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18 highcroft road

grandaughter82

grandaughter82

master brummie
hi was this the high croft hospital and not a house? just received death certificate for back in 1953 of my great great nan.
it states 18 Highcroft Road U.D
:)
 
Yes it was Highcroft Hospital. I also have a death certificate with that address, from 1976. This particular lady in my family went into what was then Erdington House in about 1913, never to leave.
 
sounds like a sad story shortie :(

im doing some googling and im gathering it was an asylum? or was it also used as a hopital?
do you think my great great nan was in the asylum?
 
My Uncle was a nurse there for some years. Not sure why but he moved to Essex and started work on the Track at Fords - less stress maybe?
 
Bernie D'Boult said:
My Uncle was a nurse there for some years. Not sure why but he moved to Essex and started work on the Track at Fords - less stress maybe?
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when did he work there? wonder what it was like in 1953? ive also got a birth certificate stating the same great great nan gave birth in 1910 same place who dies at birth :( but when im googling it comes up saying its an asylum or was it used as a public hosiptal? can u access medical records?
 
It is a sad story indeed. It was a mental institution firstly Erdington House, then Highcroft Hall, then hospital, over the years. It was not used as a normal medical hospita (but it may have been during the war, I don't know for surel.

I would not get worried about it if I was you, in days gone by people used to be put away for all sorts of reasons. Epilepsy, for one. Depression for another. In my particular case, this was my grandfather's sister. She became pregnant apparently by her brother (but which one we don't know), and was put in the home by her father, who I understand was a bit of a brute. I am in touch with a member of the family who used to have her visit them. She was picked up in the car, taken for a day to join the family (her neice's home) but she spoke little, and when she was driven back, she just used to get out of the car and run into the building without looking back. She was not mentally unstable initially, but I think it must have 'rubbed off' on her. The nurses in there used to treat her very well, she used to help with the other patients, and apparently used to do the most beautiful embroidery. She was happy in a limited kind of way. I don't know what happened to her child, but I believe it was a boy.

I suspect your great nan would have been in the asylum, but don't go thinking too much into it, it may have not been much at all. What was the cause of death?
 
I was brought up almost across the road from Highcroft hospital, my exhusbands mother worked there in the 1950/60s.

It was in different sections one of which was what used to be called a Geriatric hospital, elderly people not able to care for themselves were admitted and stayed until they passed away.
Many elderly people in Highcroft had been there since it was a workhouse called the Aston Union (Aston union opened in 1869 later to become Erdington house in 1911.and Highcroft hospital in 1942.)
In 1911 the children from Highcroft were transferred to the Cottage homes across the road.

Another hospital area was for patients with mental problems.
I had a friend who was admitted after suffered a 'nervous breakdown in 1969.

It is now housing development, houses and apartments but approached through the original Archway.
 
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My grandmother died there in 1938. I requested access at the Birmingham library Archives searchroom on a readers ticket for the records and viewed them. They were very interesting. They explain when she was admitted,what for and also what treatment she was given.
regards John
 
Taht's very interesting John. I also requested access and was told I would have to write a letter, which I did, then a reply told me I would have to contact something to do with the mental heath people. Can't remember exactly. Highcroft was Erdington House initially and Erdington House is where my gt aunt was admitted, but she died in 1976 when the name was Highcroft. I suspect from the tone of my reply the person I who read my letter had not got a clue about the establishment at all. This was a while ago, but when the library moves, I shall ask again.
 
Hi!
sorry for the reply she died from AURICULAR FIBRILLATION / MITRAL STENOSIS.

i have recently been looking up where her grave location is i have drawn a blank so far. most of my relatives are in witton cem including her husband she isnt :( my grandad is the informant on both of their certificates so i would of thought he would of buried her in same place as his dad? witton have no emaily jane steeles 1953 in their records. so the hunt is still on.

what i would like to know is if being a patient from highcroft they were buried somewhere else??

im also going to book to go to bham library as i live in birmingham to try see if they have any patient records on her? or is there an address you write to?
 
