DEP/ANO/9 | Volume of paintings of patients at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital | Volume with the title 'Bruised Reeds 1882' on the front cover. Contains twelve water colour paintings of patients at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. Each small painting is captioned with the patient's name and details of his case (all are male). There is also a painting on the first page of a pond in moonlight with reeds and a crow in a tree. The original manuscripts catalogue states that this is a copy of a volume held by the Lothian Health Services Archive amongst the Thomas Clouston papers. That volume is by John Myles (also known as Miles).
The additional information provided below about this volume and the portraits it contains was provided by Allan Beveridge in January 2020, based on his research in the Royal Edinburgh Asylum records held by the Lothian Health Services Archive (LHSA).
The LHSA has in its collections seven coloured drawings which are signed ‘JM’, and which give the patient’s name, their diagnosis, their patient number and their case book reference. The clinical information is written in pen, most probably by a clinician, and quite possibly by the Medical Superintendent of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, Dr Thomas Clouston.
This volume which the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh holds contains twelve painted portraits, six of the same patients as those in the LHSA series and six further patients. These paintings are unsigned and are much cruder in their execution, suggesting they were done by another artist. They have an accompanying hand-written text, which gives the patient’s name and provides a brief clinical vignette. The hand-writing is different from that of the LHSA series though they may have also been written by a clinician. They would appear to be copies of the original John Miles’s portraits as they are much less detailed and they are less refined in rendering the patient’s facial features and clothing.
John Miles was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 21 May 1881. He was 59 years old, married and described as a ‘Portrait Painter’. He was a pauper patient from Saint Cuthbert’s and he had been admitted via the Royal Infirmary. On 16 October 16 he was discharged ‘Recovered’.
The portraits:
Andrew Simpson was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 5 March, 1880. He was a 55 year-old married baker. He lived at 53 Bristo Street, Edinburgh and was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s. He was diagnosed with melancholia. He died in the asylum on 7 July 1883. His cause of death was given as: ‘Phthisis Pulmonalis’, ‘Kidney Disease’ and ‘Brain Disease’.
George Lumsden was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 22 July 22 1867. He was single and of no occupation. No age was given. His diagnosis was ‘Epileptic Imbecility’. He died in 1893 of ‘Epilepsy – 34 years. Pneumonia 3 days’. The accompanying text appears to be inaccurate, at least in terms of what the case notes state. He is called ‘James’, rather than ‘George’ and is said to have been blind since birth. This was not mentioned in the case notes and surely would have been if true. He was described as playing the violin not particularly well and to have a bad temper, though the case notes described him as good-natured.
George Dickson was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 6 May 1870. He was 60 years old, and had been admitted previously in 1852. He was widowed and a joiner. He lived at 3 North Saint James Street, Edinburgh. The existing attack had lasted 6 months. He was not epileptic, suicidal or dangerous.
James Laurie was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 20 January 1877. He was 13 years old. He had no education and was a pauper patient who was transferred from St Cuthbert’s Poorhouse. The predisposing factor was ‘Congenital’. On physical examination, James was found to be paralysed on the left side and his left foot was clubbed. He was epileptic. The diagnosis was ‘Idiocy’. On 7 November 1884, James died. The Cause of Death was Brain Disease and Phthisis Pulmonalis, duration one year. He was 20 years old.
William Archibald was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 1 January 1880. He was 28 years old, married and a cook. He lived at 25 East London Street, Edinburgh and was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s. The diagnosis was ‘General Paralysis’. On 24 January 1890, he died of Bronchopneumonia. The text says he was about 40 years old, though according to the case notes he was 30.
William Beattie was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on the 17 April 1880. He was 45 years old, single, and a tailor. He was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s and had been transferred from Dundee Royal Asylum. His Transfer Certificate recorded: ‘He is deaf, dumb, and in a frail state of bodily health’. The diagnosis was ‘Melancholia’.
William Walls was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 4 April 1879. He was 48 years old and was described as a married shopkeeper or merchant. He was a private patient and lived at 148 Links, Kirkcaldy. The diagnosis was ‘Melancholia’. In the text that accompanies his portrait, William Walls’s surname is misspelt as ‘Wells’. It also states that he was ‘ill through loose living’, though there is no mention of this in the case notes.
