Holloway Sanatorium Case Books

As part of our ‘Health, Holloway and Hype’ exhibition in 2019, we investigated some of the case books of Holloway Sanatorium. The books are held at Surrey History Centre and were made available digitally by the Wellcome Library.

Emma Laura Willoughby Osbourne

She was the Sanatorium’s second patient, admitted on the 29th June 1885 for Uterine Hysteria. Emma was married and a mother of four children. Her case books described her as using violent language, and telling doctors she had internal animal parasites. She also imagines to have revelations from the Holy Ghost, and told her Doctor that she had a message from his master, the Devil.

Fanny Webber

Fanny was the fifth patient at the Sanitrium, admitted on the 15th July 1885. She was aged 57 and unmarried. Fanny claims to have slandered her brother in law without knowldegd why, an that he has also taken kinves from her. She was convinced she had done soemthing wrong, but had no idea of what or to who she has done soemthing, and that someone has stolen her cheque book. Her speech was described as incoheremt and sometimes despondent. She was released the next year, 22nf APril 1886, as she was recovered.

Elizabeth Maria Hall

Elizabeth was 36 when she was admitted as the Sanatorium’s 9th patient on the 21st July 1885. She felt like her body was no longer her own, believed herself to be of no use to anyone and was refusing food. She also suffered from melancholia and excitement. The Sanatorium case book included a letter she wrote to “my dear Rose,” but it is unclear who Rose is in relation to Elizabeth.

Sibella Money

Sibella was admitted as the 8th patient on the 21st July 1885, aged 38. She was married with 10 children, with the youngest being 8 months. The case book described her as talking incessantly and incoherently. Sibella believed many things about herself, such as her being on a mountain top with everything around her surrounded in darkness, that she was a man of eternity and addressing the doctor writing as Saint Peter, and sometimes claiming she was a queen. She was released at the end of that November.

Elizabeth Frances Berry

Mother of two Elizabeth Frances Berry was aged 60 when she became the 15th patient on the 28th July 1885. She supposedly had grief over the loss of her children in 1888, and believed that she had committed great sins and was forsaken by god. Elizabeth wished she were dead, wanted to get into the week, and Strike her husband, Rev. Marlborough Berry.

Mary Emmeline Hill

Mary was the 3rd patient of the asylum On the 11th July 1885 at age 43. She had previously been held at St. Andrews in Northampton between 1881 and 1882. She was convinced that the Prince of Wales was communicating with her via telepathy, and that he was the doctor who admitted her to St. Andrews. The Queen was also supposedly communicating her via telepathy so she could communicate to her dead husband, Prince Albert. Mary was also known for sending offensive postcards to men, and then accusing them when confronted; she was frequently offensive when speaking. She was released on the 31st March 1886.

Nellie Glasson

Nellie was one of the younger patients, aged 22 when admitted as the 6th patient on July 18th 1885. She said that she would kill her uncle because he tried to correct her. The doctor describes her as peeping through cracks in the doors, and talking to imaginary people. Nellie often tried to run away, and did succeed in doing so. She put her parents into debt with frivolous spending on clothes and jewellery whenever she went to town. She was released 14th December 1885.

Maria Soole

Maria, in contrast to Nellie, was one of the older patients admitted to the Sanatorium at age 74. She was the 17th patient and admitted on the 31st July 1885. She was suffering from depression, and extremely worried about money. Most nights she would wake up worried about being left behind, and she refused to eat because she didn’t have the money to pay for it. She believed herself to be the most wicked woman in the world, and told her brother that she had the devil inside her. She recovered and left the Sanatorium on the 21st March 1886.

Charlotte Amelia Austin

Lady Charlotte Amelia Austin was admitted age 32 as the 23rd patient. The basis of her insanity seemed due to her disappointment in love. She was convinced she was married with 2 children, and told the doctor she didn’t know what her husband would think of strange men entering her room!

Find out more about Holloway Sanatorium in Virginia Water in our online exhibition, ‘Health, Holloway and Hype‘.