English Heritage: "
Brislington House, Bristol, the
earliest
purpose-built private asylum, 1804-1806, and influential on the structure
of later county asylums." The asylum was built by Edward Long Fox, to
replace
Cleve Hill. It remained in the ownership of the Fox
family,
some of whose members were:
Dr Edward Long Fox, FRCP London:
born 26.4.1762, Falmouth, Cornwall. Married Catherine Brown in 1784. Then
Isabella Ker in 1805. He died 2.5.1835 Brislington.
Isabella Ker, born 1780, Blackshells, Scotland (which is where they
married) died 10.4.1861 at Brislington
Dr Francis Ker Fox, a son, born Bristol, St James, about 1805. Married
Mary, born about 1813, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Dr Charles Joseph Fox, another son, born Brislington 21.1.1806. Married
Ellen Lucas in 1834.
Ellen Lucas born about 1813 in Brislington
Charles Edward Fox
Edward Long Fox, FRCP London: 1832-1902. Grandson of founder.
(external biography)
Dr Charles H. Fox: born about 1838
Dr Bonville B. Fox, son of above, born about 1853,
Edward Long Fox (1761-1835) was, a
Quaker, but his
asylums were not Quaker asylums in the sense that the The Retreat in
York was. Instead of being mainly for members of the Religious Society of
Friends, Brislington (at least) was mainly for people who could afford (and
wished) to pay for their relatives to be confined in good conditions.
Cleve Hill, Downend, near Bristol
an elite house
Run by Edward Long Fox (1761-1835) MD Edinburgh,
Catherine Allen was a nurse before she went to
The Retreat.
Anne Digby (1985 p.23) says that "Dr Fox
thought highly of her, and local
Friends found her
very good natured and agreeable, although her dress was thought to be too
smart for a member of the Society of Friends."
Brislington House, near Bristol
an elite house
[A Sarah Rutherford case study]
Purpose built by Edward Long Fox. Not far from Cleve Hill.
Construction begun in 1804 "on former
common land close to the village of Brislington"
to the south-east of Bristol. Opened 1806. Prospectus now known through reprints.
It cost about £35,000 to build and equip.
Architect and landscape designer unknown
Early colony plan?
Designed as a group of detached houses.
The buildings were later joined together. Some detached houses on the
estate were used for "members of the nobility". Staircases, doors, joists
and window frames were all constructed of iron to minimise the risk of
fire.
external link: medical heritage
Spring 1809: Fox provided advice
on the construction of
Nottingham County Asylum
1809 1806 Prospectus reproduced in full with
Robert Reid's Observations on
the Structure of Hospitals for the Treatment of Lunatics which was
published together with Reid's proposed designs for the new
Edinburgh asylum.
1810 1806 Prospectus a "valuable authority" icited n the second
edition of William Stark's Remarks on the Construction of Public
Hospitals for
the Cure of Mental Derangement. Here Stark republished his proposals
for the construction of
Glasgow asylum, and expressed his regret at not having known of
Fox's
pamphlet for the first edition in
1807, as "it would have supplied me with much valuable authority respecting
many of the statements
contained in my former Report".
1812 Praised
by George Onesiphorus Paul
1813 Fox provided advice
on the construction of
Gloucester County Asylum (Gloucestershire RO, HO 22/1/1, Horton
Road asylum, Visiting Committee minutes, entry for February 1813)
1815
Edward Wakefield described Brislington House as "delightfully and
cheerfully
situated" and said that little or no coercion was used and the benefits of
occupation, amusement and exercise were stressed. Some female patients had
silver pheasants and doves in their courtyards and greyhounds were kept for
the patients' amusement. (Select Committee)
On
29.4.1828 Edward Fox petitioned the House of Lords against the
provisions of the Madhouses Bill. Fox gave
extensive evidence to the
1828
House of Lords Select Committee
Inquiry relating to lunatics and asylums.
1825: The Committee at
Bedford County Asylum (13 years after its opening) were
informed of the arrangements adopted in the airing courts at Brislington
House, and altered their own airing courts to include mounds allowing
patients to see the views beyond the airing courts.
(Bedfordshire RO, LB 1/1, Bedford asylum, Visiting Committee minutes, entry
for July 1825)
1828:
Resident medical officer required by law in houses with
over 100 patients
1829
Management passed to two sons: F.K. Fox MD and C.J. Fox MD
1830s W.A.F. Browne commended favourably in print upon the
structure of Dr Fox's Brislington House and his therapeutic regime.
1831:
124 patients
January 1831 to
May 1832.
John Perceval
a patient. (Parry-Jones, W.L.