Thomas Shuster was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 20 September 1878. He was 23 years old, single and described as a labourer. He lived at 5 St John’s Hill, Edinburgh and was a pauper patient from St Cuthbert’s. The diagnosis was ‘Mania’. On 23 October 1878, Shuster was discharged recovered. Between 1879 and 1885 Shuster had four further admissions, all with the diagnosis of ‘Mania’. Shuster was eventually discharged relieved on 20 October 1890. His name is spelt wrongly and he is said to have suffered a shock through disappointment in love, whereas the case notes stated that the cause of insanity was ‘fright’.
David Thomson was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 1 April 1882. He was 24 years old, single and described as a mason. He was from St Cuthbert’s Parish. He was said to have a hereditary predisposition and was considered to be suicidal and dangerous. In November 1899, he was transferred to Craiglockhart, ‘Not Improved’.
Charles Young was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 8 March 1880. He was 36 years old, single and described as a journeyman and upholsterer. He lived at 204 Rose Street and was a pauper patient from the City Parish. The diagnosis was ‘General Paralysis’ and he died of ‘General Paralysis of the Insane’ on 3 December 1882.
James McNeil was admitted to the Royal Edinburgh Asylum on 1 June 1882. He was 66 years old, single and described as a labourer. He was a pauper patient from Inveresk Combination Poorhouse. The diagnosis was ‘Melancholia’. On 12 December, he died of heart disease and softening of the brain.
| 1882 |
DEP/ANO/37 | Regulations for the Keepers and Servants in the Lunatic Asylum, Edinburgh Charity Workhouse | A list of 14 regulations. | 1828 |
DEP/AWP/5/1/192 | Untitled essay on the destitute poor by William Pulteney Alison | On the spread of disease amongst the poor including those in workhouses. Draft copy. | 1820s - 1850s |
DEP/BRE/5/9 | Illustration by J Williamson for Byrom Bramwell's book 'Atlas of Clinical Medicine' | Illustration is framed in a modern (late 20th century) frame. On the back of the frame a note which appears to be contemporary with the illustration states 'Margaret Kettle, aged 89. Craiglockhart Workhouse, 1890. Is Sharp (though rather deaf) Violent temper, very blue eyes & remarkably wrinkled face. J. Williamson, port.'. | 1890 |
DEP/BRE/5/10 | Illustration by J Williamson for Byrom Bramwell's book 'Atlas of Clinical Medicine' | Illustration is framed in a modern (late 20th century) frame. On the back of the frame a note which appears to be contemporary with the illustration states 'Thomas Farmer, aged 82 Craiglockhart Workhouse, 1890. In a condition of senile dementia very deaf, sight little or nothing, expresses very little, eats well & general health is good. J. Williamson, port.'. | 1890 |
DEP/CRW/2/9 | [Loose papers relating to 'History of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh'] | Includes envelope of letters and notes on the Fettes Trust, George Heriot's Trust and Dean Orphanage and Caubin's Trust and the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse; draft preface; and queries passed between Miss Eaglesham, the typist, and Craig. | c1975-c1976 |
DEP/CUL/1/2/863/5 | General Meeting of the Small Pox Society | From the collection of William Cullen. Statement on the prevention of infection in 37 different places within Chester and list of those receiving thanks for observing the rules. These included Mr Bramwell who prevented the spread of small pox in the workhouse. | 9 Nov 1778 |
DEP/MOR/4/216 | Illustration captioned 'Surrey L A July 1846 imbecile blind man very useful[?]' | Illustration from the collection of Alexander Morison. Signed C [Charles] Gow. Reproduced in Morison’s 'Outlines of Lectures' (1848) plate 18.
