Catalogue

Winterton Hospital

Reference: H/Wi Catalogue Title: Winterton Hospital Area: Catalogue Category: Public Records Description: Medical records

Covering Dates: 1858-1945

Access: Access is restricted under Data Protection legislation. Apply to County Archivist for access.

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Winterton Hospital

Catalogue Description

Winterton Hospital - formerly County Lunatic Asylum

This hospital was established in 1858 by the county justices under the provisions of the 1808 and 1853 Pauper Lunatics Acts (48 Geo. III c. 96 and 16 & 17 Victoria c. 97) as a county asylum for pauper lunatics. In fact there had been an earlier proposal to build an asylum in 1827, but after consideration a committee decided it was not expedient at that time.

In 1855 the justices began negotiations to purchase a site near Sedgefield. As soon as the purchase of the first fifty-two acres was finally completed the county architect and surveyor, John Howison, drew up plans for approval, having much help and advice from Mr. Bridgeland of the Surrey Asylum. In October 1857 Howison reported that the walls of the main building, chapel and offices were complete, and were built on Fox and Barratt's fire-proof principle. The workshops were also partly complete. The site and grounds, including a farm, was eventually about 350 acres.

The first medical superintendent, Dr. Smith, was appointed in June 1857, at first on a temporary basis. Some county patients were transferred from Bensham Asylum, Gateshead, to temporary accommodation in Bath Lane. By January, 1858 Dr. Smith had received 131 patients, of whom 19 had been discharged. In April 1858, he requested that some patients should be moved to the new asylum as soon as possible as the Bath Lane Asylum was overflowing. They could help, he thought, in putting in seeds and preparing the grounds. Between twelve and twenty could be accommodated in the steward's house which was then complete, and more patients could be transferred when other rooms were ready. Building work continued during the summer, while patients were being moved in, and was complete by the autumn. By October 1859 there were 237 patients (131 male and 120 female); 72 of these had been admitted since June, including 44 from Newcastle. The committee reported 'The admission of so many patients at once has caused a difficulty as to the furniture and clothes which are in great measure made in the asylum and which therefore are not at present supplied sufficiently'. They said, however, that everything would soon be in order, and mentioned the purchase of cheap prints to decorate some wards, which already produced a more cheerful demeanour in the patients. The ground round the building had been levelled and would be 'neatly laid out'. (Quarter Sessions Order Book Q/S/OB/28 pp. 561, 589-591, 635, 867-868).

The initial buildings on the site were: main building (with male and female wards), administration building (including chapel, committee rooms, medical superintendent's office), workshops (shoemaking, sewing, tailoring), wash houses, yards and steward's house.

Further developments included:
Gas works, hospital entrance and lodge gates - August 1858
North-east lodge and emntrance gate - April 1875
Stable block - April 1875
Six staff cottages, yards and gates - November 1876
East and west entrance lodges - December 1877
Auxiliary main building (Winterton Block), built to ease overcrowding in the main building (including recreation hall) - 1878
High level water tower- May 1878
Lizards Farm purchased - March 1881
New men's wash-house - March 1881
Inquest room - June 1881
Hind's house at Lizards farm - September 1881
St. Luke's Chapel - June 1883
Observation Ward - September 1888
New bath and water closets - November 1888
Cemetery - November 1890
Cemetery chapel - May 1891
Laundry and wash-house - June 1892
Medical superintendent's house (The Gables), later staff welfare club - March 1893
New water closet block, female wards 10 and 13 - March 1895
New water closet block, female ward 8 and male ward 8 - March 1897
Engine and dynamo house - September 1897
New bakery - May 1899
Water closet block to male infirmary and male wards 10 and 13 - April 1900
Two cottage blocks - June 1901
General Stores and office block - November 1901
Infectious diseases hospital - March 1904
Two cottage blocks - August 1904
Boiler house chimney - December 1904
Nurses' Home - 1906
Doctors' Quarters - 1932
Admission (or Reception) Hospital - 1932
Committee room and mess rooms (later administration building) - 1934
Temporary Emergency Hospital - 1939-1945
Nurse Training School - 1964
Day and Treatment Unit - c.1965

In 1948 the hospital came under the management of the National Health Service instead of the County Council.

The records, both administrative, committee minutes and medical case records, are a well-kept and complete series. Unfortunately the early signed minutes of the committee (c.1857 - 1883) are now missing. Some of the case books were damaged by flooding, but most are in reasonable condition.

