 8 November 1892
Esther Howarth admission date 8 November Whittam  ?
Esther Howarth admission date 22 November 1901 -6 April 1905 Prestwich
Rosie

[aber]

Thanks Rosie.  After your prompting I have now managed to access the Uk lunacy patient admissions register you mentioned in ancestry.  I have done some research on "Whitham" which I found out is Whittingham asylum.

Do you understand what "reld" or "not impd"  on the register means?  I guess "not impd" could mean not improved but I am not sure what reld would stand for.

Is it likely that Esther could be released from Whittingham and readmitted on the same day?  There are two admissions.

ie Admisssion number 1350 Esther Howarth 10 Nov 1890 discharged 8 Nov 1892 Not impd
Admission number 32775 Esther Howarth 8 No 1892 discharged 23 Mar 1903 Not impd

aber

[rosie17]

Yes did see the 2 admissions and wondered about that when she had to be  re- admitted just had a thought there wonder if that is what read stands for ? I would agree with you about not improved .You might be able to find out more on the Asylum's at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Rosie -