Week 23 (June 3-9): Health

The theme for #52Ancestors this week is "Health", and this has had me looking back in my records not only for information on the physical health of my ancestors but also their mental health. Over the years of my research I have discovered several ancestors who spent time in institutions such as workhouses, orphanages and lunatic asylums.  Two of my Great Great grandfathers died in lunatic asylums, both from what we understand today to be some form of dementia.

For many families, caring for an elderly relative, especially one who had developed dementia, was simply not possible, and before the rise of affordable nursing homes and old age care there were few places where the elderly could be cared for.  In times when dementia was little understood and any kind of mental illness carried a weight of social stigma for the family as well as the sufferer, hiding the person away in an institution was a frequent solution.  Others, unable to care for themselves because of their deteriorating mental and physical state, were arrested for various reasons and ended up before the courts.  Many were committed to the lunatic asylums, spending their declining years in conditions that today we would consider inhumane and totally unacceptable.

A number of these records are now online.  Did your ancestor spend time in an asylum in Victoria, Australia?  You may be able to access their records through Ancestry and the Public Records Office of Victoria.  

Information on Ancestry includes: Victorian Asylum Records between 1853-1940 from the Public Record Office Victoria.  The following information will typically be found:

• Name of patient
• Age and birth place of patient
• Date admitted into Asylum
• Reason they were admitted
• Photographs and physician notes also occassionally appear

If your ancestor died in a Victorian lunatic asylum, there will also be an inquest into their death.  The inquest records relate to deaths that occurred  when a person died suddenly, was killed, died whilst in prison, drowned, died whilst a patient in an asylum, or was an infant ward of the state and died under suspicious circumstances, among other circumstances.  These are available online at the PROV.  Inquest records up to the year 1937 have been digitised and can be viewed online. Inquest records from 1938 onwards are not digitised and can only be viewed in the reading room after you place an order.

The content of the records varies over time. Each file may contain:

• the Coroner’s verdict on the cause of death
• names of the jurors
• depositions of evidence given by witnesses called
• a copy of the Victoria Police report
• exhibits, photographs, copies of autopsy reports and other medical reports (these are more common from the 1950s onwards).

Edward Beseler was one of my great great grandfathers, and this was to be his fate.

Edward Beseler was born in 1836 in Neubukow, Germany and emigrated to Australia as a child with his parents and 4 siblings.  The family arrived in Adelaide in 1847 on the ship Pauline, living in South Australia for several years before traveling to Victoria, settling on a farm in Ercildown.

Edward was naturalised as an Australian citizen in 1863, and married Emma Flower in 1865.  Emma was born 19 September 1841 in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales and died 1 August 1882 in Donald, Victoria.  Together the couple had 10 children.

By 1900, Edward was in his 60s and showing signs of dementia.  Matters came to a head in 1909 when he appeared in court (see report below) on the charge of having insufficient means of support, was found to be insane and an order of commitment was made.

From the Ballarat Star, 4 February 1909

Edward was admitted to the Ararat Mental Asylum, where he was assessed, found to be suffering from senility, and committed to the wards.  In his asylum record he is described at the time of his admission as being in fair bodily health for his age, clean and tidy but difficult to communicate with as he was quite deaf and illiterate, and described as suffering from delusions.  While there are only a few doctor's notes in his file, by 1917 Edward's health was deteriorating and he died in the asylum on 7 December 1918, only a few months short of 10 years after his admission.  Thanks to Ancestry and the PROV, I have his Asylum record and his Inquest report, giving me a great deal of information about Edward's health late in life, both physical and mental.

Life In and Out of Lockdown

As several states around the country move in and out of lockdown, it is worthwhile to once again urge people to record their memories of the pandemic.  Around the country, many archives and libraries are recording for future generations people's experiences of the crisis.  As family historians, we need to do the same thing and record our own experiences of this time.

