"The Retreat or Licensed Asylum for the cure of Insane Persons". Leeds.

[erica236]

I have found a distant ancestor on the 1841 census in "The Retreat or Licensed Asylum for the cure of Insane Persons". The location is Wortley - Parish of Leeds. There are 16 patients, a superintendant, matron and 6 staff. This makes up the entire census so there are no clues as to the roads around the establishment to show where it is.

On the 1851 census it seems to have become "Castleton House Asylum", having the same superintendant, but Inmates are now referred to as "lunatics" rather than "patients" as in 1841, when it seems they were treated much more sympathetically. Looking at the census it seems to be in the Botany Bay area of Wortley.

I have tried google and can only find the "Retreat" in York - a Quaker establishment, created for the care of individuals with mental health issues. I assume that the two are connected but can find no records for the Leeds asylum or Castleton House.

I wondered if anyone could provide more details?

Thank You.

[hanes teulu]

There's an advert in the Leeds Intelligencer, 23 Aug 1845, for the "Retreat, Castleton Lodge" for persons afflicted with disorders of the mind.
Situated "on rising ground, at the opening of Airedale, little more than a mile from the town of Leeds."

Possibility?

[Drosybont]

The Thoresby Society has a nice print of it here:

https://www.thoresby.org.uk/content/pictures/retreatarmley.php

Drosybont

[hanes teulu]

Just about to post same!
https://www.antique-prints-maps.com/acatalog/Castleton-Lodge-8980791.html

[hanes teulu]

A "Retreat" marked in the Castleton area
 https://maps.nls.uk/view/102344959#zoom=7&lat=7945&lon=1916&layers=BT

[erica236]

There's an advert in the Leeds Intelligencer, 23 Aug 1845, for the "Retreat, Castleton Lodge" for persons afflicted with disorders of the mind.
Situated "on rising ground, at the opening of Airedale, little more than a mile from the town of Leeds."

Possibility?

This certainly sounds right - although on both the 1841 and 1851 census the superintendant was Robert Peck and the advert states that it was Samuel Smith in 1845! Nice to see that the male inmates were provided with activities - I wonder what the women were supposed to do! Thank you for this information which does shed more light on the establishment.
Erica.

[erica236]

The pictures and maps are great, thank you - they really bring the "stoy" to life. It sound as though my ancester was lucky to be in there.
Erica.