For many, the Christmas period is a time of sadness as we reflect on people we have lost. For some, it was a time of removal, from one institution to another…
Eliza Burbridge was admitted to Banstead Asylum 03 January 1882, on 21 December 1883 she was handed to the Relieving Officer of the Wimborne & Cranborne Union as under the Poor Law Eliza was chargeable to this Union, making them responsible for the costs of detaining Eliza, by 29 December 1883 she had been transferred to the Dorset County Lunatic Asylum.
According to her admission details Eliza was a 25 year old servant living at 13 Old Great Lane, St George in the East, Shawell, East London, and her behaviour had been of concern for about two months. The admitting physician, John Cooper, described Eliza as a lunatic on the grounds that she had of late become very violent and disgusting of habit and she had various delusions. Although Eliza had been employed as a servant she was described as a pauper. Her next of kin was her brother, Mr Burbridge, who lived at 76 Grundy Place, Poplar. William Burbidge is living at this address on the 1881 census as a boarder and carpenter.
Eliza remained an inmate of the Dorset asylum until her death 11 April 1890. (TNA : Lunacy Patients Admission Registers; Class: MH 94; Piece: 27). Eliza was buried 15 April 1890 at Hampreston.
Eliza’s birth, death and burial were registered under the surname Burbidge. Despite some records suggesting Eliza’s year of birth as 1857 it is most likely that her birth was registered during the 2nd quarter, 1855 in the district of Wimborne and her mother’s maiden name was given as Froud. Eliza was the daughter of John and Caroline Burbidge who can be found living at Longham on the census. Eliza’s occupation was described as domestic on the 1881 census. No records have been found to explain what happened to Eliza between April 1881 and November 1882 when her symptoms were first noticed.
