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Broadmoor Revealed: Victorian Crime and the Lunatic Asylum
A fascinating introduction to the history of Broadmoor’: Kate Summerscale, author of The Suspicions of Mr Whicher.
On 27 May 1863, three coaches pulled up at the gates of a new asylum, built amongst the tall, dense pines of Windsor Forest. Broadmoor’s first patients had arrived.
In Broadmoor Revealed, Mark Stevens writes about what life was like for the criminally insane, over one hundred years ago. From fresh research into the Broadmoor archives, Mark has uncovered the lost lives of patients whose mental illnesses led them to become involved in crime.
Discover the five women who went on to become mothers in Broadmoor, giving birth to new life when three of them had previously taken it. Find out how several Victorian immigrants ended their hopeful journeys to England in madness and disaster. And follow the numerous escapes, actual and attempted, as the first doctors tried to assert control over the residents.
As well as bringing the lives of forgotten patients to light, this thrilling book reveals new perspectives on some of the hospital's most famous Victorian residents: Edward Oxford, the bar boy who shot at Queen Victoria. Richard Dadd, the brilliant artist and murderer of his own father. William Chester Minor, veteran of the American Civil War who went on to play a key part in the first Oxford English Dictionary. Christiana Edmunds, The Chocolate Cream Poisoner and frustrated lover from Brighton.
Broadmoor Revealed became the most popular history e-book of 2011, and now this new expanded and revised edition celebrates the Hospital's 150th anniversary.
On 27 May 1863, three coaches pulled up at the gates of a new asylum, built amongst the tall, dense pines of Windsor Forest. Broadmoor’s first patients had arrived.
In Broadmoor Revealed, Mark Stevens writes about what life was like for the criminally insane, over one hundred years ago. From fresh research into the Broadmoor archives, Mark has uncovered the lost lives of patients whose mental illnesses led them to become involved in crime.
Discover the five women who went on to become mothers in Broadmoor, giving birth to new life when three of them had previously taken it. Find out how several Victorian immigrants ended their hopeful journeys to England in madness and disaster. And follow the numerous escapes, actual and attempted, as the first doctors tried to assert control over the residents.
As well as bringing the lives of forgotten patients to light, this thrilling book reveals new perspectives on some of the hospital's most famous Victorian residents: Edward Oxford, the bar boy who shot at Queen Victoria. Richard Dadd, the brilliant artist and murderer of his own father. William Chester Minor, veteran of the American Civil War who went on to play a key part in the first Oxford English Dictionary. Christiana Edmunds, The Chocolate Cream Poisoner and frustrated lover from Brighton.
Broadmoor Revealed became the most popular history e-book of 2011, and now this new expanded and revised edition celebrates the Hospital's 150th anniversary.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 4, 2011
281 people are currently reading
1975 people want to read
About the author
Mark Stevens
2 books3 followersI'm an archivist who writes history books about mental health.
My first book, Broadmoor Revealed, is an introduction to the Victorian hospital and some of its patients.
My second book is called Life in the Victorian Asylum. It provides an immersive experience in the day-to-day world of Victorian public asylums, including Broadmoor.
My first book, Broadmoor Revealed, is an introduction to the Victorian hospital and some of its patients.
My second book is called Life in the Victorian Asylum. It provides an immersive experience in the day-to-day world of Victorian public asylums, including Broadmoor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
March 20, 2018
Broadmoor, these days, is where the most evil, insane criminals are incarcerated. At it's inception it was both an asylum for those judged mentally ill, and for those who were criminally insane. After a while these two populations were separated as the former were not violent, destructive, evil or trying to escape and the latter were all of these things.
Back then it really was a prison even if it wasn't called that, as as some of the population were there for fixed terms after committing an offence and got out whether they had regained their sanity or not, and others were there 'at the Queen's pleasure' meaning they weren't getting out until judged sane, and maybe not even then. (As it is today).
There was no treatment available. So what did the asylum staff do for these people? That was just one question. Here are some others.
* What qualifications did the people in charge, from the head down, need to have?
* What were their duties, apart from guarding the patients?
* What percentage of the people were from poor, middle class or well-off backgrounds?
* Had they always been committed by courts or transferred from other institutions?
* Could they self-commit? Could a doctor or their family commit them? If so in either case could they leave when they felt better?
* How were the patients housed apart from their rooms, were there day rooms, canteens, exercise yards, gymnasiums, craft workshops?
* What sort of food were they given?
* Were they allowed furniture, books or other items from home?
* Was their work paid in any way and if so could they purchase items?
* How were they prepared for their release?
* Who judged them sane or was it matter of just saying they didn't have delusions any more?
* Were the insane treated differently from the criminally insane apart from separation? In what way?
* What constituted an easy regime as in some of the housing blocks, and what was a more restrictive one?
