Sunnyside Royal Hospital

Scope and Content

Bye-laws, Charters and Regulations, 1811-1913; Minutes, 1797-1971; Reports, 1835-1961; Patient Records, 1813-1990; Patient Clinical Records, 1818-1962; Staff Records, 1861-1957; Visitors Books, 1891-1991; Deeds Registers, 1856-1915; Legal Documents, 1856-1945; Financial Records, 1808-1983; Administrative Records, 1911-1991; Property Records, 1885-1969; Sunnyside Bi-Centenary Celebration Records, 1976-1981; Leisure and Recreation Records, 1870-1990; Sunnyside Bowling Club Records, 1973-1995; The Sunnyside Chronicle, 1887-1973; Newspaper Cuttings, c1858-1929; Publications, 1808-1988; Photographs, c1887-1990; Audio Cassettes, 1982; Plans, 1856-1950.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary and Dispensary was founded in 1781 by Mrs. Susan Carnegie of Charleton for the treatment of private and pauper patients, the first mental hospital in Scotland. It was built on the Montrose Links on a site bounded by Barrack Road, Ferry Road and Garrison Road. Prior to this, insane patients were treated in the Old Tolbooth in Montrose High Street.

A new improved Asylum with better facilities was completed in 1858, situated in lands of the farm of Sunnyside, in the village of Hillside, on the outskirts of Montrose. It still operates today as a hospital for the mentally ill. Recreation rooms in the main building, a magnificent Victorian structure, are sometimes used for local functions.

Carnegie House was built for private patients in 1899. However overcrowding was still a problem, with patient numbers reaching 670 by 1900, precipitating the need for further accommodation. As a result, Howden Villa was completed in 1901 and Northesk Villa was completed in 1904. Westmount Cottages were built in 1905 to house the extra staff required to care of the additional patients. The lease of Sunnyside Farm expired in 1911 and over 52 acres were purchased for the sum of £4500. Angus House was built in 1939 to accommodate elderly patients suffering from dementia.

The Montrose Lunatic Asylum was originally granted a Royal Charter in 1810. In 1913 the Royal Charter was amended, after which it was renamed the Royal Asylum of Montrose and that part of the Institution which consisted of the Infirmary and Dispensary was disjoined and received its own Royal Charter. With the advent of the National Health Service in 1948, the Asylum was renamed the Royal Mental Hospital of Montrose and came under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Regional Hospital Board. It was again renamed in 1962, when it became Sunnyside Royal Hospital.

Sunnyside Royal Hospital celebrated its bicentenary in 1981, at which time the number of patients was approximately 400.

The hospital closed in 2011. Many of its patients and functions were transferred to the newly opened Susan Carnegie Centre at Stracathro Hopsital, Angus.

Arrangement

The records are generally arranged chronologically within Series and SubSeries

Access Information

Clinical information is closed 100 years.

Acquisition Information

Details of the original accession are unknown. The bulk of the records were deposited by the hospital in 2001 (AccM/460, AccM/461).

Note

Fonds level description compiled by Sarah Chubb, Archives Hub Project Archivist, November 2001.

Other Finding Aids

Descriptive list

Alternative Form Available

No known copies.

Conditions Governing Use

Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges are made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply.

Accruals

None expected.

Geographical Names