'Richard S: Aged thirty-nine, an idiot from birth, has been all his life in the workhouse. This idiot is capable of some degree of education, and is employed in teazing hair for mattrasses [sic], and in turning a mangle. He is very subject to epileptic fits: his head is remarkably small, with a retreating forehead: he is nearly blind, and squints very much.' | 1846 |
DEP/MOR/4/247 | Illustration captioned 'Mania without delusion Hanwell' | Illustration from the collection of Alexander Morison. Plate 97 of Morison’s 'The Physiognomy of Mental Diseases' (1840). Unsigned [Alexander Johnston].
'Portrait of D. H. aged 31.
This is an unmarried female who resided with her parents until the age of sixteen years, when she began to wander from place to place, and to absent herself whole nights from their roof; she was continually in mischief – striking people, tearing her clothes, and breaking windows, until she became quite unmanageable at home, and was removed to the workhouse; here she manifested the same mischievous disposition, and was so violent in her conduct that at the age of twenty-one she was sent to the County Lunatic Asylum, where she remained six months, and was discharged at the desire of the parish authorities. She had no sooner returned to the workhouse, then she set fire to her bed; upon which she was sent to the asylum, where she continued about six years, manifesting the same michievous [sic] propensities, and exhibiting a great desire to attract observation; at her earnest desire another trial was given her at the workhouse; she remained three weeks, and has been again sent to the asylum, where she now is. This female has never exhibited insane ideas, although her conduct has been so unruly and mischievous.' | c1840 |
DEP/POR/1/14 | Petition to the Trustees of the Middle District of Roads, County of Edinburgh | From the correspondence collection of Richard Poole. The petition concerns the dangerous condition of Teviot Row and suggests an arrangement with the Charity Workhouse to build a new Asylum and thereby realign their wall. | 1840s |
DEP/POR/3/32/2/13 | Circular from the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse | From the collection of Richard Poole. Invitation to Poole to attend the meeting of ordinary managers. | 2 Dec 1827 |
DEP/POR/3/35/4/6 | Journal in 1828 - St Vincent's - Notes on Waterford Asylum, Ireland by Richard Poole junior | The journal is of his personal and working life while working on the island of St Vincent and covers 20th September to 5th November 1828. Although the notes are on Waterford Asylum it had not yet received any inmates so he describes the conditions of the charity workhouse where lunatics are currently housed. | 20 Sep 1828-c1835 |
DEP/POR/5/4 | Statistical information on asylums in England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland | From the collection of Richard Poole. Includes list of contents; statistical tables of the proportional numbers of patients in nine classes of medical condition in England, Ireland and Scotland, c1842; abstract of the census of Ireland, 1841; return of the number of insane in Irish workhouses, 1843; state of cases (curable, incurable etc) in Irish asylums, 1843; analysis of reports from the following asylums - Hanwell, St Luke's, Wakefield, Gloucester, Nottingham, York, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, 1842-43 including tabular view of salaries and general view of expenses in Irish asylums; abridged abstract of returns as to number of pauper lunatics chargeable to parishes with average costs, 1842; ratio of insane as to populations in different counties, 1844; summary of queries as to asylum statistics; list of English County asylums; and general conclusions as to returns for England and Wales. | 1841-1843 |
DEP/POR/5/9 | Dietaries from various sources [collected by Richard Poole] | Includes diets for patients (some printed) at lunatic asylum near Exeter and Lunatic Asylums at Kent, Suffolk, Staffordshire General, Lincoln, Northampton, old and new Hanwell, Surrey, West Riding of York, Belfast District, Waterford District (and Waterford County Gaol), Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Edinburgh City and Montrose with a comparative table; fare of seamen on board merchant vessels at Montrose; diet for prisoners in Scotland; diet table for Edinburgh Charity Workhouse; dietary in use in the North Dublin Union Workhouse; and analyses of reports from St Luke's, Hanwell, Wakefield, Gloucester, Lincoln, Northampton, York, Waterford, Armagh, Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum, Edinburgh Bedlam, Dundee, Aberdeen and Montrose.
