Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Fire of 1903, Colney Hatch

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
         
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • #1

    Fire of 1903, Colney Hatch

    Hello All,

    I found this enteresting gem in the Boston Evening Transcript, January 27, 1903

    It details a fire resulting in the death of 50 lunatic patients who resided in Colney Hatch.

    Thought it might be of some interest to some.

    Enjoy.

    Translation

    Fifty Lunatics Perish. Fire in Colney Hatch, England Asylum. Nearly 600 women in burned part of Building. Many Escaped and are now at large. Panic-stricken inmates were difficult to save. Londan, Jan.27- More than fifty insane patients were burned to death by a fire at the Colney Hatch Asylum this morning. The outbreak occurded in the Jewish wing of the institution. The flames spread with great rapidity and before they could be got under control five wooden buildings including dormitories and the doctors' apartments were burned out. All the efforts of the officials were directed to removing the insane inmates, but the latter becaome wild with excitement and so panic-stricken that not only were they unable to help themselves, but greatly impeded the opperations of those trying to save them. There were nearly six hundred women in the burned annex at the time the fire was discovered, and most of them were saftly transferred to the main building, which was uninjured. Some, however, escaped and are still at large, rendering it difficult to ascertain the exact number of those burned to death. The officials admit about fifty bodies have been recovered, but it is feared that the full extent of the disaster is not yet known. All the victims were lunatics. The asylum was beseiged by anxious relatives or friends of the patients, who arrived from all quarters. The nurses had a terrible experience in trying to assist the insane people, who were so panic-stricken that they had literally to be driven to a place of saftey. The inflammable premises almost immediatly became a furnace. Nothing was left standing. The corrugated iron roofs of the domatories and the bedsteads of the patients were melted by the intense heat. Some of the lunatics were burned in their beds, and the charred remains of others were found huddled together in corners, while groups of partially consumed bodies on the site of the corridors showed that many persons lost their lives and sacrificed those of others in their frantic efforts to force a passage through the flames to the main building. The latest estimate of the superintendent of the asylum places the number of deaths at fifty-two. All the victims were women.

    The last section describes Colney Hatch. If anyone wants me to transcribe its contents, ask.
    Attached Files
    Last edited by corey123; 11-16-2010, 05:08 AM.
    Washington Irving:

    "To a homeless man, who has no spot on this wide world which he can truly call his own, there is a momentary feeling of something like independence and territorial consequence, when, after a weary day's travel, he kicks off his boots, thrusts his feet into slippers, and stretches himself before an inn fire. Let the world without go as it may; let kingdoms rise and fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bills, he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys. The arm chair in his throne; the poker his sceptre, and the little parlour of some twelve feet square, his undisputed empire. "

    Stratford-on-Avon
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Interestingly, Jacob Isenschmids last discharge date is given as 5/01/1900.

    Then his last admission is in 1908. Odd.

    I also might note that his daughter mentioned seeing very little of Jacob after his discharge in 1900.
    Last edited by corey123; 11-16-2010, 05:23 AM.
    Washington Irving:

    "To a homeless man, who has no spot on this wide world which he can truly call his own, there is a momentary feeling of something like independence and territorial consequence, when, after a weary day's travel, he kicks off his boots, thrusts his feet into slippers, and stretches himself before an inn fire. Let the world without go as it may; let kingdoms rise and fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bills, he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys. The arm chair in his throne; the poker his sceptre, and the little parlour of some twelve feet square, his undisputed empire. "

    Stratford-on-Avon

    Comment

    • #3
      Bumping for those who have yet to read it.
      Washington Irving:

      "To a homeless man, who has no spot on this wide world which he can truly call his own, there is a momentary feeling of something like independence and territorial consequence, when, after a weary day's travel, he kicks off his boots, thrusts his feet into slippers, and stretches himself before an inn fire. Let the world without go as it may; let kingdoms rise and fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bills, he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys. The arm chair in his throne; the poker his sceptre, and the little parlour of some twelve feet square, his undisputed empire. "

      Stratford-on-Avon

      Comment

      • #4
        I just caught this thread. Thanks for this post corey.

        Comment

        • #5
          Hello Jason,

          Thanks. Very eerie story isn't it?
          Washington Irving:

          "To a homeless man, who has no spot on this wide world which he can truly call his own, there is a momentary feeling of something like independence and territorial consequence, when, after a weary day's travel, he kicks off his boots, thrusts his feet into slippers, and stretches himself before an inn fire. Let the world without go as it may; let kingdoms rise and fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bills, he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys. The arm chair in his throne; the poker his sceptre, and the little parlour of some twelve feet square, his undisputed empire. "

          Stratford-on-Avon

          Comment

          • #6
            Most interesting to me is that there was a Jewish wing. Presumably this was for religious and dietary needs and maybe partly funded by family measures. Or, was it a form of segregation that was imposed, but not necessarily wanted?


            Mike
            huh?

            Comment

            • #7
              ...probably a little bit of both, sadly....
              Cheers,
              cappuccina

              "Don't make me get my flying monkeys!"

              Comment

              • #8
                Hello Mike, Capp,

                Yes, it is a sad story. Yet, I have to admit, I wouldn't be shocked if it was segregated, actually I would be more shocked if it wasn't. I don't know much about asylums in Britain, aside from those in London, but here in America, during the later 19th and early 20th centuries, they didn't use integration in Asylums, nor did they always treat the patients well. They still don't matter of fact.
                Washington Irving:

                "To a homeless man, who has no spot on this wide world which he can truly call his own, there is a momentary feeling of something like independence and territorial consequence, when, after a weary day's travel, he kicks off his boots, thrusts his feet into slippers, and stretches himself before an inn fire. Let the world without go as it may; let kingdoms rise and fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bills, he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys. The arm chair in his throne; the poker his sceptre, and the little parlour of some twelve feet square, his undisputed empire. "

                Stratford-on-Avon

                Comment

                Previous template Next
                Working...
                X