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.
elizabeth oakes
find out more about elizabeth oakes
Elizabeth was christened at Old Swinford, Worcestershire on 20 January 1842 to Thomas, an accountant and Mary Maton Oakes. They were living at Heath. Her parents Thomas Oakes and Mary Maton Cox were married 28 Jul 1835 at St Leonards Bridgnorth, Shropshire.
Thomas had been christened 4 May 1805 at Bridgnorth to Thomas and Mary Oakes. Mary Maton Cox was christened on the 15 January 1811 in Bristol to James and Ann Cox.
Elizabeth’s parents were recorded as living at Heath Road, Old Swinford in the 1841 census. They have Elizabeth’s three older siblings living with them, Mary (5), Thomas (3) and Francis (2).
Elizabeth aged 9 was living with her parents Thomas and Mary at Bullock Row, Walsall, in the 1851. Her father aged 45, a clerk, was born in Bridgnorth, and her mother, 40 years old was originally from Bristol. She has three younger sisters Jane Ann (5 born in Llanymynech), Sophia (4) and Harriet (1) both born in Walsall.
By 1861 her parents and siblings were living at Hill Street in Stourbridge, however Elizabeth, age 19, was a servant in the household of George Scott, a tailor, and his family. Elizabeth’s father was occupied as a Timber Merchant’s clerk and she has an additional sibling, Edwin (9). Elizabeth’s brother Francis no longer lived at home but was a linen draper’s assistant living in Birmingham.
During the interim years to 1871 Francis moved to Rugeley Road, Burntwood where he was a draper, married to Sarah Mary (nee Williams) and with three children of his own. Elizabeth was recorded as a visitor to Francis and his sister but there is no indication how long Elizabeth stayed with her brother. Elizabeth’s parents and sisters Jane and Harriet were living at Brook Street, Stourbridge in 1871. Her father Thomas was a retired commercial clerk.
On the 28 July 1879 Elizabeth, living at Brook Street, Stourbridge, was admitted to the asylum with mania hysteric with epilepsy, no occupation is recorded. There are no specific notes referring to her treatment and she was discharged on 4th October 1880 as she had recovered.
In 1881 Elizabeth was back living with her parents and siblings Jane and Harriet at Langlands, Stourbridge, the next street over from Brook Street. Her father Thomas was 75 and an annuitant.
Later that year on 25 September Elizabeth married John Cooke a furnace man who was almost thirty years her senior. The marriage took place at the parish church in Chasetown with Elizabeth’s brother Edwin and his wife Elizabeth Fanny as witnesses.
Elizabeth’s father Thomas died on 28 February 1886 at Stourbridge and was buried at Holy Cross and St Andrew, Stourbridge. Her mother Mary died in 1891 age 80 also at Stourbridge.
Elizabeth now a widow married Thomas Hopley on 11 April 1898 at St Ann’s Church, Chasetown, she was 56 and Thomas was 65. Her father’s occupation is recorded as a timber merchant, and the witnesses were William Charles Hopley and Mary Ann Jackson.
The 1901 census records Elizabeth 59 living at Ironstone Road, Burntwood, with her husband Thomas Hopley 68 a labourer at the coal pit bank.
Elizabeth died at Chasetown on 23 May 1905.
Some of Elizabeth’s siblings emigrated abroad. Thomas and his family emigrated to Boston, Massachusetts; Francis and his family went to Canada where Francis was buried 23 Oct 1903 Cookshire-Eaton, Estrie Region, Quebec, Canada. Jane Ann and her husband Frank Atkins also died in Cookshire-Eaton, Estrie Region, Quebec, Canada and were buried in Johnville Cemetery.
Research process:
Ancestry 1881 census – Elizabeth found in next street to Brook St, Stourbridge with parents and sisters. Each previous census was then searched back to 1841, showing Elizabeth’s birth as 1842 at Stourbridge. With this information Ancestry and Findmypast were searched for christenings of all children to Thomas and Mary Oakes cross referenced with the GRO index for the mother’s maiden surname (Cox).
Thomas and Mary’s marriage as well as their christenings was also found in Ancestry.
Searching Findmypast retrieved two marriages for Elizabeth i) John Cooke, ii) Thomas Hopley.
Elizabeth’s death was found searching Ancestry.
Research by Sandra Weir, 2025
Go back to find out about more people who were patients at the asylum.