Before the closure of the hospital in 1996 a decision was made by the NHS to destroy all the case notes for patients in the hospital in 1946 and later years, apart from a 2% sample. Consequently, although the Record Office holds a virtually complete set of case papers for patients who died or were discharged up to 1945, for those who died or were discharged from 1946 there is only a very limited likelihood that their records (and this includes any records of their time in the hospital up to 1945) have been retained.

ACCESS TO WINTERTON RECORDS

All Winterton records are now open to public inspection after 85 years, and the relevant date for our restrictions is the latest date in any document.

Medical records (case books and files, post-mortem books etc.) within the 85-year closure period can be accessed using the Record Office's Research Service, but information from them can only be released if the enquirer can provide evidence (birth, marriage and death certificates) of their direct relationship to the patient, and evidence of the patient's death. We need to obtain permission from the NHS Trust before finally releasing any information and a charge (in addition to the Research Service fee) is made to cover the NHS administrative costs (payable to the County Council on behalf of the NHS).

Information from non-medical records (admission registers, burial register, etc.) within the 85-year closure period can be made available using the Research Service (and without NHS permission). However, the enquirer needs to provide the evidence as above, and it may be necessary to redact other information which appears in a document, as we are unable to be sure of the status of any other people named.

The burial ground plan (H/Wi 528) is open but only shows initials and dates.

Catalogue Contents

Medical Records (Ref: H/Wi )Registers of patients, and indexes to registers (Ref: H/Wi )Registers of patients and indexes to admissions (Ref: H/Wi 340-373, 376-387, 390-393)Ref: H/Wi 340

General register of patients, 25 August 1892 - 22 June 1951

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 341

General register of patients, nos. 32195-35550, 13 September 1951 - 31 December 1955

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 342

General register of patients, nos. 37769-39502, 28 October 1957 - 6 February 1959

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 343

Index of admissions, 15 May 1874 - 7 March 1934

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 344

Index of admissions, 21 October 1930 - 22 October 1932

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 345

Index of admissions [1951], 2 November 1904 - 9 February 1956

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 346

Index of admissions [1955], 2 November 1904 - 18 January 1958

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 347

Index of admissions [1960], 2 November 1904 - 22 August 1960

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 348

Index of admissions [1961], 2 November 1904 - 18 November 1961

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 349

Index of admissions, 20 July 1914 - 2 September 1963

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 350

Index of female patients' admissions, 15 June 1874 - 29 November 1946

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 351

Index of female patients' admissions, 6 August 1878 - 28 June 1930

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 352

Index of female patients' admissions, 29 February 1885 - 13 June 1947

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 353

Index of female patients' admissions, 25 August 1892 - 30 April 1954

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 354

Index of female patients' admissions, 2 November 1904 - 17 July 1957

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 355

Index of female patients' admissions, 2 November 1904 - 24 January 1958

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 356

Index of female patients' admissions, 2 November 1904 - 19 April 1963

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 357

Index of female patients' admissions, 2 November 1904 - 19 October 1965

(1 volume, plastic quarter-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 358

Index of female patients' admissions, 2 November 1904 - 27 December 1967

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 359

Index of female patients' admissions, 2 November 1904 - 8 August 1970

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 360

Index of female patients' admissions, 2 January 1946 - 17 January 1956

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 361

Index of female patients' admissions, 1 January 1968 - 20 August 1968

(1 volume, card bound)

Ref: H/Wi 362

Index of male patients' admissions, 10 June 1858 - 30 June 1915

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 363

Index of male patients' admissions, 12 January 1870 - 30 June 1924

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 364

Index of male patients' admissions, 15 November 1881 - 28 January 1931

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 365

Index of male patients' admissions, 15 November 1881 - 4 July 1943

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 366

Index of male patients' admissions, 2 August 1892 - 30 June 1948

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 367

Index of male patients' admissions, 5 April 1899 - 17 July 1957

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 368

Index of male patients' admissions, 26 May 1903 - 8 December 1960

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 369

Index of male patients' admissions, 3 February 1904 - 5 April 1964

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 370

Index of male patients' admissions, 3 February 1904 - 14 March 1967

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 371

Index of male patients' admissions, 3 February 1904 - 7 July 1970

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 372

Index of male patients' admissions, 1 January 1968 - 30 August 1968

(1 volume, card bound)

Ref: H/Wi 373

Index of deaths and discharges, 11 May 1888 - 14 January 1908

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 376

Index of patients, n.d.

