INSANITY

[St Thomas Lunatic Asylum near Exeter, founded in 1795.] Printed bill, filled out in manuscript, for sum due by ‘Mr. Penny’ for ‘Board and Maintenance’, with Signed Autograph Note of receipt by treasurer John Mackintosh, and note on annual accounts.

Author: 
St Thomas Lunatic Asylum, near Exeter, founded in 1795 [John Mackintosh, Treasurer; James Penny, Exeter bookseller; William Seacombe]
Asylum
Publication details: 
‘Lunatic Asylum, near Exeter.’ Made out for the period between 6 May and 1 July 1811. Slug: ‘Trewmans, Printers, Exeter.’
£80.00
Asylum

An interesting piece of Exeter ephemera. See ‘Besley’s Exeter Directory for 1835’: ‘LUNATIC ASYLUM, St. Thomas. Founded in 1795. The expenses are defrayed by the board of patients whose friends can afford to pay for their maintenance, and by benefactions, legacies, &c.’ (In the entry ‘John Mackintosh’ is still listed as treasurer.) 1p, landscape 12mo. Addressed by Mackintosh on reverse to ‘Mr. James Penny / Bookseller / Fore St. / Exeter’. In fair condition, on aged and lightly-creased paper, with slight staining and damage from breaking open wafer.

[Sir Henry Halford, President of the Royal College of Physicians.] Autograph Letter in third person to [G. J. Guthrie] President of the Royal College of Surgeons, explaining non-attendance at the coming Hunterian Oration.

Author: 
Sir Henry Halford [born Henry Vaughan] (1766-1844), Physician Extraordinary to George III, George IV, William IV and the young Victoria
Publication details: 
Curzon Street [London].14 February 1833.
£60.00

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, aged, but with closed tear along inner edge of leaf caused by removal from mount, and affecting a couple of words of text. The letter reads: 'Sir Henry Halford assures the President of the Royal College of Surgeons that it grieves him to forgo the pleasure of being present at the Hunterian Oration today, and of waiting upon Him at dinner, but a most important engagement at King's College to meet the Council at half past two compels Sir Henry to relinquish his fixt intention -'.

[William Conolly, joint licensee with his brother John Conolly of Hayes Park Private Lunatic Asylum, Uxbridge.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Will Conolly') to 'George Rogers Esqr MD', reporting the arrival of patient 'Mr George Helyar'.

Author: 
William Brice Conolly, MD, joint licensee of Hayes Park Private Lunatic Asylum, Uxbridge, with his brother John Conolly (1794-1866), later resident physician to the Middlesex County Asylum at Hanwell
Publication details: 
'Hayes Park nr Uxbridge | Decr. 19. 1851'.
£220.00

2pp, 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly aged and browned paper, with thin strip of paper from mount adhering to the reverse. Folded twice. The letter reads: 'Mr George Helyar arrived here last night accompanied by your attendant from whom I received your letter and a purse containing £11 – 12 – Mr Helyar has slept well and appears comfortable this morning, and I hope will go on well with us - | When his Clothes arrive I will inform you - | I also received the Order, & Certificates from the attendant for which pray accept my thanks -'.

[Sir Andrew Halliday, physician to William IV.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Andrew Halliday -') to Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, offering to 'sacrifice' his 'emoluments' and become inspector of 'all the public and Private Asylums in England and Wales

Author: 
Sir Andrew Halliday (1782-1839), Scottish physician to William IV [Lord Melbourne [William Lamb I1779-1848), 2nd Viscount Melbourne], Prime Minister]
Publication details: 
Hampton Court; 11 January 1831.
£2,000.00

7pp, 4to. Containing 112 lines of text on two bifoliums. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. Headed 'Private', and with the heading, date and place written by Halliday at a different time from the rest of the text. A long and impassioned letter, in which Halliday offers to become inspector of 'all the public and Private Asylums in England and Wales', at a payment of no more than £150 a year in expenses.

[Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister, as Home Secretary.] Autograph List of appointments by him of Lunacy Commissioners (following on from the 1828 Madhouse Act), with Autograph Note by him on the matter.