The Covid19 pandemic has been (and still is) a major historical event.  For all of us who have lived through it, there will be memories of Covid, both positive and negative, that stand out.  There are new routines, changes in how we live, work, communicate, shop, relax, learn, and more.  We all have seen stark images of police blockading state borders, empty streets at midday in our cities, supermarkets during panic buying or opening with stripped shelves.  Then there are the more personal experiences - business closures and work stand downs, learning to work from home or change our daily routines.

Then there are the positive experiences.  Teddy bears and rainbows in windows, people standing at the end of their driveways on ANZAC Day, clap for carers, support we have received from friends colleagues and neighbors, the joy of getting out and about after lockdowns ease.  For many of us the simple pleasures in life have taken on new significance as we rediscover them after the trial of lockdowns.

Here are a few questions you might consider when recording your personal experiences of Covid-19.

• What are you most grateful for during this covid-19 crisis? 
• What are some of the images that will stay with you of the pandemic?
  
• What have you missed most during full or partial lock-down? 
  
• What changes have you seen in your life over the last few months? 
  
• Have you been participating in virtual gatherings with friends or family?
  
• Have you taken up new hobbies during the lockdowns? 
  
• Are you cooking or gardening more? 
  
• How have the closures affected your local community? 
  
• Have in-person meetings been replaced with virtual meetings via Zoom, Skype etc? 
  
• Do you enjoy the virtual meeting format? 
  
• Are you working from home instead of in your usual place of work?
  
• Have you had to cancel travel plans for pleasure or family? 
  
• Have you/others been wearing masks when out and about in your area?  
• Will you change your lifestyle after this experience?
  

Memories of Covid-19

As restrictions due to the global pandemic ease for us in Australia, many archives and libraries are recording for future generations people's experiences of the crisis.  As family historians, we need to do the same thing and record our own experiences of this time.

The Covid19 pandemic has been (and still is) a major historical event.  For all of us who have lived through it, there will be memories of Covid, both positive and negative, that stand out.  There were, and still are, new routines, changes in how we live, work, communicate, shop, relax, learn, and more.  We will never forget the sight of police blockading state borders, images of empty streets at midday in our cities, the shock of walking into a supermarket and seeing panic buying or stripped shelves.  Then there are the more personal experiences - business closures and work stand downs, learning to work from home or change our daily routines.

Then there are the positive experiences.  Teddy bears and rainbows in windows, people standing at the end of their driveways on ANZAC Day, the joy of getting out and about after lockdowns ease.  For many of us the simple pleasures in life have taken on new significance as we rediscover them after the trial of lockdowns.

For myself, there are a number of memories I have recorded already.  Living in a border town, the sight of police on the bridge between our twin towns came as a shock the first time I saw them, even though I already knew they were there.  There was the shock and uncertainty of being stood down from my job, not once but twice.  The sight of neighbours all out standing at the end of their driveways for dawn service on ANZAC Day.  The friends who appeared on the road outside my house to sing 'Happy Birthday' to me (in an appropriately socially distanced manner) when my 50th birthday fell during the second big lockdown.

These stories are all part of my personal contribution to my family history and I hope that one day, years from now, family members will look back at the stories and emotions I have recorded and it will help them understand the impact Covid19 has had on our lives.

The Pandemic One Year In

It has now been over a year since the emergence of Covid-19 changed our world in so many ways.  While here in Australia we have certainly not seen the worst of the pandemic, it has nonetheless had a massive impact on our daily lives.  there have been lockdowns, border closures, limits on meeting numbers, business closures and stand-downs at work, and the daily stress of not knowing how long the restrictions will last.  Living in a border town, seeing police on the bridge and helping people fill out border passes at the library where I work is something I will never forget.

Genealogically speaking, the biggest impact for me has been the loss of face-to-face meetings.  How I have missed chatting face-to-face with Genea-mates and the networking and idea sharing that goes hand in hand with meetings and conferences.  Online meetings just are not the same.

Despite the down side of online meetings, however, the rise of virtual conferences has allowed me to attend inter-state and overseas meetings that I would never have been able to attend in reality.  The genealogical community has pulled together, made use of the internet like never before, and been a huge step in providing so many of us isolated at home with interest, stimulation and contact.

