Genealogy Chat

........................................................My maternal grandmother was in Friern Barnet Mental Hospital (formerly
Colney Hatch) from 1926 until she died in 1941.

The records are held at the London Metropolitan Archives and are closed for 100 years.

5 years ago I was refused permission to see these records and was told they could not be divulged for family history purposes.

A few weeks ago I was informed by the LMA, after asking again, that on receipt of her death certificate they could look to see if they could find anything on her and would print out any information they found.

Today I have received her full medical history for the 15 years she was in Friern. It makes very sad reading and I have found it all very emotional but I can now dispel all the family myths that surrounded her.

All family photographs were destroyed on her death but together with her medical history and Notice of Death there is also a photograph of her.

I now feel very protective of my grandmother although I never knew her.

The moral of this story is never take no for an answer.

Jean x.

thanks for info jean
my gt grandfather died in colney hatch in 1926, so i think i might try also as we know nothing about him
marcie x

Luckily so far when asking for information from hospital records, if they have the information I have not been refused.

I am really glad that you have been able to give your grandmother her good name back. My g grandfather died in a Mental Hospital also, and was so not his fault - was bought on because of a disease that wasnt treated. unfortunately, the stigma is still there when people know where he died, but we know the truth.

x

Marcie....They have quite comprehensive records for the Hospital if you are lucky and they cover the years you want.

Karen...My grandmother had 5 children in 8 years and I think she was suffering from post natal depression, which wasn't a recognised illness then and for which there wasn't any treatment anyway.

It seems to me that once you were taken into a place like that there was no way out for you (:

Jean x.

Hi Jean

I glad you didn't give up.
How sad, its when you hear things like that that you're glad you're here today and not then

TC Julie xx

hi jean
i did contact the lma re colney hatch & they have said they will do a look up for me, but it will cost a minimum of £40 for 1 hour & more if it takes longer, too expensive for me i,m afraid, it was the thought of a phtograph that interested me
regards marcie x

My great grandmother died in a mental hospital. No one in the family seemed to know why she had been placed there other than the fact it was convenient to where she lived.

She actually died of kidney failure, but no one was told this at the time.