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Records of Prestwich Hospital

1851-1974
Archives
Patient Records
Patient Casebooks 1891 - 1913; Private Patients Casebooks - Males 1851 - 1905, Females 1890-1924, Index 1885-1919; Chronic Patients Casebooks - Males 1857-1914, Females 1855-1904; Notice of Death Books 1891-1960; Registers of Deaths 1894-1948; Death Books Addresses of Relatives and Friends 1940-1964; Admissions Registers 1851-1951; Civil Registers - Certified Male Patients 1907-1935, Certified Female Patients 1907-1948, Voluntary Patients 1935-1948, Temporary Patients 1941-1948; Registers of Removals, Discharges and Deaths 1893-1906; Discharge Registers 1893-1946; Registers of Departures, Discharges and Transfers 1907-1945; Registers of Departures, Discharges and Deaths 1949-1973; Register of Patients Discharged to Friends 1909-1926; Escape Books 1851-1860, 1891-1970; Index Books 1893-1974; Index Books, Transfers to Rochdale Workhouse (Females) 1893-1917
Staff Records
Attendants Obligations Books 1872-1875, 1883-1898, 1902-1910, 1931-1944; Service Registers 1910-1943; Staff Changes Register 1937-1952; Attendants' Wages Books 1906-1925; Artisans Wages Book 1909-1910; Officers Salaries Books 1908-1952; Supplementary Wages Book 1940- 1947
Related Material:Earlier admission registers are in the custody of Lancashire County Record Office in Preston.
Place:/Prestwich/Prestwich with Oldham/Lancashire/England
Title:
Records of Prestwich Hospital
Date of work:
1851-1974
Reference number:
GB124.A.PRES
Level of description:
Fonds
Custodial history:
Prestwich Hospital was built as a result of the 1845 Lunatics Act which established a system of inspection of all types of lunatic asylums. A second act was passed during the same year that made it compulsory for county to erect an asylum for pauper lunatics.In 1846 the Quarter Session magistrates decided to erect the new asylum in the Salford Hundred because of overcrowding at Lancaster and that the institution at Haydock was expensive.In 1847 they purchased a site at Prestwich Woods. The site was chosen for it 'general air of salubrity' which was felt to be beneficial to patients and because of its proximity to the crowded areas of Salford and Manchester. It was originally intended for 500 lunatics or the 'morally depraved' as they were known. The site was purchased from Oswald Milne, a Manchester solicitor, for the sum of £11,412-4s-5d. Century House was the first part of the building that was erected at that time. When the asylum opened in 1851 it was inhabited by the medical superintendent who was in charge of the asylum. The other half by the hospital Chaplain.The original site contained the administration block which was attached to the rest of the wards, kitchens, dining rooms, and a distinctive water tower. Also chapel was also erected at this time.The newly built asylum received 350 patients at its opening on Jan 1851 but the site was eventually to accommodate over 3000 residents, a number not imagined by Parliament in 1845. Therefore extensive enlargements and re-building had to be made in order to house feed and maintain staff, patients and artisans who were needed to ensure the smooth running of such a large establishment.In 1853 additional provision was made increasing the total accommodated to 500.Eleven years later the first extensive enlargement was finished, two wards built to house 564 patients were opened this increasing capacity to 1000 places.. An Annexe known as Clifton House was erected in 1883 3/4 mile away from the main complex. A road ran through the grounds to connect them. It was built as a result of a smallpox outbreak and held 860 female patients.By 1922 Prestwich ceased to be known as an asylum and in December of that year was renamed the County Mental Hospital .and was administered by the Lancashire Asylums Board.Eleven years later the board was itself renamed the Mental Hospital Board. At this time the Mental Treatment Act was passed into law. This Act tried a more therapeutic outlook. Patients could apply for voluntary admission. Boards were therefore encouraged to make provision for out-patients. This brought psychiatry into the community and in a small way lessened the stigma of mental illness. Voluntary patients could be received without reception orders, could discharge themselves and could not accept treatment against their will.On the formation of the National Health Service in 1948, administration of the hospital passed to the Manchester Regional Hospital Board. In 1974 responsibility was that of Salford Mental Health Services.
Source:
The archive was deposited by Salford Mental Health Services at the Greater Manchester County Record Office in four separate deposits on 9th February 1997; 8th September 1997; 17th December 1997 and 13th January 1998
Access restrictions:
Restrictions varyRecords containing personal medical information about individuals are subject to one hundred years closure. Administrative records are subject to a 30 year closure. Staff records are subject to a 75 year closure.Contact for DP/FOI enquiries: foi@gmw.nhs.uk (Alex 0161 772 3430)Information GovernanceGreater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Trust,Oakwood Building,Bury New RoadPrestwichM25 3BLFor medical records contact: Julie.styles@gmw.nhs.uk (0161 772 3430)
Use restrictions:
Restrictions vary
General notes:
Arrangement:This material is arranged into series of similar formats. Each series is arranged chronologically
Record types:
COLLECTION
Language:
English
Record number:
7182149
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