The collection includes the registers and documents relating to the management of the institution from its foundation, in particular the General Court Minutes (1859-1948), Board Meeting Minutes (1847-1948), House Committee Minutes (1848-1941), Finance Committee Minutes (1863-1948), and committees relating to cases, election admissions and farms (1848-1958). Further records include Annual Reports (1849-1966), lists of subscribers (1848-1941), letter books (1849-1887) and reports of visitors (1854-1960). The medical and statutory registers (1849-1964) include admission registers and papers, male and female patient case books, girls' school case books and medical journals. There are also staff wages books, property deeds and papers relating to building works and legal cases.
The following is a detailed summary of the contents:
392/1/ GENERAL COURT AND ANNUAL REPORTS 1849-1966
The general Court was in fact the subscribers' meeting. There usually were two meetings a year, on the last Thursday in April and October, although special meetings could be called. The Annual General Court was held in April, when the subscribers received the annual report and the audited accounts for the past year, and when the board of management was appointed for the ensuing year. The main business of the Courts of April and October was to elect the inmates to be accepted by the institution. Subscribers, many of whom were parents of inmates, had a varying number of votes. There were life, part-payment and ordinary cases, the latter two classes being elected for five years initially, although re-election could be sought. Amendments to rules and bye laws also had to be approved by the General Court. A special general meeting was held on 11 October 1916 when the voting procedure was altered to allow candidates with a requisite number of votes (rather than the candidates with most votes) to become inmates at Earlswood. The number of candidates was always set by the Board, and, from 1916, so was the number of votes required. Candidates paying 40 guineas needed 500 votes while those paying 15 guineas needed 1000 votes. From 1917, only the April Annual General Court minutes are entered.
392/1/1/ GENERAL COURT MINUTES 1859-1948
392/1/2/ ANNUAL REPORTS 1849-1886
Reports of board to subscribers, including medical and school results, financial and building position, as well as description of cases of particularly noticeably improved inmates.
392/1/3/ PRINTED ANNUAL REPORTS 1862-1966
Reports were printed only after they had been approved by the General Court. From 1874 they were printed by the inmates. From 1949, the reports those of the Royal Earlswood Management Committee Group, but their contents remain the same and include reports by the Medical Superintendent; on amenities; on leisure plans; on activities of the friends of the hospital.
392/1/4/ SUBSCRIBERS LISTS 1848-1941
Yearly lists, preceded by names of patrons, Board, house Committee and Finance Committee members. With an address by the Reverend Andrew Reed and selections from the Rules and Bye Laws.
392/1/5/ ANNUAL FESTIVAL DINNER 1860-1909
392/2/ BOARD OF MANAGEMENT 1847-1948
The board, appointed at the General Court, was the main policy making body of the institution, and administered property. Problems and enquiries arising from the execution of the policies were passed on to the House Committee, which reported back to the board. This group also contains a record of attendance at the Royal Earlswood Hospital Group committee, which succeeded the board.
392/2/ BOARD MEETING 1847-1948
392/2/1/ Signed minutes 1847-1948
The first volume records the minutes of the provisional Committee. Early minutes cover admission and rejection of cases, accommodation and many of the topics which would later be discussed at House Committees. The gap in the minutes from 1870-1874 is to some extent filled by the Board draft minutes (-/2/2/-) and by the agenda books (-/2/3/-) of the period.
392/2/2/ Draft board meeting minutes 1854-1930
The later entries are no more than attendance lists of members of the board, though they occasionally include notes in shorthand.
392/2/3/ Agenda books 1856-1948
Early agenda books contain very little information beyond vague programme of forthcoming meetings. From c.1880 however, information becomes more plentiful and the motions and other business are written out in full, and even sometimes annoted and amended (presumably during the meeting). This suggests that the agenda books were used in conjunction with the rough minute books when a fair copy of the board minutes was being drawn up.