The list of those who have made information and resources available online during the pandemic seems almost endless.  Rootstech went completely virtual last month - not to mention also completely free.  Ancestry allowed many libraries and other institutions to allow Ancestry Library Edition to be accessed remotely by members when the normal in-house only use became impossible due to closures.  Family History Down Under, an Australian genealogy conference scheduled for later this month in Queensland, has also gone virtual, as has the Really Useful Family History Show in the UK in April.  The National Archives UK has made all their digital records free to access while they are closed.  The list goes on.

The efforts of all these groups and companies in taking their services online cannot be underestimated, and I would like to send a huge thank you to them all, those I have mentioned in this post and the many, many others.  You have helped keep us sane over the past year - kept us researching, learning, chatting and helping each other.  Well done to you all.

A Sad Demise

Over the years of my research I have discovered several ancestors who spent time in institutions such as workhouses, orphanages and lunatic asylums.  Two of my Great Great grandfathers died in lunatic asylums, both from what we understand today to be dementia.

For many families, caring for an elderly relative, especially one who had developed dementia, was simply not possible, and before the rise of affordable nursing homes and old age care there were few places where the elderly could be cared for.  In times when dementia was little understood and any kind of mental illness carried a weight of social stigma for the family as well as the sufferer, hiding the person away in an institution was a frequent solution.  Others, unable to care for themselves because of their deteriorating mental state, were arrested for various reasons and ended up before the courts.  Many ended up in lunatic asylums, spending their declining years in conditions that today we would consider inhumane and totally unacceptable.  For my ancestor Edward Beseler, this was to be his fate.

Edward Beseler was born in 1836 in Neubukow, Germany and emigrated to Australia as a child with his family, father Carl Friedrich Beseler, mother Susetta Eva (Lisette) nee Farchens and 4 siblings.  The family arrived in Adelaide in 1847 on the ship Pauline, with the ship's passenger list describing Carl Beseler as a shoemaker.  The family lived in Adelaide for several years before travelling to Victoria, settling on a farm in Ercildown.

Edward was naturalised as an Australian citizen in 1863, and married Emma Flower in 1865.  Emma was born 19 September 1841 in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales and died 1 August 1882 in Donald, Victoria.  Together the couple had 10 children.

By 1900, Edward was in his 60s and showing signs of dementia.  Matters came to a head in 1909 when he appeared in court (see report below) on the charge of having insufficient means of support, was found to be insane and an order of commitment was made.

From the Ballarat Star, 4 February 1909

Edward was admitted to the Ararat Mental Asylum, where he was assessed, found to be suffering from senility, and committed to the wards.  In his asylum record below he is described at the time of his admission as being in fair bodily health for his age, clean and tidy but difficult to communicate with as he was quite deaf and illiterate, and described as suffering from delusions.  While there are only a few doctor's notes in his file, by 1917 Edward's health was deteriorating and he died in the asylum on 7 December 1918, only a few months short of 10 years after his admission.

Asylum Record page 1

Asylum Record page 2

Asylum Record page 3

The Crazy month of May 2020 meme: pandemic experiences

I’ve seen a few genealogists posting their responses to the Covid-19 crisis and how it has changed their lives, so thought I would post my own responses as I restart my genealogy blog after the break while stood down from work.

What are you most grateful for during this covid-19 crisis? 
That I live in Australia, which has certainly fared better than many other countries.  I’m grateful for friends and family, to all the people who have stood up and pulled together during the pandemic, made the necessary changes to their lives to limit the outbreak and keep each other safe.  I’m glad I was able to work during at least part of the stand down, only spending a few weeks stood down from my job, and especially glad to be back at work, even in a somewhat limited capacity as we practice social distancing and keep working to limit risks of transmission within the community.

What have you missed most during the full or partial lock-down? 
Being able to get in the car and go anywhere I please.  Simple things like browsing through shops, having coffee with friends, going to the cinema or a restaurant when I please.

