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Source Lists

Psychiatry

LHSA holds a great number of records related to the history of psychiatry in Scotland, and psychiatric institutions within the NHS Lothian area. Additionally one collection from the NHS Borders area is also held.

Provision of psychiatric care was largely provided by private institutions, originally known as asylums, which charged those who could afford to pay for care. During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, a new way of thinking emerged which hoped to cure psychiatric illness, or at least treat those affected in a humane way. In Edinburgh, this led to the founding of the Edinburgh Lunatic Asylum (later the Royal Edinburgh Asylum, now the Royal Edinburgh Hospital) which opened its doors to patients in 1813. The catalogue for this hospital can be viewed here: Royal Edinburgh Hospital (LHB7)

The records created by the Royal Edinburgh Hospital’s Physician Superintendents are not fully catalogued but a top level finding aid is available here: Physician Superintendents of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital (GD16)

A catalogue of the publications which formed the Physicians’ Library can be viewed here: Royal Edinburgh Asylum Physicians Library (GD17)

LHSA holds a small collection of records created by The Royal Medico Psychological Association, Scottish Division (formerly the Association of Medical Officers of Asylums and Hospitals for the Insane, superseded by the Royal College of Psychiatrists). The catalogue can be seen here: The Royal Medico Psychological Association, Scottish Division (GD15)

As a result of the 1857 Lunacy (Scotland) Act, local councils were required to provide psychiatric care for the poor of the parishes, which led to the creation of District Asylums. We hold records for the following district asylums, listed by the modern council area first:

• Borders; known as the Roxburghshire, Berwickshire and Selkirkshire District Asylum or Dingleton Hospital which was preceded by Millholme House Asylum: Dingleton Hospital, Melrose (GD30)
• East Lothian; known as East Lothian District Asylum, Haddington Asylum or Herdmanflat: Herdmanflat Hospital (LHB47)
• Midlothian; known as the Midlothian and Peebles District Asylum or Rosslynlee Hospital: Rosslynlee Hospital (LHB33)
• West Lothian; known as the Edinburgh District Asylum or Bangour Village Hospital: Bangour Village Hospital (LHB44)

The Act also set up the General Board of Commissioners in Lunacy, later the General Board of Control, which was responsible for the oversight and inspection of asylums. Their annual reports can be found as part of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital Physicians’ Library (above).

LHSA does not hold the records of private asylums, such as Saughton Hall, although the annual reports for some of these asylums can be found as part of the larger Royal Edinburgh Hospital Physicians’ Library collection (above).