Mansion House hospital leicester

[byott]

Hello All.

I wondered if any one can help with this. Im looking for a hospital called Mansion House Groby Road Leicester Frith .

I think this may be the Hospital i have been trying to find where my G G uncle died. He had shell shock from being in the war for over 3 years and was discharged & sent back to England where he was in Hospital in Leicester but commited suicide there just after 3 months.

On the death certificate it States Home of Recovery Barrow upon soar Rothley leicester. On The death certificate it states leicester Frith.

Would be pleased of any help. Thank you Sandra

[Sue Light]

Sandra

I remember reading your previous posts about your great uncle, and feel that there's a bit of muddled information here. I have no knowledge of Leicester(shire) and am prepared to be shot down in flames, but:

The reference to a 'Mansion House Hospital' is a red herring. Mansion House, Leicester, is now office/administrative accommodation for the local NHS Trust.

There is a hospital in Leicester called 'Leicester Frith Hospital' and it is in Groby Road, but it's always been a unit for people with what used to be called 'Mental Handicap' and probably translates these days into 'severe learning disabilities.' This hospital has administrative connections with Mansion House - I think you should discount this entirely.

Previously you've said that your relative died at Barrow upon Soar, and now you've given another place of death - Leicester Frith. Where do these two places appear on the certificate? What is the registration district [at the top], and what appears in the column 'When and where died'?

The country was/still is divided into districts for registration of births, marriages and deaths, and often that name refers to a town or village which was quite important a hundred or more years ago, but has now been eclipsed by larger places nearby. Barrow upon Soar is the name of a registration district which includes a lot of different parishes - one of these is called Leicester Frith, and I don't think it has anything in common [other than its name] with the Leicester Frith Hospital above.

So is it possible that the 'Home of Recovery' was in the parish of Leicester Frith, within the registration district of Barrow upon Soar? Or am I on the wrong track? I seem to spending a lot of time lately trying to track down military hospitals, and have discovered that even very large ones have disappeared completely ninety years on - the buildings reverted to their original use, many have been demolished, and living memory is just that - a memory! I think the only way you're going to find out any more about this Home is by tapping in to local knowledge - things like Rootsweb mailing lists for the area, local history societies, archives and record offices. There must have been an inquest at the time, and the County Record Office will tell you whether the papers still exist. Local newspapers are likely to have carried reports of most inquests. Actual records of small hospitals are unlikely to have survived in any form - if they do, then they would also be at the County Record Office. I'm sure your best bet [if you haven't already done so] is to search for inquest papers - they are the greatest source of information in this sort of case.

Sue

[Sue Light]

Sandra

Thanks for the PM - I think it's beginning to make sense! He died at the Home of Recovery, Leicester Frith - a search of the 1901 census via Ancestry allows you to look at all the individual parishes and browse through them.

The parish of Leicester Frith is on the north-west outskirts of the City of Leicester, and although that name doesn't seem to appear in current gazeteers, it incorporates the village of Anstey, which does. It's not particularly near the actual town of Barrow upon Soar, although it is in the registration district.

The 1901 census for Leicester Frith itself consists of just two pages, and shows that it was a collection dwellings around a 'big house' - this is just called 'House' on the census, adjoining 'Groby Road.' In residence at the House was Eleanor Taylor, an 83 year old widow, her niece, and lots of servants - maids, butler, coachman, footmen etc. One of the other dwellings is inhabited by a bailiff, probably attached to the house. Could it be this house that later became the Home of Recovery? It seems likely.

If you would like the census images, let me have an email address off-list and I'll send them.

Regards

Sue

[byott]

Hi Sue.

Hope you got my pm okay. Yes would very much love the census images. It sure does sound like the home

Thank you sandra

[Chris_Baker]

The Leicester Frith Home of Recovery is mentioned on p60 of the excellent "Four years rememebered - Leicester during the Great War" (written by Ben Beazley, published by The Breedon Books Publishing Company, 1999. ISBN 1 85983 182 6).

The entry says that men from the Home along with others from the various hosptals in the city were entertained to tea with the Mayor in June 1919!

The book gives a really good history of the 5th Northern General Hospital and its various satellites, VAD units etc, but this is the only mention of the Home.

I understand there is a Leicester Frith Hospital today, part of Leicestershire & Rutland NHS Trust....and it is at 887 Groby Road.

The records of the hospital from 1919 onwards are held at The Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.

Hope that helps!

[byott]

Hello Chris

Thank you very much for that information. This is the first time i have heard it mentioned. So i must be getting hot on the trail !!!.

The book you speak of is it in book shops or do i have to order it in ? I suppose i would not be able to get it here in Australia but i shall find out. If not family members can send me one over.

Would it have any photo of the hospital do you know ?? Sue L has been a big help also sending me census copies.

I have emailed Leicester Record office so i will get them to do a search. Thank you so much for your help its been a really good help.

Kind Regards Sandra