Shaftesbury House

[Frances]

Does anyone know anything about Shaftesbury House, Formby? I believe it was a 'mental home' of some kind. My great grandfather spent 20 years there, from his mid fifties till he died. I presume he had Alzheimer's or something. I would love to know more about it.

[Hilary]

I would suggest you get your grandfather's death certificate.

Have you tried googling Shaftesbury House?

[big g]

I have found that Lancashire Record Office hold the following:-

Formby. Letter of application of Stanley A.Gill Florence Woodland Gill, Eustace Stanley Hayes Gill and Violet Florence Dynham Gill for renewal of private lunatic asylum licence for Shaftesbury House QSP/4804/12 1907 5 Oct


The National Archives, Kew also hold items re Shaftesbury House.

[Frances]

Hilary

Thank you. I have the death certificate and also the Notice of Death issued by Shaftesbury House. He died of Lobar Pneumonia. It gives his date of admission and date and time of death. He was a private patient there. I'm curious to know the circumstances of his admission and the history of Shaftesbury House. There doesn't seem to be much online about it.

Big G
Thanks, that might be helpful, I'll follow it through.

Thanks for your help.

[alanm]

My great-grandfather's sister died at Shaftesbury House in 1894. In the 1891 census, she was in the Everton "City Hospital for Infectious Diseases." My great-grandfather's wife died in 1902 of tuberculosis. He told his only surviving child, my grandfather, that his sister had also died young of TB. I'm thinking Shaftesbury House in Formby may have been for those who were unable to care for themselves, but had money to pay for special care. Only speculation, but seems quite possible.

Alan M
USA

[Hilary]

I found this on the Formby Civic Society website by googling there is also a photo of the house

Shaftsbury House
Shaftesbury House on the south side
of Ravenmeols Lane, was the home
of Dr. Stanley Gill who also ran it as
a private Mental Hospital. It was
described as having ―well wooded
grounds, nearly 10 acres in extent,
affording ample privacy for exercise
and recreation‖. It had an attractive
hall used for concerts at which
Percy French entertained. This later
became an approved school (St Vincents).
It is now the site of Harebell
Close

[Tina]

A warm welcome Alan to our forum.
Thank you for your input.
Best wishes

[Frances]

Alan, thank you for your response. My apologies for not responding sooner, I've just come back from holiday.

Hilary, thank you too for the information, most helpful. I've had a look at the photos. Since my father, his grandson, has Alzheimer's I'm sure that's why he would have been there. I'm just pleased they no longer call such care homes lunatic asylums. My father certainly isn't a lunatic!

I don't suppose there are any admissions registers or records, but I will contact the Civic Society, they may know.

Thanks again

Frances

[Hilary]

As it was a private establishment I doubt very much that there are any records in existence.