Police case & Asylum Records, Devon

[HildaW]

I need some help please,
In June 1895 in Devon (reported mostly in the Western Times 6 to 11 June) John Henry Woodley a retired Naval Pensioner of Wolston Green, near Totnes stole 3 chickens and a duck and the end result of the court case was that he (I think on request of his wife Mary) was medically examined and sent to an asylum where he probably died – I have all the newspaper articles. What I would like is the Police case File which will name the Asylum and THE ASYLUM RECORDS
Where are the Police Case files held?
Where are the Asylum records held?
If in Devon, would they also be at the TNA? I can't find any reference on the TNA but then I don't have much success searching there, or some other place in London? Our daughter is in London and can look there for me. Or online ?
Any help would be hugely appreciated.
Hilda

 

[mugwortismy cat]

the Devon County Lunatic Asylum was at Exminster

http://mfo.me.uk/histories/exminster.php
http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/DevonIndexes/Asylum1880.html

seems that the records are kept at the Devon Record Office

 

[mugwortismy cat]

I haven't so far come across reference to any other asylum but can't promise the Exminster one was the only one:

details of records here: http://www.
nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=027-3769a&cid=0#0

Hope this helps

 

[mugwortismy cat]

hopeully this will help with the police side of your question:

http://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/AboutUs/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.policeheritagecentre.co.uk/

Good luck

 

[AnnB]

There was also the Digby Hospital in Exeter, otherwise known as the Exeter Asylum for the Insane.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=027-4034a&cid=0#0

Ann

 

[HildaW]

Hi Ann and Mugswortismycat thanks for the info - if the death I have found is in district St Thomas (Q4 vol 5b p43) which of the asylums might that have been, age at death seems correct?
There were a few John Henry Woodley's around at the time therefore I am not sure which might be his death but 1897 seems to be about right for an asylum survival rate and his wife was widowed by 1901.
Will try the various sites you have both provided, many thanks.
Regards
Hilda

 

[mugwortismy cat]

Hilda

St Thomas is essentially a suburb of Exeter, however Exminster is only about 4 miles away. Exminster is part of St Thomas registration district. I don't know where exactly Ann's asylum was -- so it could come under St Thomas or Exeter.

 

[Daft Bat]

... if the death I have found is in district St Thomas (Q4 vol 5b p43) which of the asylums might that have been, age at death seems correct?

Hi Hilda,

If you have a look at the St Thomas Registration District information, you will see that it covers Exminster. Based on that, the link that Mugswortismy cat provided in posts #2 & 3 indicates that it is the right one.

 

[HildaW]

Jan, Ann & Mugswortismy cat - many thanks for your help and advice.

 

[HildaW]

I am resuscitating this thread because:
2 years ago I attempted to find the Admittance papers and records from Devon Historical Society when I visited Exeter for John Henry Woodley (b1850) but had no success

I recently bought the death certificate which indicates he died on 26 Oct 1897 Exminster Lunatic Asylum recorded as age 46, a labourer, residence Broadhempstone (should be Broadhempston which is in the postal district of Totnes and that is near Wolston Green which is the residence quoted in the newspaper articles in 1895 mentioned in #1). He was recorded as a labourer - unknown if this was an error or deliberate to disguise his admittance (he was a Naval Pensioner). Cause of death was General Paralysis, which was most often used to describe the cause of deaths in asylums.

This death cert did not confirm he was my John Henry Woodley but it seems most likely and then today I found this:

From an Index on Genuki:

Admission# 1836 on 1895 June 10 John Henry WOODLEY age 44 Labourer Broadhempston, which I think could be in this Admittance Register 3769A/H/3/11 8076 – 8416 7 Feb 1894 to 29 Aug 1895

Why when I visited DHS in Exeter 2 years ago did they not show me this specific entry? I may never get to Exeter again so now I need to know

• how I can get a copy of that admittance ?
• and any other pages relating to his time in the asylum ?

 

[HildaW]

I have the burial which took place on 1 Nov 1897 at St Mary the Virgin, Wolborough, entry# 1166 age recorded as 46. His body was moved from St Thomas, Exeter and buried in the churchyard. 2 years ago we stopped at the church, ate a quick picnic lunch and admired the boundary wall which my father-in-law had helped the vicar to build in the mid 1930's, we have a photo never dreaming that my husband's GGF was buried there and probably his wife as well.