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 377

Patients' book, 11 November 1919 - 12 October 1926

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 378

Patients' book, 9 November 1926 - 3 June 1959

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 379

(1 volume, vellum half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 380

Register of admissions, nos. 23862-31244, 1 January 1933 - 31 December 1949 At end: List of patients discharged, 3 January 1933 - 2 January 1950 Index to volume available to RO staff

(1 volume, leather quarter-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 381

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 382

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 383

(1 volume, cloth quarter-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 384

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 385

(1 volume, cloth half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 386

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 387

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 390

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 391

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 392

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Ref: H/Wi 393

(1 volume, cloth bound)

Continuation Certificates (Ref: H/Wi 394-395, 523)Ref: H/Wi 394

Continuation certificates, 1948 - 1959

(1 volume, calf half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 395

Continuation certificates, 1960 - 1971

(1 volume, calf half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 523

Register of patients, detailing the issue of continuation certificates, 'special reports and certificates forwarded to the Commssioners', 1936-1947

(1 volume, calf bound)

Indexes of patients (Ref: H/Wi 514-518)Ref: H/Wi 514

Index of patients, 1858 - 1907 Index to volume available to RO staff

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 515

Index of patients, 1907-1934 Index to volume available to RO staff

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 516

Index of patients, 1867-1920

(1 volume, leather half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 517

List of staff and patients, 26 December 1932; on the reverse is a list of patients transferred to and from Winterton, 25 December 1932 Originally enclosed in H/Wi 497

(1 paper)

Ref: H/Wi 518

List of patients suggested for Marske Camp, 1956 Originally enclosed in H/Wi 505

(1 paper)

Register of patients' next of kin, giving admission number and date of death or release; covers admission numbers 2397-21599, B1-197, A2-147, c.November 1918 - December 1933

(1 volume, calf half-bound)

Ref: H/Wi 520

Memorandum on addresses of patients on discharge or departure, 15 February 1960 Originally enclosed in H/Wi 507

(1 paper)

Case papers (Ref: H/Wi 123-301)

Case-books/binders, 1858 - 1945

These record the case number, patient's name, occupation (if any), religion, where admitted from (i.e. home or other hospital), name and address of next of kin, abstract of the certificate, presumed cause and duration of attack, if any previous history, report (by medical officer) of state of health on admission, and records of regular medical examinations and treatment during stay in the hospital. In the 1860s, occasionally later, and again irregularly from 1913, photographs of patients were attached to the record. Original volumes 113 and 114 (H/Wi 233-234) contain, at front, photographs of groups of patients (mainly old women) and staff taken outside the building.

Between two and six pages were allowed for each patient and most cases were continued in other volumes. There were usually several volumes for each year and most volumes have a name index. Separate volumes were kept for male and female patients (except for the earliest years). From 1901 the form for the preliminary questions and examination was printed at the top of each record page. Each volume also has at the front a list of the government Commissioners in Lunacy and extracts from their rules about case records.

Between 1901 and 1908 a separate series of books was kept for chronic patients, in similar volumes; some of the volume numbers being duplicated.

The case books are large volumes (15 ins. x 11 ins.) bound in calf (or half vellum from 1901). Each volume was originally numbered on the spine, although the spines of some volumes are decayed and the numbers are now missing. It also appears that a few volumes were used slightly out of order, e.g. volume 34 (H/Wi 162) was used in 1882, but other volumes of that date have numbers in the 40s. The volumes have, however, been arranged in chronological order, according to dates of entries (NB the manuscript dates written on the spines of some volumes do not always refer to the date of the first entry in that volume). From volume 118 (H/Wi 238) there are two volumes for each number, one for males, one for females (earlier the male and female volumes had different numbers).

Volumes 111-114 (H/Wi 231-234) record chronic patients from 1901 to 1904, and a further series of volumes numbered 112-115 (H/Wi 250-252) records chronic patients from 1907 to 1908. The chronic ward was apparently considered as a separate unit at this date since some patients' records end with the note 'transferred to Winterton'.

Volume 52, a male/female continuation volume, does not appear to have survived.