Well that gives no indication of mental illness, that is two heart problems there. There is the possibily that she may have been cremated - perhaps as she was at Highcroft they would have preferred it? Birmingham Crematorium will be able to provide the answer, and then you can look elsewhere if she was not cremated. Highcroft patients usually went to Witton, unless there was a family grave elsewhere, but it would appear not in your case. I did have an address to write to when the hospital was open, but asking at the library is the best course of action. The records may not be available because of the move to new premises, but you may be able to view via an appointment. Please let us know if you find an address as I would like to do the same, and I am sure there will be others on this Forum who will appreciate knowing.
 
ah cremation thankyou! :) will get onto that one. i think the reason why that didnt pop into my mind was because the rest of my family are buried no cremations. interesting will look into that one.

Is there a reason why highcroft would suggest that?

my nan and grandad have kept this close to their chest as my father (their son) grew up without his nan (emily jane steeles) being mentioned at all what so ever he didnt even know her name. very sad :(
it wasnt until my nan and grandad passed away whilst clearing their house i cam accross a telegram to my grandad stating his mom was very ill in highcroft hall hospital which started my path to finding out about her. she also gave birth to a son who died at birth at the city asylum lodge road in 1910 a year and half after she gave birth to my grandad. i have done some census researching and i cant find where she was living but i found my grandad living as an adopted child same street few doors down from his father no emily living with him.?? so this is what makes me think she was in a mental hosptial??
 
Hi grandaughter82

There is a burial at Warstone Lane for an Emily Jane Steeles. Register No. 101984.

The only thing is, it states year of burial as 1954 and I note she died in 1952 and was registered JFM 1953.
I wonder if the burial record on BMSGH has the incorrect year?

Just a thought:)

Suzanne
 
I should imagine that Highcroft had no part in it, I think it would be the family wanting to keep it hidden, that is if that is what happened to her. It all sounds rather sad to me. My grandfather's sister who was not mentally ill, was put in Highcroft in about 1913. She claimed her brother made her pregnant and that is what happened to pregnant girls quite often in those cruel times. She did have epilepsy, but that is no reason to have anyone put away. Her father then disappeared off to London. I would think that she may have suffered from something like depression, which although carried little or no stigma today, was treated differently in those days because no-one really understood it. Either that or a long-term mental condition - hence the birth in Lodge Road Asylum. My gt gt grandmother, who was seemingly fine for most of her life died in Gloucester Lunatic Asylum. I feel lucky because they were at the forefront in Gloucester of good and kind treatment to those with mental illnesses. Her granddaughter had died, aged 5 in 1875, and as she had depression, I was wondering if the death caused the illness? Her DC states 'atrophy due to melancholia'. Terribly terribly sad I think.

I think for you, it would be worth looking at the Lodge Road admissions before you take on Highcroft - that should give you an idea, and as it's the first time you have a hint of any problem, there may be something in the admissions. This all sounds very interesting, so do let us know.
 
Thankyou have inboxed you

smtr said:
Hi grandaughter82

There is a burial at Warstone Lane for an Emily Jane Steeles. Register No. 101984.

The only thing is, it states year of burial as 1954 and I note she died in 1952 and was registered JFM 1953.
I wonder if the burial record on BMSGH has the incorrect year?

Just a thought:)

Suzanne
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Thankyou for the advice. i think i will start by following the lead from lodge road see where that takes me. :)

its very sad how relatives who were in these places were looked on in shame :( for something like depression but like you say it simply wasnt understood back then.

will keep everyone upto date with what i find.


Shortie said:
I should imagine that Highcroft had no part in it, I think it would be the family wanting to keep it hidden, that is if that is what happened to her. It all sounds rather sad to me. My grandfather's sister who was not mentally ill, was put in Highcroft in about 1913. She claimed her brother made her pregnant and that is what happened to pregnant girls quite often in those cruel times. She did have epilepsy, but that is no reason to have anyone put away. Her father then disappeared off to London. I would think that she may have suffered from something like depression, which although carried little or no stigma today, was treated differently in those days because no-one really understood it. Either that or a long-term mental condition - hence the birth in Lodge Road Asylum. My gt gt grandmother, who was seemingly fine for most of her life died in Gloucester Lunatic Asylum. I feel lucky because they were at the forefront in Gloucester of good and kind treatment to those with mental illnesses. Her granddaughter had died, aged 5 in 1875, and as she had depression, I was wondering if the death caused the illness? Her DC states 'atrophy due to melancholia'. Terribly terribly sad I think.

I think for you, it would be worth looking at the Lodge Road admissions before you take on Highcroft - that should give you an idea, and as it's the first time you have a hint of any problem, there may be something in the admissions. This all sounds very interesting, so do let us know.
Click to expand...
 
