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Inmate/Imbecile on census confusion

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Kala

Kala Report 2 Dec 2016 11:24

On the 1911 census one of my ancestors, Edward Bertie, born in Arbroath is listed as being aged 79, relation to head of house or infirmitary: Inmate. Location: Harton Whitburn, Durham. If i am to understand he is also listed as deaf and imbecile on the census - though I could find no mention of these conditions on previous census'.
Im also struggling to read the writing in the column for occupation.

My question is could anyone help me shed some light on what defines him as an 'imbecile' and where he was an inmate in 1911. He died the next year. I thought he was possibly an inmate at Harton Institute but I read somewhere that this was demolished in 1898? Is there anyway I could check records?

I'm intrigued by this man.

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 2 Dec 2016 11:47

His occupation was Driller (formerly).

He is in the South Shields Poor Law Union Workhouse.

Definition of terms used on Census returns England & Wales 1841 - 1891 :-

Lunatic : a mentally ill person with periods of lucidity
Imbecile : persons who have fallen in later life into a state of chronic dementia
Idiot : persons who suffer from a congenital mental deficiency

It says that the period of time he was deaf and an imbecile was not known.

Kath. x

MargaretM

MargaretM Report 2 Dec 2016 11:48

I believe that he was an inmate of the South Shields Union Workhouse and that his occupation was driller formerly.

I would think that he's just suffering from senile dementia and loss of hearing that comes with old age.

Researching:
Great grandmother Dorothy Bean nee Abbott (1858-1908)