Lancaster Lunatic Asylum

[Pennines]

There used to be another such Institution at a place called Brockhall, near Whalley - also now closed.

I have just been looking at it and was really surprised to discover that initially it was an Institution for Inebriate Women!! It later became a mental home.

Again - it was a beautiful building.

[lancsann]

Brockhall is I place I have not heard of before. Thanks for the information. You learn something new every day!

[Pennines]

Do you think we ought to ask Tristan and Sarah to add a new 'Forum' entitled Asylums!!

(By the way lancsann - Blackburn Rovers now have their their training ground in Brockhall Village. You never know when you may get that question in a quiz!!)

[lancsann]

Could be informative a forum like that.

I will keep that in mind about Blackburn Rovers. You never know it might come up in the annual WI quiz. Or even making up a quiz about asylums for our monthly WI meetings!

[Pennines]

Indeed! 

 I had never known that there had been Institutions for Inebriate Women before! (Unless Brockhall was the only one and situated in an Inebriate Location.)

[lancsann]

After googling I discovered there were quite a few. At least 12 were in existence by 1906. I suppose they were really what we would have now as places where alcohol addiction is treated and as in workhouses male & female patients had to be separate.

Gone a bit off the original topic here but I hope you get a satisfactory answer fro Lancashire archives

[Pennines]

Oh Wow. Thank you for that additional info.

Surprising what we have learnt as we have gone along!

[lancsann]

Researching family history does give you some surprising facts about life in general and things like where old professions were mainly practised. I did not know Birmingham was famous for its jewellery quarter until I found an ancestor who was a gilder.

Going back to asylums - were there many around the hat making areas of Manchester due to madness caused by the mercury they used

[Pennines]

Just an update -- Lancashire Archives have confirmed they have Registers and Case Book Records for Lancaster Asylum.

I have to complete a form requesting these and they can then give me a quote for the copies - I have, of course, just requested such a quote.

(Let joy be unconfined!!)

lancsann - I hadn't known about mercury causing madness - and must confess I don't know of the Asylums around Manchester. I am ashamed to say I didn't even know that areas of Manchester were hat making centres!