Haddington Lunatic Asylum

[Jockbird]

Morning!

Thank you Lesley for all that info, you're a wee gem. I'll be contacting them today...she says hopefully.

Sorry for abandoning my post, mum duties got in the way and it's last day of half term down here so that's why I say 'hopefully'.

And you'r right David, , very careless of me to lose such an individual....but I'll get there...someday...that's assuming he got his death registered in the right name or thereabouts! My wildcards didn't come up trumps like usual, I seem to be losing my touch at the mo.

Best wishes
Donna
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[Jockbird]

Have just received a response frm the LHSA saying that they are in the throes of decanting the Archives, so responses will be a bit slower.

Have also emailed emailed the Archivist at East Lothian Council...fingers crossed.

Donna
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[LesleyB]

Hi Donna
OK - keep us posted!
Best wishes
Lesley

[Jockbird]

Evening all,

First the good news, I found my lunatic! Not only did his son lie about his age on his marriage cert in 1913 (claimed to be 32 when 37 - lots of mis-spent credits on SP there!) he also fibbed about his father's demise! Poor old Joe Snr didn't pass away until 1920 and he was still in the Asylum, he'd been there for about 30 years.

Now for the not so good. Got a very prompt and thorough, helpful response from Ruth, the Archivist at Haddington DC, unfortunately the records are non patient specific.

Ruth lists the entries which can be obtained from the NAS website, they are:-

CO7/3/3/16-17 Sederent Books, lunacy Board 1858-1911
CO7/3/3/18-19 Draft Minute Books, lunacy Board 1906-1911
CO7/3/3/20-21 Various Committees of the lunacy Board 1915-1930
CO7/3/3/22-23 Minute Books, farm committee of the lunacy board 1915-1930
CO7/3/3/24 Valuation of Asylum Buildings 1866-1916
CO7/3/3/25 Lunacy Register 1900-c1949

Only the lunacy register may contain names.

Ruth also suggested contacting the Lothian Health Services Archive, which I did last week, but they are having an office move so I'll let you know that response when I get it.

Night all,
Donna
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[LesleyB]

Hi Donna
That's great that you found him!

Best wishes
Lesley

[Jockbird]

Hi, quick update for those of you interested in Haddington Records.

The assistant archivist from the LHSA has just sent me a fantastic response with copies of entries from their records about my Gx2 grandfather.

Apparently there are gaps in the records but she had 36 years to choose from with my chap, bless him.

Thank you Lesley for that link....you're a wee gem!

Donna
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[LesleyB]

Hi Donna
I'm thrilled to bits for you! And so glad they got back to you so quickly - when you mentioned that they wre re-organising the archive, I thought you might be in for a very long wait.....
Great news & thanks for sharing it with us.

Best wishes
Lesley

[paddyscar]

My Gx3 grandfather appears to be in the Haddington District Lunatic Asylum in 1891 - Joseph Henderson, age 43, occupation Groom, widower and born in Haddington.....all fits.

In 1901 he's aged 12 years in 10, still a widower, still in the asylum but has changed occupation to Labourer.

I'm wondering where I might find the records for this place?? k

I'm trying to find out where he died, according to his son's marriage cert in 1913 he's dead by then. Donna

Hope your Dad is making gains in his recovery, Donna and glad that you have received such quick responses to your inquiries - gives you faith in 'the system'.

His son may have "needed" to report his father as being dead on his marriage cert, to confirm previous lies made to a fiancé on the whereabouts of his father. Mental hospitals didn't sit well with a lot of folk, especially when considering marriage and offspring.

The change in age (not uncommon in any records) would be based on information given at time of admission. Confusion, guesswork, misinformation supplied by a neighbour may all have a hand in that.

Change in occupation could be a universal term applied to all working occupants of the asylum due to frequent changes in duties.

Frances[/quote]

[Jockbird]

Hi Frances,

It's nearly 4 years since Dad had a quintuple by-pass and he is doing brilliantly, gave him the chance to be around for my second son coming along too, which is fab.

All the time they asked if there was a family history of it and we didn't know. I've only been tracing my tree since January this year but I've found out that, funnily enough, it's all my Glasgow, Lanark & Ayrshire rellies that have the heart & lung probs. I'll be the living test, Glaswegian born to a Glaswegian and a Bankie but lived in the South Coast of England since I was 12....diet, geography or genetics lie with me!

Having seen that my chap was in the Asylum from when his son was 5 I'm sure that it was either the case that he was told from a young age his parents had died or, like you say, the whole mental health issue being too much for people to understand.

Mind, I wish he'd told the truth, it's cost me a small fortune on SP!

Oh, and the change in occupation now makes sense as he was given a wee job in the Asylum grounds.

Best wishes
Donna
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