392/2/ Royal Earlswood Hospital Group Management Committee 1952-1959
392/2/ Board of management liaison with House Committee 1864-1869
392/2/ Medical Superintendent's Report to Board c.1869
392/2/ REGISTER OF SEALS 1863-1914
The Charter of 1862 empowered the Society to have and use a seal (see -/14/1).
392/2/8/ BOARD OF MANAGEMENT LETTER BOOKS 1849-1887
392/3/ HOUSE COMMITTEES INCLUDING ESSEX HALL AND FOREST HOSPITAL 1848-1952
The House Committee was set up to deal with the day-to-day running of the institution. It was appointed by the Board, and met at least once a fortnight. Its minutes were to be confirmed by the Board at least once a month. Early meetings were held at Park House, Highgate, but were soon held at the offices of the institution in London. When a branch Asylum was set up at Colchester, its daily management was also entrusted to the House Committee, and four new House Committee members, living in Colchester, were to be added to the original Board. Colchester House Committees were to be held in Colchester, and three of the London House Committee were to go to Colchester regularly. This arrangement was probably unsatisfactory, and there were attempts at altering the constitution, Essex Hall at Colchester becoming 'a distinct though not separate Asylum for Idiots'. Lack of funds thwarted this attempt. A separate Board was set up, with representatives from Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire; five members of the London Board were to meet these representatives every quarter. As with the main institution, a House Committee was to be set up for the Colchester Asylum. The reports of the medical superintendent, the matron and the school teachers were presented to the House Committee. Also discussed were staff appointments, visits from interested parties (Charles Dickens' visit was mentioned during the Committee of 18 Sep 1850, -/-/-/1 p 97), and petty cash. Later House Committees show the increased professionalism of the members.
392/3/ ASYLUM HOUSE COMMITTEE, LATER EARLSWOOD HOUSE COMMITTEE 1848-1943
392/3/1/ House Committee minute books 1848-1941
392/3/2/ House Committee draft minutes 1877-1884
These rough minutes were occasionally signed or initialled by the Chairman of the meeting on the day the meeting had taken place.
392/3/3/ Medical Superintendent's reports to House Committee 1874-1932
These reports include number of admissions, discharges and deaths; health of patients; work of engineer, steward, staff; forthcoming events such as patients' football match and film shows.
392/3/4/ Engineer's reports to House Committee 1880-1943
Signed reports by engineer to House Committee. Notes on maintenance work necessary on rooms in hospital, farm, boiler house, laundry etc, for consideration by House Committee, and occasionally by Board or Sub-Committee.
392/3/ EASTERN COUNTIES BRANCH ASYLUM, ESSEX HALL HOUSE COMMITTEE 1855-1858
392/3/ FOREST HOSPITAL HOUSE COMMITTEE 1948-1950
In 1948 part of Horsham Public Assistance Institution was brought back into use for the mental defectives and the chronically sick, after it had fallen into disrepair during the war years. On 17 Jan 1949, it was transferred from the Redhill Hospital Group Management Committee to the Earlwood Management Committee, and on 19 July 1949 the name Forest Hospital was used for the first time. The House Committee was abolished in March 1950, two of its members being appointed to the Earlswood Management Committee.
392/4/ FINANCE COMMITTEE, AFTER 1948 THE FINANCE SUB COMMITTEE 1863-1952
The Finance Committee scrutinised bills, investigated the renewal of supplies, examined quarterly accounts, discussed the text of advertisements inserted in the press to raise funds. Meetings were roughly quarterly. From 1948, the Finance Committee became the Finance Sub-Committee of the Royal Earlswood Hospital Management Committee.
392/4/1/ FINANCE COMMITTEE 1863-1948
392/4/2/ FINANCE SUB-COMMITTEE 1948-1952
392/5/ CASE COMMITTEE 1877-1948
The Case Committee discussed individual cases brought to their attention and decided whether to recommend them for election. The Registers give only very brief summaries of the decisions taken.
