Mary Reid DOD 1940 Harawood Asylum, Shotts

[jjlmary312]

Hi,
I have got a copy of the marriage and death cert for the above person. She died in Harawood Asylum in 1940 and she was married to a Robert John Reid who was a grocer in Burnbank, Scotland. They had 4 chidren Isabella Alston Reid, Robert John Reid Jnr, Mary Reid and William McNicol Reid. I cannot find out Marys date of birth and I know she was 78 when she died. I should like to trace her place of birth. What type of things would u be put in an Asylum for?. Can anyhone help?. Doing the family tree but find it so upsetting to find out what happened to my relative. Harawood closed down in the lates 1990s I think.

[AndrewP]

Hi,

The asylum will be Hartwood.

You have Mary's marriage and death certificates - from these you should have her parents' names. Have you found their marriage certificate? Mary may have been born in the area where her parents were married. Have you found them in the censuses? From the censuses you should find Mary's birth place. Does her age at marriage give the same birth year as her age at death? Assuming a birth year around 1862, what was her age on the censuses of 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 - what birth year(s) do they lead to? Armed with that information, that should help you find mary's birth certificate.

All the best,

AndrewP

[AndrewP]

(later)
I see you already have her on the 1901 and 1911 censuses (see viewtopic.php?t=16873 ). I have looked at both of these. In 1901 she is in an institution called 'Family Home' in Glasgow (Blackfriars) and in Hamilton in 1911. In both of these she is with her father (listed as married) and siblings, but no sign of her mother, Mary.

Any idea where Mary was? Could she have been in the asylum for 40+ years? You really need to find a census showing her.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Currie]

Hello jjlmary312,

The Family Home in Glasgow was a sort of lodging house intended for widows and widowers with children, where the children could be cared for while the parent was at work.

Here’s a ‘review’ of the home in the Otago Daily Times, 16 April 1900.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... --1----0--

Back in the days before suitable medication was available people were put into ‘Lunatic Asylums’ for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes there’s a clue on the death certificate. It could be something they had had all their lives or perhaps something happened to them later that caused behaviour that may have been a risk to themselves or others.

I can recall, quite some years back, reading a few newspaper reports of old women dying in the modern equivalent who had been there for half a century, and there was no record as to why. I think that some of those cases may have originated from something as simple as Post Natal Depression, and suchlike. They would have been an insignificant minority, and there’s no doubt that Society was doing what they thought was best for them at the time.

All the best,
Alan

[StewL]

Hi Allan
Your post reminded me of when I was "working" in that area. There was an old woman sitting in a rocker well away from the other patients, we were warned not to get close to the old woman, as she had killed a few of her family. So in her case, not there because of something simple that would be sorted out differently today

[nelmit]

(later)
I see you already have her on the 1901 and 1911 censuses (see viewtopic.php?t=16873 ). I have looked at both of these. In 1901 she is in an institution called 'Family Home' in Glasgow (Blackfriars) and in Hamilton in 1911. In both of these she is with her father (listed as married) and siblings, but no sign of her mother, Mary.

Any idea where Mary was? Could she have been in the asylum for 40+ years? You really need to find a census showing her.

All the best,

AndrewP

I'm sure you'll be steaming ahead with the advice you've been given but thought I'd post this anyway in case you haven't found it.

The family are at Hamilton in 1891 - as transcribed at Ancestry although it appears to be the same at SP.

Robert J New 36 Grocer, born Rutherglen
Mary New 29 born Alexander
Isabella New 2 1/2year
Robert J New 7 Mos
Lizzie Henderson 18

Regards,
Annette

[AndrewP]

On looking at the 1891 census page, I can see how Reid has ended out transcribed as New. The enumerator's handwriting is the issue.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Currie]

Glasgow Herald, Thursday, March 10, 1887.
MARRIAGES.
REID—M’NICOL. —At 52 West Nile Street, Glasgow, on Wednesday, 9th inst., Robert John Reid, grocer, Alexandria, to Mary Thorborn M’Nicol, Alexandria.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V2 ... %2C5519874

In 1886 Mr Reid appears to have gotten into a bit of trouble over what happened at the Vale of Leven excursion, although possibly only a minor player. See half-way down Court column. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xF ... 1%2C680390

All the best,
Alan

[jjlmary312]

HI,

If I amlookingf for the birth record for the above person and it says Dumbarton and (Alexandria) what do I type in on SP to get this record up. There is a county of Dunbarton but there is no district of Alexandria on the next bit. Can anyone help please.

Regards
caz

[AndrewP]

If I am looking for the birth record for the above person and it says Dumbarton and (Alexandria) what do I type in on SP to get this record up. There is a county of Dunbarton but there is no district of Alexandria on the next bit. Can anyone help please.

Hi Caz,

Alexandria was in Bonhill registration district.

All the best,

AndrewP