Claybury Asylum, Ilford

[plantheaven]

Can anyone help me with this one. My g.grandmother was sent her in 1895 as 'insane'. I have been told I cannot access her records because of the 100 year rule and that I will have to wait some considerale time before I will be able to. Is there any way I can find out when she died and, more importantly, where she may be buried?
Thanks.
Jacqui

[Peter Goodey]

You can find out when she died in the usual way - the GRO indexes and then order a death certificate. All deaths have to be registered before a body can be legally buried or otherwise disposed of whether or not the death occurred in an asylum.

The death certificate won't show where she was buried so once you know the date of death, you'll have to trawl the church burial registers or more probably the local authority cemetery records.

[plantheaven]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for that. I have trawled the usual way but she must have been mistranscribed or they did not know how to spell it. Will go back and look again.
Jacqui

[Peter Goodey]

If she died in the asylum, the registration district would presumably have been Romford which I think makes the current district Redbridge. You might have more luck there if you have an approximate date of death.

[plantheaven]

My problem is that Redbridge will not give me an approx date of death!!! They maintain that comes under the 100 year rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Basically I have to trawl from 1895 until the 1950's.

Thanks.
Jacqui

[cazm17]

Without knowing specifics, I found this information on http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/4_13_TA.htm. You might find someone there who can assist you, perhaps, if you can't get to the archives themselves?

London Metropolitan Archives (http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/leisure_heritage/libraries_arch ives_museums_ galleries/lma/index.htm) contain Registers of patients maintained by the Union in imbecile asylums 1885-1895 (reference WEBG/WM/52/1) and 1896 - 1902 (reference WEBG/WM/52/2).

1885-1895 relates to Hanwell*; Banstead*; Colney Hatch*; Cane Hill*; Hoxton House*; Bethnal House*; Grove Hall, Bow*; Peckham House*; Salisbury, Fisherton House*; Kent County, Barming Heath*; Camberwell House*; Kent County, Chartham*; Moulsford nr. Wallingford; Bristol Borough; and Claybury*

[plantheaven]

Thanks for the info. I could not access the first web site unfortunately. I have already tried the LMA, they were at the start of the circle. They do not hold the records for Claybury for the dates required. I tried to find out where she might be buried but they want an approx. date of death - back to square one!
Jacqui

[pinkglitter]

Can anyone help me with this one. My g.grandmother was sent her in 1895 as 'insane'. I have been told I cannot access her records because of the 100 year rule and that I will have to wait some considerale time before I will be able to. Is there any way I can find out when she died and, more importantly, where she may be buried?
Thanks.
Jacqui

HI Jacqui,
Claybury was full of people that we not actually insane, they were sent there around your grandmas time just for answering back or having illigitmate children!!
They were all shipped out to various homes and care in the comm centres.
A good place to enquire may be goodmayes hospital and even stonelea in leyton, they deal with loads of ex claybury patients there. I worked there for a while and found it to be quite morbid in parts.
Hope this helps.
love and happy hunting.
Lisa.
p.s i still know a few people who worked there althogh obviously not in her time, dont know if this may help.