392/5/1/ CASE COMMITTEE MINUTES 1877-1909
392/5/2/ ELECTION CASE BOOKS 1922-1948
These registers show the name/date of birth and address of applicant; whether the case is to be elected or paid for; income of parents; number of children dependent and the name of the medical referee [alphabetical index at beginning]
392/5/3/ ELECTION ADMISSIONS 1848-1888
Register of names of elected cases, showing name, date of birth, date of admission and anticipated departure; date of departure. Cases are arranged in category, the names of life cases being entered in red ink.
392/6/ FARMS SUB COMMITTEE 1950-1958
The Farm was important to the Institution both because of its therapeutic and its financial value. Inmates were employed on it, depending on their aptitudes from the time they left the school. From 1948, the Committee became the Farms Sub-Committee to the Royal Earlswood Hospital Management Committee. Then, the farm manager attended the Sub-Committee meetings. For committee minutes, c.1853-1855, see 392/3/1/2.
392/7/ 'PARLIAMENTARY' COMMITTEE 1916
The committee was set up to deliberate on the implications of legislation on teaching of mental defectives. See also 392/9/2 and 6817/1/4/3.
392/8/ SEASIDE HOME SUB-COMMITTEE 1898-1899
Patients were sent to a seaside home in Worthing in 1898, and to Walton on the Naze in 1899. The visit to Walton became more regular after the agreement between Mr B Densham and the Asylum about the use of some property in Walton as a convalescent home.
392/9/ SUB-COMMITTEES AND SPECIAL SUB-COMMITTEES 1861-1948
These sub-committees were set up by the Board to deal with specific short term problems, and reported to the Board.
392/10/ REGISTERS OF VISITORS 1854-1960
By the Act of 1845 (8 & 9 Vic Cap 100) asylums had to be visited by the visiting commissioners in lunacy (inspectors of the Board of Control, after 1913 Mental Deficiency Act 3 & 4 Geo 5 Cap 25), at least yearly, and by visitors appointed by County Quarter Sessions quarterly. A proportion of the visitors had to have medical qualifications. 'Visitors' Books' recording visitors' comments on inspection and 'Patients' Books' recording visitors' comments on health and state of mind of patients were to be kept.
392/10/1/ VISITING COMMISSIONERS 1854-1954
Visiting Commissioners' reports, mentioning numbers of patients; deaths and discharges; attendants. The first volume contains extracts of reports relating to Park House, 1850-4. From 1949, the reports cover Forest Hospital. Visits were roughly yearly.
392/10/2/ VISITORS APPOINTED BY QUARTER SESSIONS 1885-1960
Reports of visitors of the institutions for the County of Surrey, appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions. Visits were quarterly. See -/-/7 for reports on patients.
392/10/3/ VISITING MEDICAL OFFICERS 1856-1889
Reports to Board of Management. Reports of consulting physician and surgeon, including notes on sickness of staff and patients; hygenic condition of building; water supply; bedding. Visits were roughly quarterly. The third volume is partly unused. The visit of these two Medical Officers was established by a bye-law of the institution.
392/10/4/ HOUSE COMMITTEE VISITING MEMBERS 1939-1955
From March 1939, a rota of House Committee members was established, and two members visited the institution monthly. From 1949, reports cover Farmfield and Forst Hospital
392/10/ QUARTERLY LAY INSPECTION 1949-1960
392/10/ BOARD OF CONTROL 1939-1960
392/10/ VISITORS APPOINTED BY SURREY QUARTER SESSIONS 1936-1960
Reports on patients' health and state of mind. Quarterly visits.
392/10/ VISITORS APPOINTED BY WEST SUSSEX QUARTER SESSIONS 1949-1960
Reports on patients' health and state of mind in hospitals in Horsham and Chichester. Quarterly visits.
392/10/9/ VISITS BY FRIENDS OF PATIENTS 1848-1960
392/11/ PATIENT RECORDS 1849-1964
392/11/ ADMISSIONS AND ADMINISTRATION 1849-1948
See also -/3/5/- and -/21/- for records relating to patient admissions.
