Callan Park Lunatic Asylum Medical Record Book
Pretty much all my family history research so far has been done online. Although I don't have the complete story, I've managed to piece together quite a bit by looking at the records that are accessible online.
But there are a great deal of records not digitised, so I headed to the State Archives this week to have a look at some records to do with the Mathenius family. According to my searches on the archives site, there aren't many. I was able to look at Henry Peter's probate package, Emma Elizabeth's probate package & Ludwig's Callan Park records.
Because I'd spent lots of time looking at the records website, I knew to preorder some documents. I applied for a reader ticket as well, which just lets them keep track of who looks at what records. I had also sent an enquiry about accessing the Callan Park Lunatic Asylum records. Ludwig died in 1902, so this was the first year his record could be looked out without jumping through a heap of hoops (there's a 110 year closure period on patient records). I was glad I had sent the enquiry - I received a phone call the day before asking for the name I was looking for, so the records were ready when I got there.
The records have to be viewed in the reading room at the State Archives in Kingswood. Each record has to be signed out individually, viewed using gloves then signed back in when finished. There were lots of large books like the one above, though the ones I was looking at were mostly just papers, not the whole book.
I looked at Emma's probate package first - she died in 1956 & had written her will the year before, getting the Public Trustee to administer it. No major suprises, she had willed some money to my grandmother & 2 great aunts. The reminder was to go to Mena Austin (Ellen or Nellie Mathenius). She owned a house in Brighton Le Sands which had been inherited from her father, & her furniture.
Henry Peter had appointed Emma as his executrix. He had written his will in 1919, & died in 1937. At the time of his death there was the house in Brighton Le Sands, as well as 2 semi detached cottages in Annandale. Interestingly he had Mina Mathenius (who had married Robert Austin in 1934) & Robert Loudon as his witnesses (Robert was married to Wilhelmina Mathenius - my great grandmother).
I had been hoping the will might mention Ludwick - the son of Henry that I can't find any record of other than his birth certificate. Mum was suprised that the lady Emma had left her estate to was a relation - she had always been under the impression that Mina was unrelated but had been raised by Emma.
Ludwig's Callan Park files weren't a suprise either. We had assumed that he had been admitted due to dementia of some sort, & this was the case. Henry Peter had him admitted on the 4th of March 1899. He had apparently been living with Henry in Sydney. He stayed in Callan Park for all but about 6 months later in 1899 until his death in 1902. The notes on his admission noted that he had become violent & suicidal in the 5 days before he was admitted. Violent enough that Henry had felt the need to call the constable. He had been hearing knocking & claimed he hadn't been out of bed or eaten, even though it was noted he had been seen out of bed & eating.
There was not many notes about his time in Callan Park. Some medical notes about some hernias he seemed to have & then notes about heart failure in his last few days. There didn't seem to be mention of Catherine (his 2nd wife), other than saying he was married when he was admitted. I also noticed that on his death certificate there was no mention of Catherine either - only Elizabeth (his first wife).
I did try & look at Ludwigs insolvency records but they had been deemed too fragile. A conservation slip was put in - I'll try & look at them next time I'm in Sydney. I also looked up Henry & Augustus' admission to Randwick Children's Asylum, but this was the same as what I could see online in the Ancestry records. I don‘t think there are any other records or the Children's Asylum so I doubt we will know exactly why they were put in there.
But there are a great deal of records not digitised, so I headed to the State Archives this week to have a look at some records to do with the Mathenius family. According to my searches on the archives site, there aren't many. I was able to look at Henry Peter's probate package, Emma Elizabeth's probate package & Ludwig's Callan Park records.
Because I'd spent lots of time looking at the records website, I knew to preorder some documents. I applied for a reader ticket as well, which just lets them keep track of who looks at what records. I had also sent an enquiry about accessing the Callan Park Lunatic Asylum records. Ludwig died in 1902, so this was the first year his record could be looked out without jumping through a heap of hoops (there's a 110 year closure period on patient records). I was glad I had sent the enquiry - I received a phone call the day before asking for the name I was looking for, so the records were ready when I got there.
The records have to be viewed in the reading room at the State Archives in Kingswood. Each record has to be signed out individually, viewed using gloves then signed back in when finished. There were lots of large books like the one above, though the ones I was looking at were mostly just papers, not the whole book.
I looked at Emma's probate package first - she died in 1956 & had written her will the year before, getting the Public Trustee to administer it. No major suprises, she had willed some money to my grandmother & 2 great aunts. The reminder was to go to Mena Austin (Ellen or Nellie Mathenius). She owned a house in Brighton Le Sands which had been inherited from her father, & her furniture.
Henry Peter had appointed Emma as his executrix. He had written his will in 1919, & died in 1937. At the time of his death there was the house in Brighton Le Sands, as well as 2 semi detached cottages in Annandale. Interestingly he had Mina Mathenius (who had married Robert Austin in 1934) & Robert Loudon as his witnesses (Robert was married to Wilhelmina Mathenius - my great grandmother).
I had been hoping the will might mention Ludwick - the son of Henry that I can't find any record of other than his birth certificate. Mum was suprised that the lady Emma had left her estate to was a relation - she had always been under the impression that Mina was unrelated but had been raised by Emma.
Ludwig's Callan Park files weren't a suprise either. We had assumed that he had been admitted due to dementia of some sort, & this was the case. Henry Peter had him admitted on the 4th of March 1899. He had apparently been living with Henry in Sydney. He stayed in Callan Park for all but about 6 months later in 1899 until his death in 1902. The notes on his admission noted that he had become violent & suicidal in the 5 days before he was admitted. Violent enough that Henry had felt the need to call the constable. He had been hearing knocking & claimed he hadn't been out of bed or eaten, even though it was noted he had been seen out of bed & eating.
There was not many notes about his time in Callan Park. Some medical notes about some hernias he seemed to have & then notes about heart failure in his last few days. There didn't seem to be mention of Catherine (his 2nd wife), other than saying he was married when he was admitted. I also noticed that on his death certificate there was no mention of Catherine either - only Elizabeth (his first wife).
I did try & look at Ludwigs insolvency records but they had been deemed too fragile. A conservation slip was put in - I'll try & look at them next time I'm in Sydney. I also looked up Henry & Augustus' admission to Randwick Children's Asylum, but this was the same as what I could see online in the Ancestry records. I don‘t think there are any other records or the Children's Asylum so I doubt we will know exactly why they were put in there.