Some volumes have been affected by damp, but are in reasonably good condition, except for volume ?48 (H/Wi 170), October 1884.

From 1913 case records were kept on loose leaves similar to the volume pages (including some printed pro-forma) and were filed in alphabetical order. On completion of a case the papers were filed in binders in alphabetical order according to the date and method of discharge (i.e. discharge or death). Each binder contains two or three years, e.g. 'male deaths 1913-1915', 'female deaths 1913-1915', 'male discharges 1913-1915', 'female discharges 1913-1915'. These binders were damaged by flooding and the pages are fragile and powdery. They have been treated with thymol vapour, the original damaged covers removed and wrapped in protective covering, but they can only be handled with care until repaired.

Record Office reference: H/Wi 123-230
Original volume numbers: [1]-110 (exc. 31)
Dates: 1858 - 1901
last case number in volume 109 is 11542 (volume 110 mainly continuations)

Record Office reference: H/Wi 231-234
Original volume numbers: 111-114
Dates: 1901 - 1904
Chronic cases

Record Office reference: H/Wi 235-249
Original volume numbers: 115-123
Dates: 1901 - 1909
General cases
males 11625 (vol. 115) to 14890 (admitted September 1909)
females 11588 (vol. 118) to 14316 (admitted March 1908)

Record Office reference: H/Wi 250-252
Original volume numbers: 112-115
Dates: 1907 - 1908
Chronic cases

Record Office reference: H/Wi 253-261
Original volume numbers: 124-127
Dates: 1908 - April 1913
General cases
males 14891 - 16222
females 14317 - 16224

Case notes are entered into the volumes in admission date order. The original volume numbers, where available, are listed in brackets. Case notes were allocated between two and six pages and were continued in other volumes when the pages were full.

See also individual admission records: D/X 1875/5/1-7

Case papers for patients admitted 1858-1870 (Ref: H/Wi section 01)

See also separate Male case papers and Female case papers

Ref: H/Wi 123

Male and female case papers [vol.1], indexed, 13 April 1858 - 5 May 1859

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 124

Male and female case papers (vol. 2), indexed, 5 May 1859 - 21 July 1860

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 125

Male and female case papers (vol. 3), indexed, 3 August 1860 - 12 October 1861

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 126

Male and female case papers (vol. 4), indexed, 16 November 1861 - 6 September 1862

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 127

Male and female case papers (vol. 5), indexed, 10 September 1862 - 31 August 1863

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 128

Male and female case papers (vol. 5, numbered 'VI' on cover), indexed, 1 September 1863 - 9 August 1864

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 129

Male and female case papers (vol. 7), indexed, 29 August 1864 - 23 November 1865

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 130

Male and female case papers (vol. 8), indexed, 29 November 1865 - 23 January 1867

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 131

Male and female case papers (vol. 9), indexed, 26 January 1867 - 20 February 1868

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 132

Male and female case papers (vol. 10), indexed, 12 February 1868 - 16 April 1869

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 133

Male and female case papers (vol. 11), indexed, 11 September 1868 - 21 December 1870

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 134

Male and female case papers (vol. 12), indexed, 1 May 1869 - 13 July 1870

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 135

Male and female case papers (vol. 13), indexed; continuation of notes from H/Wi 123 - 134

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 161

Male and female case papers (vol. 42), indexed; continuation of case notes from H/Wi 154 - 160, patients transferred to Winterton, 14 October 1881 - 3 December 1884

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 164

Male and female case papers [vol.51]; continuation of case notes from previous volumes, female transfers from the lunatic wards of Sunderland Union Workhouse, 30 March 1881 - 9 April 1881

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 176

Male and female case papers [vol.55], indexed; continuations of case notes from H/Wi 152-175, male and female case papers 24 August 1886 - 29 March 1890

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 189

Male and female case papers (vol. 68), indexed; continuations of case notes from previous volumes

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 198

Male and female case papers (vol. 78), indexed; continuations of case notes from previous volumes

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 207

Male and female case papers, indexed; continuations of case notes from previous volumes

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 218

Male and female case papers (vol. 98), indexed; continuations of case notes from previous volumes

(1 volume, calf bound)

Ref: H/Wi 222

Male and female case papers (vol. 102), indexed; continuations of case notes from previous volumes

(1 volume, calf bound)

Case papers for male patients admitted 1870-1913 (Ref: H/Wi section 02)