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From early 1875 James (2) Woodhurst was admitted several times to a workhouse at Homerton in Hackney and then to the Hackney Union Infirmary. From mid-1875 until early 1882 he was an inmate of two asylums. His periods in these institutions were charged to Hackney Parish, overseen by its Board of Guardians. The details below have been transcribed from the following registers of the Board, now held in the London Metropolitan Archives [LMA]:
A further register, Copies of Orders of Admission of Patients to Lunatics Asylums: 1877-1878 [LMA: Piece HA/BG/201/5] has been searched for mention of the transfer of James (2) to Banstead Asylum on September 8th 1877, but contains no reference to it.
Hackney Union
Master of the Workhouse at Homerton: G.G. Johnson
Admission February 1875
Day of the Month: 17th
Day of the Week: Wednesday
Next Meal after Admission: D. [Dinner]
Name: Woodhouse [sic], James
Calling, if any: Labourer
Religious Persuasion: Church [of England]
When Born: 1818
Class for Diet: 1
No. affixed to the Pauper's Clothes: 56
Parish from which Admitted: Hackney
By whose Order Admitted: Draper
Date of the Order of Admission: 17th
If Born in the House, Name of Parent: [blank]
Observation on Condition at the time of Admission, and any other General Remarks: ill
Discharge 1875
Date: March 15th
Day of the Week: Mon.
Last Meal before Discharge: D.
Name: Woodhouse, James
Class for Diet: 1
How Discharged and if by Order, by whose Order: Own Request
In case of Death say "Dead": [blank]
Observations on General Character and Behaviour in the Workhouse: [blank]
Hackney Union
Master of the Workhouse at Homerton: G.G. Johnson
Admission April 1875
Day of the Month: 20th
Day of the Week: Tues.
Next Meal after Admission: D.
Name: Woodhouse, James
Calling, if any: Willow Cutter
Religious Persuasion: Church
When Born: 1818
Class for Diet: 1
No. affixed to the Pauper's Clothes: [blank]
Parish from which Admitted: Hackney
By whose Order Admitted: Draper
Date of the Order of Admission: 19th
If Born in the House, Name of Parent: [blank]
Observation on Condition at the time of Admission, and any other General Remarks: ill
Discharge 1875
Date: May 12th
Day of the Week: Wed.
Last Meal before Discharge: B. [Breakfast]
Name: Woodhouse, James
Class for Diet: 1
How Discharged and if by Order, by whose Order: Own Request
In case of Death say "Dead": [blank]
Observations on General Character and Behaviour in the Workhouse: [blank]
Admission July 1875
Day of the Month: 21st
Day of the Week: Wed.
Next Meal after Admission: S. [Supper]
Name: Woodhurst, James [surname now spelled correctly]
Calling, if any: Warehouseman
Religious Persuasion: Church
When Born: 1816 [sic]
Class for Diet: 2
No. affixed to the Pauper's Clothes: [blank]
Parish from which Admitted: Hackney
By whose Order Admitted: Master
Date of the Order of Admission: 20th
If Born in the House, Name of Parent: [blank]
Observation on Condition at the time of Admission, and any other General Remarks: Unsound Mind
Discharge 1875
Date: July 24th
Day of the Week: Sat.
Last Meal before Discharge: B.
Name: Woodhurst, James
Class for Diet: 2
How Discharged and if by Order, by whose Order: To Bethnal House Asylum
In case of Death say "Dead": [blank]
Observations on General Character and Behaviour in the Workhouse: [blank]
Order for the Reception of a Pauper Patient: Sched. (F) No. 1
I, John Charrington the undersigned, having called to my assistance, a Surgeon, and having personally
examined James Woodhurst a pauper and being satisfied that the said James Woodhurst is a
(a) person of unsound mind and a proper person to be taken charge of and detained under Care and Treatment,
hereby direct you to receive the said James Woodhurst as a Patient into your Asylum.
Subjoined is a Statement representing the said James Woodhurst.
