OUTSIDE THE ASYLUM
Can you help George Marshall Medical Museum with a spot of family history research to find out about some people who were admitted to the Worcester City and County Lunatic Asylum in the 19th century?
Our aim is to share more patients’ stories, and to find out about their lives before admission and (where possible) after discharge.
eliza phillips
find out more about eliza phillips
Eliza Phillips was a patient admitted to Worcester City and County Pauper Lunatic Asylum on May 20th in 1887. Born in 1868, to parents George and Emma Phillips, along with three siblings, one of whom passed away as an infant. Eliza was the second born to her parents.
Eliza lived in Inkberrow, Worcestershire, her occupation was listed as Needlemaker in the 1881 census at age 13, only six years prior to her admission.
Before her admission at 19 she was a domestic servant admitted with puerperal mania, also known as post-partum psychosis. She didn’t have a spouse meaning she had the baby out of wedlock, which was a frowned upon phenomenon at this period in history.
“Unmarried mothers and their infants were considered an affront to morality. It was believed that children conceived in sin inherited their parents’ lack of moral character and would contaminate the minds and morals of ‘legitimate’ children. Family and friends were not allowed to offer comfort and aid. Childbirth brought fear of starvation for the mother and her child, alienation from family and friends, censure from society, relief agencies and employers. In desolation and shame, young unmarried mothers placed their infants in workhouses where their survival was questionable or committed infanticide (at their hand or others).”
From the notes, it appears that she was seen as having suicidal behaviours similar to that of her mother as they describe her behaviour as possibly being hereditary. Her mother was also admitted, and she would have possibly had a short stay similar to Eliza as her mother was included in the 1891 census.
Eliza refused food, and rather than going to bed, she would lie on the floor with her head in her hands. If she was approached by anyone, she would respond by kicking them away.
Before she was discharged, she was described as having some improvement in her behaviour which was quite a quick turn around as she was only admitted for 1 year and 5 months. She was discharged from the asylum on October 1st in 1888.
From looking at the 1891 census in reference to Eliza’s mother, Emma Phillips, she is at that moment listed as having one child and a son-in-law. Using this and knowing that Eliza was discharged in October 1888 it can be inferred that she passed away not too long after her admission, or went to live elsewhere.
Research by Ammarah Parveen, 2026.
Click here to view Eliza’s asylum notes.
Go back to find out about more people who were patients at the asylum.