There were stories told of some of the patients. There was very little background to each one. Scarcely a word about their crimes. Less about their personalities. Nothing at all about their relationships with each other and the prison staff.
The author made much of escape attempts, a few successful. Why were they escaping? Because they were driven to do things by delusions? By a cruel regime, by just wanting to be out in the world? When "recaptured" (as most were) did they suffer punishment, if so what?
The book raised far more questions than it answered. Because it lacked details about people, there was no colour to it and it was a very meh reading experience. 2 stars.
Back then it really was a prison even if it wasn't called that, as as some of the population were there for fixed terms after committing an offence and got out whether they had regained their sanity or not, and others were there 'at the Queen's pleasure' meaning they weren't getting out until judged sane, and maybe not even then. (As it is today).
There was no treatment available. So what did the asylum staff do for these people? That was just one question. Here are some others.
* What qualifications did the people in charge, from the head down, need to have?
* What were their duties, apart from guarding the patients?
* What percentage of the people were from poor, middle class or well-off backgrounds?
* Had they always been committed by courts or transferred from other institutions?
* Could they self-commit? Could a doctor or their family commit them? If so in either case could they leave when they felt better?
* How were the patients housed apart from their rooms, were there day rooms, canteens, exercise yards, gymnasiums, craft workshops?
* What sort of food were they given?
* Were they allowed furniture, books or other items from home?
* Was their work paid in any way and if so could they purchase items?
* How were they prepared for their release?
* Who judged them sane or was it matter of just saying they didn't have delusions any more?
* Were the insane treated differently from the criminally insane apart from separation? In what way?
* What constituted an easy regime as in some of the housing blocks, and what was a more restrictive one?
There were stories told of some of the patients. There was very little background to each one. Scarcely a word about their crimes. Less about their personalities. Nothing at all about their relationships with each other and the prison staff.
The author made much of escape attempts, a few successful. Why were they escaping? Because they were driven to do things by delusions? By a cruel regime, by just wanting to be out in the world? When "recaptured" (as most were) did they suffer punishment, if so what?
The book raised far more questions than it answered. Because it lacked details about people, there was no colour to it and it was a very meh reading experience. 2 stars.
June 13, 2012
This is a very well researched and accessible insight into Broadmoor written by Mark Stevens who is an archivist for the Berkshire Record Office http://www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/
As Mr Stevens states it is not a full blown history but to use his words "...a tasting rather than a full bottle" that tells something of the Asylum/Hospital's past in terms of its foundation, the people who managed the patients and inmates and the incumbents themselves. The author says the book is a collection of short stories that grew out of work to publicise the personal stores from within the archives that were first made available to the public in 2008.
So with this in mind - and the rather surprising find that it was free on Kindle, when I would gladly pay hard cash even if the monies only went to help fund more work at the archives - I set to reading about a place known to me only for holding Ronnie Kray, Ian Brady and Peter Sutcliffe and the like.
Quickly I was immersed in the Victorian world of 1863 by a wonderful storytelling guide who explained how the hospital came into being and how the authorities and Broadmoor's first managers and staff commenced their task of housing lunatics and other undesirables.
It surprised me to learn that women were the first to arrive and the challenges this presented to staff, patients and inmates and the hospital's design itself. The mens' arrival also presented an interesting insight (I say patients and inmates as both those judged criminally insane and those imprisoned for crime with no insanity were housed here).
The book provides short stories on some of the inmates, four well known and four not, and as Mr Stevens say they are a mere handful of the over two thousand admitted from opening in 1863 to 1901 (at the book's writing the records after this date remain closed to the public in respect ofn the 100 years rule that is applied).
The chapter on women who had babies was fascinating as it gave a glance of the people themselves, and how the authorities treated and approached these situations.
Likewise the descriptions of escape attempts and the escapees was riveting notably the guile and luck of the inmates, as well as the unsuitability of design, the need to change procedures and a spattering of unreliable warders.
I was also struck throughout at the measured and often very benevolent approach taken by the management, and it [the hospital as a organisation] truly seems to have developed treatment and routines to help people classified as mentally ill.
Finally, Mr Stevens completes this excellent taster with a list of sources and further reading.
He writes of aiming to complete a more detailed and fuller history. I for one will gladly pay good money to read his next instalment, and hope one day to catch his highly regarded talk on Broadmoor too.
As Mr Stevens states it is not a full blown history but to use his words "...a tasting rather than a full bottle" that tells something of the Asylum/Hospital's past in terms of its foundation, the people who managed the patients and inmates and the incumbents themselves. The author says the book is a collection of short stories that grew out of work to publicise the personal stores from within the archives that were first made available to the public in 2008.
So with this in mind - and the rather surprising find that it was free on Kindle, when I would gladly pay hard cash even if the monies only went to help fund more work at the archives - I set to reading about a place known to me only for holding Ronnie Kray, Ian Brady and Peter Sutcliffe and the like.