Exeter asylum diet has been mounted on a modern mount (late 2019) and as a result has been removed from this folder and is filed separately. | 1841-1844 |
DEP/POR/5/13 | E - [Material concerning Edinburgh Charity Workhouse and Bedlam] | From the collection of Richard Poole. | 1828-c1850 |
DEP/POR/5/13/1 | List of contents of Material concerning Edinburgh Charity Workhouse and Bedlam | From the collection of Richard Poole. | c1850 |
DEP/POR/5/13/4 | General reports, accounts etc [relating to the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse] | From the collection of Richard Poole. Includes copy of resolution of the managers of the Charity Workhouse, 1806; accounts of meetings of the managers of the Charity Workhouse; statement of the expenditure of the lunatic asylum, 1833-4, 1834-5 with note on arrears; statistics on patient admissions; list of patients in the lunatic asylum, 1834; statement of patients admitted, 1825-1834; return of boarders in Bedlam, 1830-31; and comparison of the accounts of Mr Mackay and Mr Bowie. | 30 Jun 1831-30 Jun 1835 |
DEP/POR/5/13/5 | Regulations and general reports [of the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse] | From the collection of Richard Poole. Includes blank certificate for confinement of lunatics, 1830s; photocopy of the regulations of the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse (original lent to Glasgow Museums and may not have been returned); general report of the Lunatic Department of the Charity Work-House of the City of Edinburgh for the year 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831-1832; abstract of receipt and expenditure of the Canongate Charity Workhouse, 1833-34, 1835-36; abstract of the receipt and expenditure of the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse 1833-1834, 1834-1835; defences of John Learmonth and others against the Royal Bank, 1834; letter from J O Mack on the action by the Royal Bank against the managers of the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse; and view of the prospective income and expenditure of the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse for the current year 1843-44 compared with actual receipt and outlay 1842-43. | 1828-1843 |
DEP/POR/5/13/6 | Excerpt from minutes of the College on appointment of committee for inquiry respecting conditions... | From the collection of Richard Poole. In first folder: excerpt from minutes on appointment of a committee to investigate the general condition of lunatics in Edinburgh; minutes of presbytery of Edinburgh; list of committee members; and memoranda on the proceedings of the committee by Poole with list of contents.
In second folder letters concerning the committee from: William Pulteney Alison; Lewis Balfour concerning the establishment of a hospital for pauper lunatics; Alexander Boswell; Richard Thompson of the Canongate Charity Workhouse in answer to Poole's queries; Andrew Combe; draft from Poole to Dr Davidson quoting a letter from Dr Malcolm on provincial lunatic asylums; from J H Forbes (Lord Medwyn) to Dr Davidson on same; Archibald Duff; John Sinclair with a report of the Town Council committee supporting a new establishment for pauper lunatics; Adam Black of the Town Council's Treasurer's Committee asking for more details on a possible asylum with Poole's draft reply; secretary of the Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum agreeing to meet with the College; John Gairdner; note on lunatics boarded in the parish of Dunfermline provided by Gairdner; Mr Grant who intends to put Poole's letter on a new asylum to his Kirk Session; Lord Haddington describing the failing of his bill on county asylums; Robert Haldane on the expenses to the parish of St Andrews of pauper lunatics; J D Lauder; letter from Dr Levins supporting Poole's efforts agreeing to a meeting on lunatics with the Sheriff, Mr Duff and enclosing Poole's letter with notes added on expenditure on lunatics by South Leith parish; Thomas Lothian on a payment to the managers of the Lunatic Asylum in 1808; William Malcolm enclosing a report on the asylum in Perth; James Malcolm to John Robertson enclosing an extract from the Cordiner's minute book concerning a grant made to the lunatic asylum; John Robertson describing his report on pauper lunatics; William Brown of the College of Surgeons on a committee to support that of the College of Physicians'; James Thomson on a meeting of the managers of the Charity Workhouse; Thomas Weir on a committee of the Leith Kirk Session on the proposed asylum; William M Little, West Kirk Charity Workhouse on expenses on pauper lunatics; and Adam White on the role of the magistrates of Leith in caring for lunatics. | 1834-1836 |
DEP/POR/5/15 | Some Documents respecting Charity Workhouse concerns as also touching the House of Refuge and Dr... | From the collection of Richard Poole. | 1835-c1850 |