1972 p. ) says he was
kept on straw for two weeks because of incontinence. (This is not in
the extracts). About the beginning of 1832, Perceval says
he recovered from his delusions, but was detained for a further two years
because he was intent on legal action against his family. From this point,
he says, Dr Fox's house was a
"madhouse, for to call that, or any like that, an asylum, is cruel mockery
and
revolting duplicity", he wrote in
1838. In May 1832 he was moved to
Ticehurst in Surrey.
Monday 4.2.
1833 -
Commission de
lunatico inquirendo on
Sophia Frances Mary Caulfeild
"A Commission of Inquiry, directed by the Lord Chancellor, was held
... before Perigrine Bingham, esq., and Joseph Trigge Schomberg, esq.,
barristers; and James Slade, esq., solicitor; to enquire whether Sophia
Frances Mary Caulfeild was a lunatic, so that she was not sufficient for
the government of herself, or her property; and if so, from what time."
"Mr. Sergt. Merewether opened the case... he was sure that the Jury, before
they deprived the unhappy lady... of her natural rights of personal
liberty, and the uncontrolled power of her property, would require the most
direct evidence that she was incapable of government; whilst, if from the
evidence he should adduce, they should be of opinion that she was incapable
of managing her own affairs, they would agree with him, that she ought to
be protected by that humane law, which would guard her against the fraud
and wickedness of others, and the no less dangerous consequences of her own
acts." Witnesses include "Dr F. Fox: I am the son
of Dr Fox, who has conducted the lunatic asylum at Brislington during the
last 30 years. I have assisted my father for ten years, and am acquainted
with disorders of insanity". "Elizabeth Kidney: I am nurse at Dr
Fox's Establishment". "Martha Leakey: I am a nurse at Dr Fox's
Establishment". "Dr Brabant:- I am a physician residing in Devizes -
In the course of my practice I have been accustomed to see persons of
unsound mind". "Anna Maria Slade: About 2 and a half years ago, I
nursed Miss Caulfeild at Etchilhampton". "Rev Mr Medlicott:- In the
year 1830, when I was curate to the Rev.Mr.Methuen, I recollect meeting Mrs
Caulfeild at Mr Hitchcock's house at Etchilhampton". and several surgeons
who attended her. Miss Caulfeild, at one point: "But first with regard to
that good man, Dr Francis Fox; and does he say that I am of unsound
mind? Dr F.Fox (addressing her) I think you are a lunatic."
1836
History and present state of Brislington House near
Bristol,
an asylum for the cure and reception of insane persons, established by
Edward Long Fox MD, A.D. 1804, and now conducted by Francis & Charles Fox,
MD.D. 10 pages: 4 leaves of plates
Bristol: Light & Ridler
1837:
110 patients - 20 of them paupers
1844 Report
1.1.1844
60 private patients
Proprietors: F.K. Fox MD and C.J. Fox MD
1850
Report respecting the past and present state of
Brislington
House, near Bristol, a private asylum for the insane by Francis Ker Fox
and Charles Joseph Fox, 25 pages Bristol: Leech & Taylor [Republished
1865 2 leaves of plates]
1870:
105 patients - no paupers
1872
Genealogical Memoranda relating to the family of Fox of
Brislington, etc. [By Charles Edward Fox] London: Privately printed
1881 Census: Lunatic Asylum, The
Beeches
(There are other houses as well) Keynsham, Somerset. Charles H. Fox, aged
43, born Brislington, head of household. Physician M.D. St Andrews
Bonville B. Fox and John C.B. Fox , sons, in
another part of the asylum.
Francis K. Fox living in Devon.
Other Foxs born Brislington include
Francis F. Fox Oil Mechant;
Arthur E.W. Fox
, Physician;
Edwin F. Fox, surgeon;
Agnes, Edith and Madeline;
Louis W., General Practitioner;
Edward L., Physician;
George F., solicitor;
Annie N., Sister of Charity;
Edwin C.P., Physician;
1884
Genealogical memoranda relating to the family of Fox of
Brislington, etc [by Charles Henry Fox] Bristol: Fawn. Privately printed
1897
Genealogical memoranda relating to the descendants of
the
late Dr Edward Long Fox of Brislington House, near Bristol
by Edward Long Fox, M.D. of Bristol. 4to Edinburgh: Privately printed
April
1908 Brislington
House Quarterly News Centenary
Number [A history of its foundation and maintenance as a private
lunatic asylum by the Fox family. With plates, including portraits, and a
genealogical table. Includes the text of 'History and present state of
Brislington.." (1836 above). Much of the text of this written by Annie Fox
1947
to
1951
Last Proprietor: Mrs E.M. Fox
|
map: present location of Brislington House
Nursing Home, Bath Rd, Brislington, Bristol, Avon, BS4 5RT
|
|