What an interseting thread. I also have a relative who died here. He was 84 and died in 1946 of pneumonia but a 2nd cause is stated as senility so I'm assuming the family found him hard to cope with as he would have had what we now would call 'Dementia'.
I'm glad to have found out the meaning of the address. He previously lived in Small Heath so I'm guessing this was the nearest place that older people could be placed if they had mental health issues.
I'm so glad that elderly care has improved since then. No wonder so many older people are afraid of going into a care home though. They must think it's going to be like the old asylums. :blue:
 
Maggiebee - the DC I have also says senility, however, he had bronchial pneumonia, myocardial degeneration, and arterial stenosis too. I did wonder if the 'senility' was just the fact he was old. His grandson who is still alive at nearly 98 does not remember any mental incapacity at all, and it was he who registered the death. It's also worth remembering that Rubery Hill also catered for the chronically sick as well as the mentally ill, so maybe Highcroft did also. I am meeting the grandson again shortly, so I shall enquire further - maybe the length of time he was in the hospital would indicate whether there was a mental impairment or if senility just meant aged.
 
Just had another thought on this subject - my late father in law was diagnosed in the 1960's with what was then called Senile Diabetes - now we know that as Type 2. Senile meaning late-onset one would think - he was only in his 40's at the time, and certainly not demented. Then I thought that years ago dementia was known as Senile Dementia, so I looked up senile in the New Oxford. Senile just means 'feebleness, etc, associated with old age' (and another few words but this was the main drift). Senility did not mean anything other than 'aged' I would suspect.
 
Shortie said:
Maggiebee - the DC I have also says senility, however, he had bronchial pneumonia, myocardial degeneration, and arterial stenosis too. I did wonder if the 'senility' was just the fact he was old. His grandson who is still alive at nearly 98 does not remember any mental incapacity at all, and it was he who registered the death. It's also worth remembering that Rubery Hill also catered for the chronically sick as well as the mentally ill, so maybe Highcroft did also. I am meeting the grandson again shortly, so I shall enquire further - maybe the length of time he was in the hospital would indicate whether there was a mental impairment or if senility just meant aged.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, Shortie. Yes, everything you say makes perfect sense. In a strange way it's rather a relief!
 
2 of my grandparents died in Highcroft in the 60s. One certificate states cause of death "Cardiovascular degeneration and senility" the other "Bronchopneumonia and senility". Both certs give the address as number 18.
 
This is a very interesting thread - my great great aunt, Emily Litherland died there too in 1948 (she'd previously been a resident at Calthorpe Nursing home 1945 Highbury Hall 1947 : it became a home for elderly women in 1932). As yet I don't know what Emily died of - she's one of the not-directly related ancestors that I will eventually get round to investigating further.
 
I had several friends who worked there as nurses in the late fifties early sixties. I never visited there myself but did socialise with many of the staff. This is my personal view but I feel that although it called itself a mental hospital, I feel it was still a mental asylum. I am sad to say, again, a purely personal opinion, that mental treatment was still quite predudiced and primitive. I wouldn't use the term mental care for those days. For example, ect (electro convulsive treatment) was standard, I had a lovely aunt who was treated with it. Comparable with, if your tv or other contraption fails to work bang it or give it a kick. (sorry to be so negative but in my view some attitudes in that field were appalling)
 
I am glad I read this read as 18 Highcroft Road comes across as a normal residential home which clearly it isn't. I have a relative Edwin Henry Barker who died on 6 July at Highcroft Road. He previously lived in Metchley Lane Harborne. I will order his death certificate and report back on his cause of death.
 
You will find that most of the hospitals have a 'normal' address, Selly Oak is 1a Raddlebarn Road, Dudley Road was 77 Dudley Road - why it was like that I don't know, but it may have been to save embarrassment in the case of poverty perhaps and mental illness.
 
I have Edwin Henry Barker's death certificate and its states he died from bronchial pneumonia plus 2 cardio related problems. You never know with these things. The Doctor present may have taken into account the family wishes and detailed the physical causes rather than their state of mind. The death certificate i have is quite illegible and I will have to investigate further.
 
As I understand it the death certificate would only list the main causes of death, it would not include any other conditions that did not contribute to his death.

Colin
 
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