Signed Name J. Charrington A Justice for the Peace for the County of Middlesex.
Dated the 24th day of July One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Five.
To the Superintendent of the Male Department of Bethnal House Lunatic Asylum, the County Asylums being full. J.C.
---------------------------------------------
STATEMENT
If any particulars in this Statement be not known, the fact to be so stated.
Name of Patient and Christian Name at length ... James Woodhurst
Sex and Age ... Male 57 years
Married, Single or Widowed ... Married
Condition of Life, and previous occupation (if any) ... Warehouseman
The Religious Persuasion as far as known ... Church of England
Previous place of abode ... Hackney Union Workhouse Homerton E.
Whether first Attack ... Yes
Age (if known) on first Attack ... 57 years
When and where previously under Care and Treatment ... Nowhere
Duration of Existing Attack ... Not known
Whether subject to Epilepsy ... No
Whether Suicidal ... Yes
Whether dangerous to others ... No
Parish or Union to which the Lunatic is chargeable ... Hackney Union
Name and Christian Name, and Place of Abode, of nearest known Relative of the patient,
and degree of Relationship (if known) ... Mary Ann Woodhurst Wife 32 Loddiges Road , Mare Street, Hackney E.
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, the above Particulars are correctly stated.
Signed Name Arthur Wicks Brittain Relieving Officer of the Hackney Union.
---------------------------------------------
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE
Sched. (F) No. 3
I, the undersigned John Bradshaw White being a (a) Doctor of Medicine & Master in Surgery of Queens University
and being in actual practice as a (b) Surgeon hereby certify that I, on the twenty third day of July 1875 at
(c) the Hackney Union Infirmary Homerton in the County of Middlesex (d) personally examined James Woodhurst
a warehouseman of (e) the said Hackney Union Infirmary and that the said James Woodhurst is a
(f) person of unsound mind and a proper person to be taken charge of and detained under Care and Treatment,
and that I have formed this opinion upon the following grounds, viz.:-
1. Facts indicating Insanity observed by myself (g)
He is restless, thinks he is going to die suddenly, asks to be killed, talks in a rambling incoherent manner
about being lost and about having committed some crime for which he must suffer.
2. Other facts (if any) indicating Insanity communicated to me by others (h)
Mary Ann Woodhurst informs me that James Woodhurst is restless & sleepless, that he has
twice lately attempted to commit suicide.
Signed Name John Bradshaw White
Place of Abode Hackney Union Infirmary Homerton E.
Dated this twenty third day of July One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy Five.
Page 55: Bethnal House Asylum section
Name: Woodhurst, James
Age: 57
Sex: M
Married/Single/Widowed: Married
Condition of life and previous occupation: Warehouseman
Religious Persuasion: Church [of England]
Previous place of abode: Workhouse Hackney Union
No. of Relief District: 8
Duration of existing attack: Not known
Whether suicidal: Yes
Whether dangerous to others: No
Nearest known Relative: wife M.A. Woodhurst: 32, Loddiges Road, Mare Street, Hackney E.
Date of Admission: 24.7.75
Date of Discharge: 8-9-77
Reason for Discharge: Removed to Banstead
Page 44: Banstead Asylum section
Name: Woodhurst, James
Age: 59
Sex: M
Married/Single/Widowed: Married
Condition of life and previous occupation: Warehouseman
Religious Persuasion: Church [of England]
Previous place of abode: Bethnal House Asylum
No. of Relief District: 8
Duration of existing attack: 2 years in Bethnal House, previous time not known
Whether suicidal: No [*]
Whether dangerous to others: No
Nearest known Relative: [blank]
Date of Admission: 8.9.77
Date of Discharge: 10-1-82
Reason for Discharge: Died
[*] However, his admission record in Banstead Asylum's own register says "Yes".
Page 73 (left side - Admissions)
Date: July 24 1875
Name: Woodhurst, James
Age: 57
By Whom: Brittain
Page 73 (right side - Discharges)
Date: [blank]
Name: [blank]
Age: [blank]