Queen Mary and Westfield College London University PhD Thesis ...

had refused to cater3.
During the seventeenth century, the majority of the insane were retained in their localities,
with their families or parish nurses. While this remained true even as alternative provision mush-
roomed during the latter seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, around six times as many insane
parishioners as before, from the metropolitan area at least, were now being maintained outside
their neighbourhoods, in institutional care, at Bethlem and other hospitals, at private mad-
houses, and at workhouses. Between them, the ten London parishes I have examined in depth
(Alihallows Lombard Street, Alihallows the Great, St. Benet Paul's Wharf, St. Botoiph Alder-
sgate, St. Botoiph Bishopsgate, St. Bride, St. Dionis Backchurch, St. Dunstan in the West, St.
Sepulchre (London) & St. Stephen Coleman Street), utilised a wide range of institutional provi-
sion for their insane parishioners, during this period. Among't the private madhouses, Iloxton
and Bethnal Green were particularly popular (being the largest and cheapest), although others,
including those at White Cross Alley, Moorfields; Finsbury; Hackney; Dog Row, Mile End New
Town and Newington; were used in a more limited way. St. Botoiph Bishopsgate alone used at
least four (and possibly five) private houses for its insane parishioners prior to 1720; supporting
three paupers at John Biggs's (Bromley?) madhouse during 1676-78; one at John and Jane
Smith's Hackney madhouse during 1698-1700; five at John (or/and William) Ingram's Stepney
madhouse during 1715-19, and fifteen at Robert (and Thomas) Rhoden's Moorfields madhouse
during 1695-1720. 324 Bargains were also struck with physicians and other practitioners, some
of whom must also have kept small, private establishments; amongst them Dr. Fabricius/cay
(active in the 1720s), and Dr. Charles Browne, of Newport Pagnell, Bucks. Of a number of
workhouses available to these parishes, those at Cheshunt, Herts and Iloxton, were commonly
taken advantage of, while others at Bishopsgate, Tottenham, St. Mary Newington. Spitalfields,
were also used.
Of five St. Dionis parishioners admitted to Bethlem during 1639-1700, for example, nol one
appears to have been supported in a private madhouse or workhouse. Of fourteen, admitted
during 1700-69, however, at least three had been supported at Miles's Hoxton madhouse, two
323 See e.g. cases of a mad sailor who escaped from the waggoner and was apprehended by parish officer. at
'Main Stoke', in 1742, on his way up to London for admission to Bethiem, but whom the officers refused to keep
& the waggoner refused to have anything more to do with; & a lunatic sean,an whom Hicks, Naval Hospital
Surgeon at Sheerness, 'refused to receive' in 1741, claiming his quarters were full, who was ordered to be sent up
to Bethlem. Parish officer, and other authorities often had to pay waggoner. considerable fees to agree to take
lunatics up to London. See PRO Kew ADM 99/15, fol. 387; ADM 99/15 fols 151 & 155.
324 Churchwardens' accounts from the 1770., reveal that, subsequently, Bishopagate, like most city parishes,
was to rely on Bethnal Green & Hoxton primarily for such provision, but its poor relief accounts not being extant
for the period 1720-63, the transition is impossible to chart.
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