What changes have you seen in your life over the last few months? 
Certainly I am going out less, changing my usual habits to practice social distancing and keep safe.  While I have never considered myself to be particularly social, not being able to go out, meet friends, stroll through shops and chat face to face with workmates has made significant differences to life.

Have you been exercising more or less?
During the time I spent not working I tried to keep busy and keep moving, doing jobs around the house and garden, but not going out has definitely impacted my activity levels.

Has the refrigerator been your friend or foe?
A little of both.

Have you been participating in virtual gatherings with friends or family?
Some, although there are times when my internet connection can be a little slow.  I think many of us have found ourselves using technology to communicate a lot more that before the pandemic.

Have you taken up new hobbies during the lockdowns? 
The ones I have already have been enough, plus the projects around the house I have finally made time for.  Certainly being stood down from work meant more time for my hobbies than usual.

Are you cooking or gardening more? 
I have never been much of a cook – or a gardener – but during lockdown I have definitely done more of both.  Dinners were occasionally more elaborate and I even found myself baking a few cakes and scones.  The garden also shows some improvement from the extra attention.

Have you found the changes and experience stressful/anxious/worrying? 
I think there would be few who have not.  Being stood down from work was certainly stressful, but I was also aware of being much better off than many, knowing my job would still exist afterwards and having enough leave stored to see me through.

How have the closures affected your local community? 
I know many businesses are struggling and some may not survive.  There are too many who have lost their jobs – either temporarily through stand-downs of permanently through business closures, and the losses will continue to be felt for months to come.  While so many have struggled, it has been wonderful to see so many pulling together to look after each other and help out friends and neighbors.

Have in-person meetings been replaced with virtual meetings via Zoom, Skype etc? 
In some areas, yes, it has certainly been a change.  Living in a country town online attendance to meetings has always been an option, but it is much more common now.

Do you enjoy the virtual meeting format? 
Sometimes.  It can be difficult missing out on face to face contact and the ability to chat to friends and colleagues during breaks.  Meetings are all very well, it is the networking and socializing that happens around the edges that I miss.   

Are you working from home instead of in your usual place of work? 
No – after we closed to the public and shut everything down staff were stood down. 

Have you had to cancel travel plans for pleasure or family? 
Yes.  I had been planning a trip for an upcoming significant birthday (50^th!!) and those plans have had to be cancelled.  I will look into something closer to home in the meantime, and look to a bigger trip next year.  Australia has plenty to offer, places I have never been, and I think local travel will be the only option for months to come.

Have you/others been wearing masks when out and about in your area? 
Not many masks locally, but there have been a few around.  I haven’t worn one yet but have used gloves and plenty of hand sanitizer (when I could get it), and am much more aware of things like wiping shopping trolley handles and washing thoroughly when I get home.

Will you change your lifestyle after this experience? 
I think there will be ongoing changes for many people, in the way we live, shop and work.  While many things will return to normal it is very much a case of ‘wait and see’.

Scottish Mental Health and Paternity Records

Graham and Emma Maxwell, genealogists at Maxwell Ancestry, have developed the Scottish Indexes website with a wealth of resources to help you trace your Scottish family tree online. They have a large collection of indexes, from unique sources such as prison and court records to more commonly used sources such as birth, marriage, death and census records. While currently many records are from the south of Scotland, their Quaker records and mental health records cover all of Scotland, and more records from other areas of Scotland are to be added soon.

Online record sets include :

• Pre-1841 Censuses and Population Lists
• 1841 Census
• 1851 Census
• 1861 Census
• Mental Health Records
• Prison Registers
• Sheriff Court Paternity Decrees
• Register of Deeds
• Register of Sasines
• Kelso Dispensary Patient Registers
• Non-OPR Births/Baptisms
• Non-OPR Banns/Marriages
• Non-OPR Deaths/Burials

In addition, Scottish Indexes has also set up a dedicated Mental Health Institutions in Scotland homepage, providing historical information and details of locally held archive resources for hospitals that are yet to appear online.  Institutions are indexed by County.