"Husband in lunatic asylum"

[Jos Sumner]

The 1861 census records my gt gt gt grandmother (Ann Crow) as born in London and living in Strood in kent. It claims her as a "Laundress Husband in Lunatic asylum"
I can't find his name (Joseph Crow) (born in Italy according to the 1851 census when they lived together in London)
any ideas of where to look would be welcome......I'm not sure how to find institutions on the census
Thanks
Jos

[Jan1954]

Hello Jos,

Quite often, inmates were recorded by initials. Sometimes the initial of the first name with the surname intact, other times as just the initials of both names. Not helpful, I know... :(

If you post some more details about him (eg approximate year of birth and the 1851 census reference) I'm sure that, with some lateral thinking, members of this forum will have a go at finding him.

[Peter Goodey]

Quite possibly the J.C. age 66 in the Kent County Lunatic Asylum at Barming Heath.

RG 9/501 f 111 p 10

[SBSFamilyhistory]

1851 Census record for Ann and Joseph

1851 England Census
about Ann Crow
Name: Ann Crow
Age: 31
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1820
Relation: Wife
Spouse's Name: Joseph
Gender: Female
Where born: St Marylebone, Middlesex, England

Civil Parish: St Martin Ludgate
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England


Registration district: London City
Sub-registration district: London City North
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 155
Household Members: Name Age
Ann Crow 31
Ann Crow 6 Mo
Charles Crow 9
Elizabeth Crow 4
Frederick Crow 3
Joseph Crow 56
Mary Ann Crow 6

Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 1529; Folio: 51; Page: 43;


Name: Joseph Crow
Age: 56
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1795
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: Italy

Civil Parish: St Martin Ludgate
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
as to the 1861 census as they used initial to prtect the identity of the patients then this could be him
Name: J C
Age: 66
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1795
Relation: Patient
Gender: Male

Civil Parish: Maidstone
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
County/Island: Kent
Country: England


RG 9/501 f 111 p 10

I hope this helps


Sue

[Jos Sumner]

Many thanks for this help. I didn't know about the intitials...not sure I wanted to either but there you go!!
Peter, how did you go about finding the reference that you suggest......(and thank you for it!)
Thanks also for posting the 1851 details. I might have found the 41 details at:
Class: HO107; Piece 724; Book: 2; Civil Parish: St Andrew Holborn (Below The Bars); County: Middlesex; Enumeration District: 2; Folio: 18; Page: 30; Line: 17;

any other thoughts gratefully received
Jos

[SBSFamilyhistory]

this may be his death

Name: Joseph Crow
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1798
Year of Registration: 1867
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Age at Death: 69
District: Dartford
County: Kent
Volume: 2a
Page: 186 (click to see others on page)


Sue

[Alan Welsford]

The bizarre thing to me about the initials is that more often than not all the other data is fully entered, including (usually) a fairly accurate birthplace if known.

Whilst I think Peter has almost certainly found your man, your are unlucky that places of birth have not been recorded at this institution. Born Italy would clinch it.

Mind you you were (very!) lucky with the "husband in lunatic asylum" recorded against the wife. I've never encountered that before, and it told you exactly what you were looking for.

For the record it's not just hospital and infirmary patients (including asylums), and workhouses where this initials thing often, (but not always), occurs. I've encountered it with soldiers in military camps too. (Where the occupation of "private" does do much to separate one 'J. S.' from another).

[Peter Goodey]

District: Dartford
County: Kent


The following message may be totally misleading but...

Dartford is the wrong district for Maidstone (the County Lunatic Asylum) and it's the wrong district for Strood (where his wife was in 1861).

However it is the right district for the City of London Lunatic Asylum at Stone (in 1851 the family were in the City).

Sounds interesting to me but don't spend money just on that basis!

[Astoria]

This address rang a bell with me,
In my notes I have a Curotti family living as lodgers at this address I think the head of the house was a Cavanna, but my notes do tend to look like a tube map. One member of the family was a Giovani Curotti.
Also living at 18 & Summers Holborn a Cesare Croci.
Hope this may be of use.
:)

[Astoria]

Have just found my notes on computer and it cannot be your man as I was thinking of the 1901 census.
I really must get organised |blush|