Meanwood Park Hospital

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Keeper
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun 04 Oct, 2015 6:33 pm

Meanwood Park Hospital

Post by Keeper »

Hi - I'm trying to find out what I can about a family member who was in Meanwood Park Hospital. From what I can gather, he went in as a young child, possibly around 1940ish and I'm fairly certain he lived the rest of his life and died there. My question may seem odd but can anyone tell me what would happen to those who died there? Where would they be laid to rest?

I would appreciate any help to get me on the right path, thank you.

iansmithofotley
Posts: 558
Joined: Fri 28 Dec, 2007 4:10 pm

Re: Meanwood Park Hospital

Post by iansmithofotley »

Hi Keeper,

I cannot answer your question but here is my opinion (for what it’s worth). I suspect that there are several factors that might be considered.

What I mean relates to personal information about your family member. For example, was he born and brought up in Leeds or elsewhere? Did he have known relatives, or next of kin, which would have been known by the hospital and documented in the hospital records (did family members visit him)? Would the family have had sufficient funds for a funeral (burial or cremation)? What religion was he as this sometimes dictated whether the person would be buried or cremated (I suspect that most cremations of Leeds people would have taken place at Lawnswood Crematorium or Cottingley Hall Crematorium)? Many catholic burials took place at Harehills Cemetery, other burials could have taken place at any other Leeds church or cemetery such as Lawnswood or Cottingley Hall. Many Jewish people were buried at the Jewish cemeteries such as the one at Gelderd Road.

I am sure that if the person had family members, or next of kin, who were known to the hospital, then after the death (at Meanwood Park Hospital or elsewhere) then the Meanwood Park staff would have allowed the family to make the funeral arrangements (burial or cremation).

If there were no known family members or next of kin, then I suspect that Meanwood Park would have made the necessary arrangements. If the deceased person had enough funds then I suspect that the hospital would have arranged a normal funeral, which would have been paid for from the deceased’s funds.

If there were no known family members, or next of kin, and no available funds then I suspect that the hospital would have arranged a ‘pauper’s’ funeral, which would have been paid for by the local authority. This would have been a very basic funeral and could have been a burial or cremation, probably at one of the places mentioned.

As you are aware, Meanwood Park was a hospital for mentally ill patients. Some of the patients were more mentally ill than others. If your relative went there as a child, then he will not have made a will. Later in life, it depends how mentally ill he would have been as to whether or not he had the mental capacity to make a will (it is very doubtful that he had if he was in Meanwood Park Hospital). I have only mentioned ‘wills’ as some people express their last wishes as to what happens to them after their death in a will. I doubt that this applied in your relative’s case.

If your relative and his family were originally from outside of Leeds, and he was taken to Meanwood Park Hospital to live, for whatever reason, then his funeral could have been anywhere (church, cemetery or crematorium).

You have not provided any personal details such as the full name, age, date and place of birth and date of death of the deceased, parents’ names, ages and places of birth and death, etc. You may, or may not wish to provide this information but if you did, there are some members on Secret Leeds who have access to Ancestry, Find My Past and other Genealogy sites and they may be able to help you.

If you live in Leeds, then you could visit the Reference Library at the Central Library in Leeds where you could check the Census Records from the 1940’s up to the date of death (every ten years). The crematoriums, that I have mentioned, also keep records. It is often possible to check Church Records if you have any idea which church might be involved.

You could go to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages in Leeds (at 2 Great George Street – the old Central High/City of Leeds School) and apply for a copy of the death certificate (cost is £10). You can also apply by post. It takes about a week to come through. The death certificate should tell you where the person died and who was the informant.

The local health authority will have records of the patients at Meanwood Park Hospital so you could contact them to see where the records are held and how you get the information that you require:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... de72b7254a

If you look at Leodis, here:

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

You will see a post by Trevor Lee who worked at Meanwood Park Hospital from 1959 until 1980. He has conveniently provided an email address. He would possibly have worked at the hospital when your relative was there (he may have even known him). You could email him for information and advice.

There is another thread on Secret Leeds, relating to Meanwood Park Hospital, and some members had family members who worked there and may be able to help:

http://secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?t=590

I hope that this helps – it is just my opinion that’s all.

Ian

Keeper
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun 04 Oct, 2015 6:33 pm

Re: Meanwood Park Hospital

Post by Keeper »

Thanks very much for the reply.

Lots to respond to (not in order, sorry). Since I posted yesterday I had a reply from the Library and Information Service who have filled in a few of the blanks and now put me in contact with the archive people in Wakefield.

My relative died in 1969, when I was four. As a child I knew of his existence but knew very little about him. Both his parents died of tuberculosis and he was put into Meanwood because he had no one to look after him (he had Down's syndrome). It's a tragic tale, probably one of many from that time and one that always saddened and troubled me.

He wouldn't have been able to write a will. There is a possibility that a relative arranged his funeral but there is no one left to ask in the family now.

Hopefully the archive people will throw more light on it but you have given me a few more ideas there and I'm very grateful to you for your response. Thank you.

Keeper
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun 04 Oct, 2015 6:33 pm

Re: Meanwood Park Hospital

Post by Keeper »

PS did try the Trevor Lee email address yesterday but that came back as undelivered so maybe that email is no longer in use.

iansmithofotley
Posts: 558
Joined: Fri 28 Dec, 2007 4:10 pm

Re: Meanwood Park Hospital

Post by iansmithofotley »

Hi Keeper,

Thank you. Good luck with your search for information.

Ian

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