392/11/1/ Admission registers 1857-1919
Under the Act of 1845, the Clerk of every Asylum or the Superintendent of every hospital had to keep a register of admission with description of mental disorders (to be supplied by the Medical Officer). This was repealed in 1889.he registers records: number in order of admission; date of admission; fore and surname; class of admission; previous occupation and place of abode; by whose authority the patient was sent; date of medical certificate; bodily condition and form of mental disorder; supposed cause of insanity; date of discharge or death. Dates shown are dates of admission. The second volume is not as carefully kept as the first.
392/11/2/ Registers of administration of patient admission c.1855-1936
Registers, showing name; residence of parent or guardian; date of birth and admission; whether patient was an election or life payment case; date of decease or discharge. The first register shows who was to pay for clothing of inmate. Later volumes also are records of vaccination. New registers were started at intervals, and information about cases already in the asylum was transcribed (though not always regularly) into the new register. The dates shown are therefore approximate guides to when the book was used. Some of the later registers bear cross references to the case books.
392/11/3/ Recertification registers 1914-1948
Legislation relating to the duration of reception orders for lunatics and people of unsound mind has changed considerably. Section XLV of the 1845 Act was repealed by Section 3 of the Act (16 & 17 Vict Cap 96). The Act of 1890 (Section 38) amended by S 7 of the Act of 1891 (c 65), was the most explicit, and required in practice that a medical report be sent to the Commissioners before the end of the first, second, fourth, seventh and twelth years, and every five years thereafter, for each patient. The recertification registers were used merely as reminder of when recertification had to take place. From 1914, the names of patients are entered in groups according to quarters of the year in which they were admitted. The first register shows recertification in 1915, 1916, 1921, 1926, 1931. The second register covers the same dates, as well as 5 yearly dates after 1936, and anticipates recertifications up to 2010.
392/11/4/ Case Books 1849-1899
The original set of these case books was almost certainly kept in the Asylum, as it contains photographs of patients and detailed medical information, entered on the day the examination took place. The books give detailed description of the abilities and disabilities of the patients on arrival, their family circumstances (whether parents were alive, the number of brothers and sisters, patient's order in the family) and periodic reports on the progress of the case. Photographs of the inmates are occasionally included. A note was entered on death or discharge, with, occasionally, a short assessment of the development of the patient. Up to 1868, patients in the case books were given a running number to the end of each volume, each new case book beginning with no 1. This was clearly unsatisfactory, as many patients stayed at Earlswood for life, and it must have become increasingly difficult to trace the previous reports on any patient. In 1868, the system was changed to give patients a running number, the first number was allocated to the patient who had been admitted the earliest. A duplicate set of case books was drawn up, probably in the early 1870's, copying the notes and reports on all cases still at Earlswood from the beginning, and omitting case reports on patients who had died or been discharged in the interval. This second set does not have any photographs. Long lived patients caused a second book-keeping problem in that the reports on them took more than the allotted space and had to be carried on, first onto the next clear page (which would occur when another patient had died or been discharged soon after admission) and then onto a new volume. A notable example of this is the case of James Pullen (the famous 'Idiot Savant') whose case was carried over into vol -/-/-/12 (pp 104 & 11) from an earlier volume. Dates shown are dates of admission, but the books were used for considerably longer periods then the last date given here, as reports on patients continued to be entered, in some cases thirty or forty years after admission.
392/11/ SCHOOLS 1861-1954
392/11/5/ Girls' Schools case books 1861-1904
Registers, labelled 'Case Book, Girls', showing date of arrival at school; whether full time; ability at reading, writing, sewing, singing, speech; remarks; brief description of back-ground. As would be expected in all contemporary schools, young boys also attended the Girls' School. The children went through a 'probationary room' to which they could be sent back if they caused too many problems in the school. Alphabetical index at beginning. Dates shown are of admission to school
392/11/6/ Schoolmaster's journal 1951-1954
Register, showing who read morning and evening prayers; master's absences; admissions and discharges from Boys' School; pupils on holiday; pupils who had suffered from fits; pupils absent through sickness; reports on activities of the week (rag making, weaving, raffia work, tray, sock, lampshade and basket making).