Author: 
Sir Robert Peel (1788-1850), Tory Prime Minister and creator of the Metropolitan Police ('Peelers') [Metropolitan Lunacy Commission; 1828 Madhouse Act]
Publication details: 
[Home Office, Whitehall; 1828.]
£2,000.00

In August 1828, following the passing of the 1828 Madhouse Act, the Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel established a commission to oversee London's madhouses, consisting of five physicians, six Middlesex JPs, and ten other honorary (i.e. unpaid) commissioners. The present document by Peel casts interesting light on the process of appointment. It is on both sides of 18 x 23 cm piece of paper, evidently used as envelope for 'the Instrument' mentioned in Peel's note. Aged, and with tear and hole caused by breaking open of seal. Folded twice.

[Edward Drummond, Personal Secretary to Sir Robert Peel, fatally shot by Daniel McNaughton.] Autograph Note Signed ('Edwd Drummond') to Sir Thomas Phillipps, acknowledging receipt of letter. With pencil note by Phillipps.

Author: 
Edward Drummond (1792-1843), Personal Secretary to four British Prime Ministers including the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel, shot by Daniel McNaughton [Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872)]
Publication details: 
Downing Street [London]; 7 February 1842.
£200.00

2pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with unobtrusive spike hole to corner through both leaves. Addressed to 'Sir Thomas Phillipps Bart', and reading: 'Sir, | I am desired by Sir Robert Peel to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter of the 3d Instant containing suggestions for the Improvement of the Public Revenue. | I am Sir | Your obedient Servant | Edwd Drummond'.

[Study of Insanity; Inscribed by Author] Dissertatio Medica, Inaugurales De Insania '[...] [University of Edinburgh Medical School]

Author: 
Joannes Latham [John Latham, Irish physician]
Publication details: 
Edinburgh, 1802
£200.00

In Latin except some footnotes. Disbound (formerly in volume containing other such pamphlets), [vi]56pp., 8vo, vestiges of binding on spine, hf.title. light foxing. INSCRIBED on blank after title: "For W.G. Deane Esq | With best compts | from | John Latham."

[Forbes Winslow, nineteenth-century physician and psychiatrist.] Autograph Letter Signed ('F Winslow'), postponing a conversation as a result of a tiring visit to a patient in Northamptonshire.

Author: 
Forbes Winslow [Forbes Benignus Winslow] (1810-1874), nineteenth-century physician, psychiatrist, author and authority on lunacy
Publication details: 
Bushey, Hertfordshire. 'Sat.' [no date]
£125.00

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged, with evidence of mount on reverse of second leaf, which is endorsed 'Dr. Forbes Winslow'. Two central folds, one vertical and one horizontal. The male recipient is unnamed. He is 'quite unfit to go up to London to-day', 'owing to the fatigue I underwent yesterday travelling a long distance into Northamptonshire to see a patient'.

[Pamphlet.] Mental Overstrain in Education. Reprinted frrom The Lancet, August 22, 1896.

Author: 
G. E. Shuttleworth, B.A., M.D., &c., President Thames Valley Branch, British Medical Association, formerly Medical Superintendent of the Royal Albert Asylum, Lancaster
Publication details: 
Printed at the Lancet Office, 423, Strand, [London] W.C. [1896.]
£45.00

11pp., 12mo. Stitched. With stamp, shelfmarks and labels of the Board of Education Reference Library. Scarce: no copy in the British Library, and the only copy on COPAC in the library of the Royal College of Surgeons.

[William Cleland, lunatic, of Upper Canada.] Autograph Petition Signed to Lord John Russell, and Autograph Letter Signed to George Ross, regarding his claim to have been cheated by the Bank of Scotland. With forwarding letter to the bank.

Author: 
William Cleland of Upper Canada [Bank of Scotland; Lord John Russell (1792-1878), Whig Prime Minister; Sir James Stephen (1789-1859), civil servant]
Publication details: 
Letter from Governor Road near St George, Dumfries, Upper Canada. 1 November 1839 [but with 3 June 1840 postmark]. Petition stamped received on 1 June 1849. Forwarding letter: Downing Street [London]. 9 June 1840.
£600.00

ONE: Autograph Petiton Signed. 'Unto the Right Honble. Lord John Russell Secrety of State &c &c | The Petition of Samuel Cleland residing near St George Dumfries Upper Canada'. 2pp., foolscap 8vo. In poor condition, aged and worn at edges, with one corner apparently nibbled away by mice. At least some of the damage would appear to be contemporary with the document, as Cleland has written within the boundaries of the loss to the corner, and there is no loss to text. Docketed in red at head '1091 U. Canada' and stamped 'Received | C. D. | June 1 1840'.

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