THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE IN BRITISH LUNATIC ASYLUMS 1861-1913

Project Co-ordinator: Joan Reid
Project Advisor: Christine Seal and Kathy Wilshaw
Academic Advisor:                Dr Cara Dobbing, University of Leicester
Dedicated email:                    asylums@fachrs.com

What is the project about?
The aim of the project is to investigate the experience of those who were treated in British county asylums between the mid-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.

When will it start?
Two phases are planned.

Phase 1 will run for 6 months from January 2021 and will look at asylum Annual Reports for certain key information. Census returns for the asylum will be examined, and newspaper reports investigated, detailing notable events picked out of the annual reports.

Phase 2 is planned for a year beginning in July 2021 and will focus on material available in local archives, such as patient casebooks, letters and photographs, as well as discharge and death registers.

What are the planned outcomes?
It is hoped that articles and books will be written based on the material found by the project participants, as well as a possible conference in 2022.

Who can participate?
Any member of FACHRS can join the project. If you have a local asylum that you would like to investigate, then please let the co-ordinators know and it will be allocated to you wherever possible. Please also give the co-ordinators a second choice asylum, so that an alternative is available if your first choice has already been allocated.

How can I participate?
Please send an e-mail to the project co-ordinators, Christine Seal and Kathy Wilshaw, stating first and second choice of asylum. Please also let them know what access you have to census returns and newspapers (e.g. do you have subscriptions to relevant websites? Can you access these resources via your local library, whether online or in person?)


Although we welcome participation at any time, we are asking that members express their interest by 10 December 2020 in the first instance.