392/11/ MEDICAL 1878-1964
392/11/7/ Medical Journals 1893-1964
Registers, showing number and names of inmates under medical treatment; cause of illness; cause of death; with cross references to the Post Mortem and Mechanical Restraint Books. Registers from 1895 to 1902 give particulars of restraint and seclusion.
392/11/8/ Registers of mechanical restraint 1909-1939
The keeping of such a register was a statutory obligation. Restraint was very infrequently used, and only in cases where the patient was harming himself or others. The registers show name of patient and date; means of restraint; duration.
392/11/9/ Register of diarrhoea and dysentry 1917-1927
Register, showing name of sick person; whether staff or patient; date of onset; date of death (where applicable).
392/11/10/ Registers of Deaths 1878-1922
Registers, showing date of death; name; sex; age; profession; residence; cause of death.
392/11/11/ Post Mortem Books 1904-1920
The keeping of these books was a statutory obligation. The registers give personal details: age, name, date of admission, condition of body, weight of various organs. A list of Medical Superintendents and Assistant Medical Officers is given at the front of the first volume.
392/11/12/ Patient journal 1905-1935
The journals note: the bodily condition of patient; visits of friends; seclusion; state of house and furniture; food; exercise. These journals reported on the health and development of one patient only. The name of the patient is not given, but he may have been transferred to Earlswood eventually, the record of his development being submitted to the Medical Superintendent.
392/12/ FINANCIAL RECORDS 1849-1962
See -/18/- for further financial records.
392/12/1/ STAFF 1868-1946
Staff wages books record names of staff, date of appointment, rate of wages, previous occupation; nature of duties and when seen by House Committee.
392/12/2/ PATIENTS 1895-1962
392/12/3/ HOSPITAL EXPENSES 1849-1939
392/13/ REGISTERS OF WARD AND PATIENT ADMINISTRATION 1861-1957
392/14/ CHARITABLE STATUS AND INCORPORATION 1857-1926
392/15/ HOSPITAL ESTATE AND PROPERTY 1850-1921
The legal documents are arranged according to a scheme adopted in a schedule of documents drawn up in c 1875, in which each group (or 'packet') of documents was lettered from A to J. Later documents which obviously continue the series enumerated in A to J have been placed in continuation of the series, although the relevant documents are not mentioned in the schedule. It is to be noted that the documents mentioned in the schedule were undoubtedly original, but the documents listed here are for the great part copies which could have been drawn up at any time after the original transaction. The originals must have been kept by the solicitors. In addition, copy correspondence relating to the different transactions has been included in each group. Later groups of documents not mentioned in the schedule have been added on at the end. Although this arrangement may sound somewhat artificial, it seemed to be the one which reflected most closely the original archive.
392/15/2/ ESSEX HALL PREMISES 1850-1856
392/15/ PREMISES AT EARLSWOOD PURCHASED OUT OF NASH AND LAMBERT FAMILY ESTATES IN 1855-1856 1852-1853
This deed packet includes title to land of J Nash a bankrupt, bought by Andrew Reed for benefit of Asylum and bequeathed by his will of 1851, proved 1862 to his children, who sold the property to the Asylum.
392/15/4/ BRIDGE HOTEL 1854-1890
The Bridge Hotel was built in 1854, after Andrew Reed had bought the property and came to an agreement with Thomas Barefoot, victualler, to build the Hotel. It was bought by the Asylum, from Nalder & Collyer, and transformed into a private house for the Medical Superintendent in 1868
392/15/ KILL BROW OTHERWISE KILN BROW, EARLSWOOD 1864
392/15/ BURNSHAW, REIGATE 1862
392/15/ GIMBERLEYS, EARLSWOOD 1865
392/15/ BUILDING OF ADDITIONS TO THE ASYLUM 1863
392/15/ ASYLUM OFFICES, 36 KING WILLIAM STREET, LONDON 1874-1912
392/15/10/ HOOLEY FARM 1865-1878
Packet J. The British Land Company owned Hooley Farm in Reigate which it sold off in plots at different times. Earlswood gradually acquired the plots adjoining the Asylum, first probably to create a 'buffer' zone, and protect the boundaries of Earlswood, and later as an investment. Transactions up to 1875 only are listed in the schedule.
