and public service. Little else is
known about Tuke’s early life, but
after the death of a Quaker at the
York Asylum, Tuke’s name would be
forever written into history and be
referenced in almost all texts referring to the development of moral
treatment for the mentally ill.
Born
in 1732,
William
Tuke belonged to a leading Quaker
family in York. He came from a long
line of non-conformists, with his
grandfather having been a supporter of the Society of Friends (later the
Quakers), suffering imprisonment
and losing his property because
of his religious beliefs. Having
the benefit of being from a well
financed family William received a
very strong education, later in life
being taught by a clergyman which
undoubtedly strengthened his religious and moral idealism. Much of
his early adult life was spent in the
merchant business, but he always
found time to pursue philanthropic
In this era it was a common
assumption (by experts and the
public), that the mad were wild
beasts, whose madness could not
be tamed. Some were viewed as
less than human or even possessed
by dark forces. Although