Rainhill Hospital

[Ged]

The Liverpool Records office has Rainhill Hospital records.

[wsteve55]

HI,
Do you know what the website is called?
Yeah i found it very strange that my great grandfather went from running his own business and owning several propities to being listed as "lunatic"

i also looked at the definition for that time and found the same feeble mindedness etc...
i wonder if he had a stroke or had alzheimer's or something similar, but, he was only 42 on the 1901
census.

Thanks

I thought I had it saved but.....just type in Rainhill,and see what comes up! It's amazing what you could be "put away" for,in years gone by!

[Pennylane]

Places like Rainhill Asylum have NO place in our society today , the were oppressive imposing digusting places , and should ALL be knocked down .. Society today is still afraid of mental illness , young people with depression are often sent to places like Broad Oak , or Stoddard house .. Here they have to mix with and be with people of every genre , from alcoholism to drug addicts ? Can anyone tell me how this benefits a young depressed person ?
We need better therapy in this country , better drop in facilities .. BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MENTAL ILLNESS ...

[Pennylane]

This happened to me in June 1975! I was in a distressed state because we'd been evicted right on the day my daughter was due to be born. I was homeless, and homesick (being Australian) I was separated from my baby as well, and my milk was dried up without my knowing or permission.
All I needed was some counselling.
It was really bad management, and I'd never get satisfaction even if a tried to have an apology, but I'm just glad I got out quickly! Only through a bombastic friend who came and questioned the doctor who was at the maternity hospital when I gave birth.
I am eternally grateful to her and to God for this, as I knew it was a place you didn't get out of easily!
I was then put in the psychiatric ward of a general hospital (Ormskirk) which was appropriate...

This has made me so angry , i can't express how outraged i am at reading this ! I am so so sorry that this dreadful thing happened to you , please God , you were reunited with you're baby , shockingly , things like this STILL happen today .. Shocking ..

[wsteve55]

Places like Rainhill Asylum have NO place in our society today , the were oppressive imposing digusting places , and should ALL be knocked down .. Society today is still afraid of mental illness , young people with depression are often sent to places like Broad Oak , or Stoddard house .. Here they have to mix with and be with people of every genre , from alcoholism to drug addicts ? Can anyone tell me how this benefits a young depressed person ?
We need better therapy in this country , better drop in facilities .. BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MENTAL ILLNESS ...

The contradiction is....many people who stayed there(who are still alive!) are quite complimentary about the place!Though they didn't want to be there,they think it was an acceptable environment,and say they felt protected,ansd safe,as opposed to being shoved into the non-existent community,and left to get on with it!!!

[Pennylane]

The contradiction is....many people who stayed there(who are still alive!) are quite complimentary about the place!Though they didn't want to be there,they think it was an acceptable environment,and say they felt protected,ansd safe,as opposed to being shoved into the non-existent community,and left to get on with it!!!

Because the poor souls knew no different that's why , they had been institutionalised for so long , the very idea of going back into society must have terrified them ...

[wsteve55]

It surely did,but not to worry,most of them are dead now! Nothing like consideration,from those who know best,just a pity we never get to know their names,so we could hold them responsible!!!

[Pennylane]

It surely did,but not to worry,most of them are dead now! Nothing like consideration,from those who know best,just a pity we never get to know their names,so we could hold them responsible!!!

They'd never accept any form of responsibility would they , everyone would be to blame , from health officials to government ..
T.S.Elliot had his wife Viv committed because her behaviour was erratic and UN acceptable ??? Ba$tard had her put away and she died in an institution , albeit a private facility , but still an asylum ... Viv suffered with severe P.M.T. And very irregular periods .. A condition so easily treatable in today's society.. She was in there for 11 year's if i'm not mistaken .. She died in there ..

[wsteve55]

There is an old guy I/we gab to in the Caernavon castle,in town,and his mrs. was in Rainhill for 17 yrs,until it was discovered that she had a treatable thyroid condition!We met her,but soon after she died! What a waste!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I've got to mention that there were some really dedicated people working at Rainhill,not what popular mythology has them as!

[Pennylane]

There is an old guy I/we gab to in the Caernavon castle,in town,and his mrs. was in Rainhill for 17 yrs,until it was discovered that she had a treatable thyroid condition!We met her,but soon after she died! What a waste!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This makes me so angry and sad , but still it's happening , it's happening today .. Mental illnes is so misunderstood .. There is still so much that needs to be done to facilitate minor forms of mental illness , like depression and anxiety ..

[wsteve55]

This makes me so angry and sad , but still it's happening , it's happening today .. Mental illnes is so misunderstood .. There is still so much that needs to be done to facilitate minor forms of mental illness , like depression and anxiety ..

Now,you get given a phone no' and told to give them a ring if there's a problem???? Brings to mind.....physician,heal thyself! God help them/us! (unnacounted people who have been killed by sufferers,not taking prescribed medication)

[Pennylane]

Now,you get given a phone no' and told to give them a ring if there's a problem???? Brings to mind.....physician,heal thyself! God help them/us! (unnacounted people who have been killed by sufferers,not taking prescribed medication)

I know Steve , Schizophrenics and violent patients .. It's a shambles ...

[wsteve55]

I know Steve , Schizophrenics and violent patients .. It's a shambles ...

And what's their solution.................give them nearly £200 per week,hardly any bills,which makes them targets for the local scum/druggies/con-men,and really teaches them how to live responsibly!(Not) Depressing!

[Pennylane]

And what's their solution.................give them nearly £200 per week,hardly any bills,which makes them targets for the local scum/druggies/con-men,and really teaches them how to live responsibly!(Not) Depressing!

This is an area that causes me great concern , and their care is handed over to agencies , kids are working for them , with no formal training , or knowledge of mental illness ..

[wsteve55]

This is an area that causes me great concern , and their care is handed over to agencies , kids are working for them , with no formal training , or knowledge of mental illness ..

Whatever the faults of the old system,it could have been modified/improved,but I think they threw the baby out with the bathwater,and now they are at an idealistic loss,at what to do!! (I'm off to bed,got to face this in the morning!!)