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My Great Grandmother died in a mental institution, where she had been for years. I've just read that people in Assylums were often only recorded by their initials (one of the dehumanising processes I expect!) Does anyone know where I can find a list of Mental Institutions in the early 1900s in Lancashire (she lived in Eccles Manchester in 1901 and I think she must have been committed around 1905/6)?

Her death cert, if she died there, would surely give the name of the institution.

Well, not knowing her actual date of birth (I know she was born in County Wexford, Ireland but not when) it may be difficult to obtain her death record. Any suggestions?

Linda

You just need to search the GRO death index or try free bmd for around the right time. What was her name and roughly when did she die? When you have the reference, then you can order the death cert. If you need some help, post her name and approx age or year of death and I'll have a look.

If she was from Eccles she would have been sent to Prestwich Asylum on the outskirts of West Manchester

Records for Prestwich Hospital are held at Greater Manchester Record Office, 56 Marshall Street, Manchester, M4 5FU. Tel:0161 8325284. They hold Admission & Discharge 1851 - 1973, Staff 1872 - 1952, Clinical & Patients 1851 - 1960.
The hospital was founded in 1851. It is now known Mental Health Services Salford - but was originally Prestwich Asylum. By 1929 it was Lancashire County Mental Hospital. Then from 1949 to 1994 it was just Prestwich Hospital. It has always been for the mentally ill. The address is Bury New Road, Prestwich, Greater Manchester, M25 7BL. Tel:0161 7739121.
Hope this helps
.

http://www.countyasylums.com/mentalasylums/prestwich01.htm

If you go to the Record Office Site, it shows what they have for the Hospital:-
www.gmrco.co.uk/catalogues/userguide/guide.htm
and scroll down for the Prestwich details

Thanks for all your help everyone. I will start looking with the Prestwich assylum and other suggestions. I'll let you know if I am lucky.

Linda

Just tried the Prestwich site but there doesn't seem to a search facility. I tried www.gmrco.co.uk/catalogues/userguide/guide.htmbe and my browser couldn't find it.

The I have details on Annie are as follows:

Born County Wexford, Ireland in 1893 as Annie Campbell. Came to Manchester in late teens and married John Shaw Bull on 22/4/1895 in the District of Barton upon Irwell. She then lived at 33 Vicar Street, Eccles (I have a copy of the original marriage certificate). My grandmother was one of 3 daughters, Mary Agnes, Elizabeth and Norah. Mary Agnes was 4 on the 1901 Cencus. When she was about 9 her mother was committed suddenly to an Assylum and stayed until she died, a relative seems to think she would be about her early sixties when she died. On the 1901 Cencus the family lived at 11 Partingdon Street, Eccles.

If anyone can find anything on these details I will be very grateful.

Linda

Hi Linda,

My gggrandmother also died in an Asylum and it was completely out of the area where she lived. Mental illness was such a taboo subject that the family word of mouth said she commited suicide when her youngest son died. However on every census her husband was down as married. By a stroke of luck and by searching each quarter of each year for deaths I eventually found her death details. She was in an Asylum from 1890 until 1919. She is on the 1891 census with just her initials, luckily it says wife of builders merchant so I know it is the right one.

I am afraid this is what you need to do and don't dismiss any that are out of area!

Good Luck with your search

Best Wishes

Jane

Linda

Are dates above correct born 1893, married 1895?

bW

Jane

Sorry, born 1873 in Wexford. Thanks for the info. I did find an Annie Bull in Preston and another in Birmingham. You may be right but the Prestwich Assylum was quite a large well known hospital which served the Manchester area.

Linda