three counties column
Each month Richard Knight will feature an item
from Three Counties Hospital from his collection
of history and memorabilia.
This month we thought we would share just a few of the many records
that we come across while researching the asylum at the Bedford
Records Office. Some of the patient case notes are very sad including
babies being born within the asylum and being removed from the
mothers immediately at birth. Some are bizarre some light hearted,
Make of them what you will.
A bizarre case for you....
The Cricket Pavilion
A Curious accident happened to a patient on the 25th July 1870 at 4pm,
As he was returning from work he was struck by freak lightening, His
clothes were set on fire, both legs were deeply burnt, all his hair was
singed, and his shoe blown off his foot,
He survived the shock for two months before passing away.
Asylum inmate sentenced as sane man.
OCTOBER 20th 1927: At the Bedfordshire Assizes ...... Mr Justice Rigby
Swift sentenced Issac Mitcham, 43, an Inmate of Three Counties Mental
Hospital, Arlesey,
To two months imprisonment for assaulting Dr. Finiefs, a member of
the hospital staff,
He was also charged with threatening to assault Dr. Fuller.
It was stated that the accused rushed out of the bathroom threatening
to kill with a wooden and rubber toilet plunger. He said he would kill
anyone who approached him.
Dr. Finiefs endeavoured to pacify him,but Mitcham struck him on the
head with the rubber plunger.
The defence as put forward by Mr J. Cremlyn was that Mitcham failing
to ventilate a ܚY]