392/15/11/ GREAT HOOLEY MEAD 1903-1905
From about 1898, the Asylum authorities started discussing various plans to obtain money from their investment in Great Hooley Mead. They considered selling the estate in leasehold building plots, but this scheme was dropped when it was realised that its Charter did not entitle Earlswood to hold the freehold. Finally, it was agreed to sell the land as freehold plots. The greater part was acquired by S Barrow, while Reigate Corporation purchased a corner of it to build a school.
392/15/ IRELAND'S FARM 1887
392/15/13/ REIGATE TITHE RENT CHARGE 1894-1900
392/15/ WIDENING OF BRIDGE IN ST JOHN'S ROAD 1902
392/15/ WALTON ON THE NAZE SEASIDE HOME 1904
392/15/16/ REIGATE MANOR: PURCHASE AND EXCHANGE OF LAND 1871-1905
392/15/ LONDON BRIGHTON AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY 1902-1905
392/15/ OFFICE PREMISES 1913
392/15/ BOUNDARY DISPUTE, BAMBLETYE ESTATE 1920-1921
392/16/ PAPERS RELATING TO THE BUILDING, IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIR OF ASYLUM PROPERTY 1853-1918
392/17/ MORTGAGES 1855-1910
392/18/ FINANCIAL 1885-1947
See also -/12/-.
392/19/ LEGACY PAPERS AND REGISTERS 1899-1951
Until 1948 Earlswood was a charity, and highly dependent on its subscribers and donors. These papers should be used in conjunction with the case papers, (392/20/1-45) which include documents relating to legacies.
392/19/1/ LEGACY BOOKS 1889-1951
392/19/ LEGACY PAPERS 1900-1946
392/20/ LEGAL PAPERS, RELATING TO MAINTENANCE OF PATIENTS AND DISPUTED BEQUESTS 1850-1918
These papers relate mainly to disputed legacies, default in maintenance payments, settlement of trusts and bequests. The word case is used loosely, and legal proceedings did not necessarily follow.
392/21/ ADMISSION PAPERS 1852-1949
Various acts regulated the admission of patients into asylums and hospitals. The Act of 1853 (cap 100) which amended the Act of 1845 (cap 96) in that respect, emphasised that no fee paying patient should be admitted without an order for the reception of the patient, with a detailed statement about the condition of the patient and a medical certificate. Slightly different orders and medical certificates were used for pauper patients, but only few such certificates exist among these records. The Lunacy Amendment Act 1889 (cap 41) altered this procedure by introducing a petition for an order for the reception of a private patient. That is, relatives, were to ask Justices of the Peace to order the reception of the person of unsound mind. A statement of particulars was to be annexed to the petition. As before a medical certificate was necessary before admission could take place. The Lunacy Act of 1890 (cap 5) reiterated this procedure. Both the 1889 and the 1890 Act kept the different procedures for fee paying and rate-aided patients. On admission, a notice of admission was to be signed by the Superintendent. Legislation similarly regulated the transfer of patients from one Asylum to another. Orders for the reception; notices of admission; medical certificates; consents for transfers. The early records include admissions to Essex Hall. From 1890, a declaration of freedom from infection is appended. The papers are arranged in yearly bundles. Those for 1862 are missing. Records after 1900 were not as carefully kept as earlier ones, and many seem to be missing.
392/22/ MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE AND OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS c.1900-1946
392/22/ CIRCULARS c.1900-1952
392/22/ ROYAL ALBERT ASYLUM, LANCASTER 1906-1907
392/22/ ROYAL PATRONAGE 1960
392/22/ MENTAL DEFICIENCY ACT 1913 1908-1946
392/22/ STAFF 1945
392/23/ PRINTED PAMPHLETS, MAGAZINES AND BOOKLETS 1872-1969
392/24/ MISCELLANEA 19TH CENT-20TH CENT