Kingseat Mental Hosp, Aberdeen.....

[ladybird]

Sarah Jane Townsend nee Marah
Register of deaths in the District of New Machar in the County of Aberdeen
Died 16th February 1932 6.40am, Kingseat Mental Hospital, New Machar, County of Aberdeenshire - Broncho-Pneumonia
deceased parents-John Marah, Steward, Catherine Marah ms McClure.

I have this death cert for my g/grandmother.
Can anyone tell me if Kingseat was also used as a general hospital. The reason I ask is that Sarah spent some time in Woodilee Lenzie Asylum after the birth of her first child in 1880.

There is a rather garbled entry on the IGI with my corrections in brackets:

IGI entry
SARAH TOWNSEND (my note - Meara/Marah)
Birth: 06 AUG 1859 Dronnore, , Kerry, Ireland (my note - Dromore, Kenmare, Co Kerry)
Parents:
Father: JOHN MCCLURE TOWNSEND (my note - Meara/ Marah)
Mother: CATHERINE O MEARY (my note - McClure)
Source Information:
Batch Number: 6940410
Sheet: 00
Source Call No.: MARGET Type: Book

I'm wondering if Sarah may have had a history of mental illness and the IGI entry may have been taken from a census enumerators book for an institution as I can't find her or her family on the 1901 census. I have them on the 1891 in Motherwell.

Sylvia

[mesklin]

Sylvia

Was Sarah married at time of birth of first child? Post natal depression was not recognised as an illness in those days (at least, not by doctors!), but having a child out of marriage was increasingly regarded as moral turpitude, deserving of locking up.

I would doubt she had a history of mental illness by today's standards.

If you have any info on her aunts, consider looking at those addresses. Long shot, but possible.

Dave

[ladybird]

Thanks Dave
Yes, Sarah was married to Francis Townsend in 1879. She spent 8 months in Woodilee with a very bad case of Post natal depression:

Medical Certificate
She is dull and confused in manner. Talks in a rambling, incoherent manner. Says she does not like her baby during certain hours of the day. She has been very restless and mistakes people about her for her relations.
Says her baby is her eldest sister, her husband is her father and suchlike.
Physical Condition:
She has a hectic appearance and is fevered, pulse rapid. The skin is moist, pupils normal. No paralysis.
Condition on Admission:
Depressed, and very much afraid of everyone. At times being very excited. She has delusions such as someone is going to murder her. That her husband has remarried. One thing noticed is that she never makes any reference to her child, and her illness is distinctly paroxysmal

DISCHARGED RECOVERED 15TH APRIL 1881.

I wonder if there is any way to get her hospital records from Kingseat...any suggestions?

Sylvia

[AnneM]

Hi

As far as I know Kingseat where my ex used to work before they closed it down (not because he was working there) was always a psychiatric hospital. I would think your best bet for medical records would be through NHS Grampian www.nhsgrampian.org at least for an initial query.

Good luck

Anne

TD

[ladybird]

Thanks Anne
I've emailed them, fingers crossed.

Don't suppose your Kerrs are from Bothkenner, Stirling by any chance??

Sylvia

[janemar]

Sylvia
You might like to take a look at the site for the Asylums Index- www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/4Asylums.htm
I was pretty sure it always has been a mental hospital. Aberdeen Royal opened 1800 as the Aberdeen Lunatic Hospital= now Royal Cornhill Hospital. But a country branch was opened in Daviot (Kingseat) 1890 . 1904 onwards Aberdeen pauper patients were sent to Aberdeen District Asylum at Kingseat Newmachar. Does that help? Incidentally Kingseat is now closed much to the dismay of many of its former patients who said it was a much hohelier place than Cornhill. I hacve to say too, the outlook was something- out in the country with Bennachie (hill) in the distance-beautiful.
Maria[/quote]

TD

[janemar]

DISCHARGED RECOVERED 15TH APRIL 1881.[/i]

I wonder if there is any way to get her hospital records from Kingseat...any suggestions?

Sylvia

Had a thought- nhs Grampian used to have -and assume still do- an archive facility. Could try contacting Royal Cornhill Hospital in Aberdeen. If they don't have the records, they will probably be able to direct you. I am sure they are kept locally somewhere. The address is
Royal Cornhill Hospital
Cornhill Road, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. Alternatively you could try contacting the Family Centre in Aberdeen- they may have a better idea. They have a website- Aberdeen and NE Family History Society.
Maria

[nelmit]

Thanks Dave
Yes, Sarah was married to Francis Townsend in 1879. She spent 8 months in Woodilee with a very bad case of Post natal depression:

Medical Certificate
She is dull and confused in manner. Talks in a rambling, incoherent manner. Says she does not like her baby during certain hours of the day. She has been very restless and mistakes people about her for her relations.
Says her baby is her eldest sister, her husband is her father and suchlike.
Physical Condition:
She has a hectic appearance and is fevered, pulse rapid. The skin is moist, pupils normal. No paralysis.
Condition on Admission:
Depressed, and very much afraid of everyone. At times being very excited. She has delusions such as someone is going to murder her. That her husband has remarried. One thing noticed is that she never makes any reference to her child, and her illness is distinctly paroxysmal

DISCHARGED RECOVERED 15TH APRIL 1881.

I wonder if there is any way to get her hospital records from Kingseat...any suggestions?

Sylvia

Hello Sylvia,

Can I ask where you obtained your g. gran's hospital record from Woodilee? My great gran also died there, a bit later than yours but over 75 years ago.
My gran did not talk about it very much except to say her mum suffered from post natal depression too (although that was not her illness when she died).

Regards,
Annette M

[ladybird]

Hi all many thanks
Certainly food for thought in there.
I don't think Sarah or her family could be classed as paupers ..more yer basic middle class (grandad, her son, worked for the Min of Pensions)

Annette
A chap from the Glasgow FHS got the records for me some time ago from Alistair Tough at the Health Board Archives. A bit of digging and I found his address. I hope he's still on deck and can help you (the capital letters are right)

A.Tough@archives.gla.ac.uk

good luck, Sylvia

[AnneM]

Hi Sylvia

My Kerrs are from Berwickshire, I'm afraid. Great grandad John Kerr (dare you to look for the right death of someone by that name) was born in Abbey St Bathans which has a beautiful little church called the Kirk of the Lammermuir.

Sorry

Anne