Idiocy, Imbecility and Insanity in Victorian Society by Stef Eastoe

Author:Stef Eastoe
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783030273354
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Creating a Culture of Care? Staff and the Asylum

At Caterham, patients were admitted with the full expectation of a lengthy residency. As has been seen in previous chapters, it was not unknown for patients to remain within the asylum for ten, twenty or thirty years. This put particular onus, figuratively, administratively and symbolically, on its regime. Cheer, comfort and happiness, common words used across institutional literature, were feelings and experiences that had to be created. They were not incidental or natural to the institutional environment. An important aspect of Caterham was that many of its senior staff were also in post for extensive periods of time. In terms of the medical superintendents , they all worked at Caterham for several years. Dr James Adam joined the asylum in 1870 and was in post for a decade. Dr George Stanley Elliot, who would become the second of Caterham’s medical superintendents, joined the asylum as an Assistant Medical Officer (AMO) in 1871, working alongside Dr Adam and remaining in post for twenty years. His replacement, Dr Peter Campbell became superintendent of Caterham at the turn of the twentieth century. This afforded a number of opportunities to create particular cultures of management, of administration, and of care, as the asylum was not only their place of work but also their place of residence. Thus they had a vested interest in creating as calm an environment as possible.

Matron Emma Mosely, a widow with two teenage daughters, joined Caterham in 1870. Like all senior members of staff, she was provided with a house on the asylum site, where she lived with her family. She worked at Caterham from its opening until 1894, retiring due to failing health. The 1911 census records her living with her daughter, son-in-law, who was a general practitioner, and their daughter in a house a few streets away from the asylum.11 Her opposite number was the House Steward Mr George White. He was responsible for smooth running on the male side of the asylum. He also lived on-site with his wife and worked at the asylum for fourteen years. The census records them as having a regular stream of visitors, including his mother-in-law in 1871 and a niece in 1881, as well as several servants and domestic maids.12 Indeed, many of the staff members who managed key sites in the asylum, including the laundry, the kitchen and the workrooms, were in post for a long time. In 1886, the annual report records that several key members of staff who had been with the asylum since its opening had left that year. Henry Sims, the master baker, resigned due to ill health. He was given a superannuation in respect of his long service and good character. William Twyman, the master tailor, left to set up his own business, and Miss Smith, the assistant Matron left to get married. She was replaced by Miss Hinman, one of the head attendants.13 Alongside these accounts of long service, there are also reports of staff members,

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