Quickly I was immersed in the Victorian world of 1863 by a wonderful storytelling guide who explained how the hospital came into being and how the authorities and Broadmoor's first managers and staff commenced their task of housing lunatics and other undesirables.
It surprised me to learn that women were the first to arrive and the challenges this presented to staff, patients and inmates and the hospital's design itself. The mens' arrival also presented an interesting insight (I say patients and inmates as both those judged criminally insane and those imprisoned for crime with no insanity were housed here).
The book provides short stories on some of the inmates, four well known and four not, and as Mr Stevens say they are a mere handful of the over two thousand admitted from opening in 1863 to 1901 (at the book's writing the records after this date remain closed to the public in respect ofn the 100 years rule that is applied).
The chapter on women who had babies was fascinating as it gave a glance of the people themselves, and how the authorities treated and approached these situations.
Likewise the descriptions of escape attempts and the escapees was riveting notably the guile and luck of the inmates, as well as the unsuitability of design, the need to change procedures and a spattering of unreliable warders.
I was also struck throughout at the measured and often very benevolent approach taken by the management, and it [the hospital as a organisation] truly seems to have developed treatment and routines to help people classified as mentally ill.
Finally, Mr Stevens completes this excellent taster with a list of sources and further reading.
He writes of aiming to complete a more detailed and fuller history. I for one will gladly pay good money to read his next instalment, and hope one day to catch his highly regarded talk on Broadmoor too.
January 4, 2012
I am fascinated by the history of mental health treatment, and was quite excited when this free-for-kindle book was recommended. Unfortunately, the book doesn't deliver on the promises of the title. Only a few patient's histories are covered, and very little is said about their time at Broadmoor beyond detailing some of their room furnishings and more extraordinary achievements, such as Dadd's fairy paintings.
I recognize that not a lot of documentation has survived, but surely a researcher could find something in the archives to give more of a flavor than the dry catalog of births and escapes. The physicians and caretakers must have written something about their patients, behavioral observations at the very least! Those are the notes that I yearn to see, to be able to compare a Victorian patient with dementia praecox with the experiences of one of my own schizophrenics ... discussions of treatment options, which I know were remarkably few in the 19th Century, but not completely nonexistent.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't an awful read, but it could have been a lot better.
I recognize that not a lot of documentation has survived, but surely a researcher could find something in the archives to give more of a flavor than the dry catalog of births and escapes. The physicians and caretakers must have written something about their patients, behavioral observations at the very least! Those are the notes that I yearn to see, to be able to compare a Victorian patient with dementia praecox with the experiences of one of my own schizophrenics ... discussions of treatment options, which I know were remarkably few in the 19th Century, but not completely nonexistent.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't an awful read, but it could have been a lot better.
December 14, 2019
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March 5, 2018
A really interesting book about the inmates at Broadmoor during the Victorian era. Broadmoor was built at this time to house the criminally insane. The book looks at some of it’s most notorious inhabitants including artist Richard Dadd and Charles Monor - a major contributor to the first Oxford English Dictionary. I had imagined life there to be much harsher, but it didn’t seem to be from the book. Also the criminals there seemed to have warranted a place there - most covered in the book were murderers.
October 6, 2020
This book provides a look at England’s first hospital for the criminally insane. It does this mainly by exploring some of the significant patients it has held. Chapter 1 introduces Broadmoor to us. Chapter 2 covers its first patient. Then, in chapter 3 we are told about one of the more acclaimed of its patients, an accomplished artist. But, chapter 4 covers my favorite inmate - William Chester Minor; he was a significant contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). Chapter 5 covers those who came to England from a far. Chapter 6 focuses on one of the woman patients there. In chapter 7 we are given a look at the babies born there. Chapter 8 covers escapes. And, chapter 9 shows us Broadmoor in more recent years. Finally, chapter 10 gives some sources; the book was originally intended to be a resource for researchers.
I only have one comment on a piece of text from the book. It can be found at Kindle location 261. ”It was only during the twentieth century that the word ‘lunatic’ ceased to be the industry norm, whereupon it rapidly became a somewhat guilty word, an incorrect way of describing a sufferer from mental illness. This seems a shame, and although it became a label and a source of stigma, perhaps the time is ripe for its reclaiming by those afflicted by the moon. It is a word of great power and potentially of empowerment. It could give status as much as imputation, for it still aptly conveys the loss of influence over one’s actions to forces both outside our control and not fully understood.” The author I believe didn’t think this through. But, it does remind me of those homosexuals who claim the derogatory “queer” for themselves. But, I do not think he has the mentally ill person’s feelings in mind.
The book was fair. Good as it goes, so to speak. My favorite chapter was on Minor. I have read two books on his contributions to the OED: one featuring him,The Professor and the Madman, and one on the history of the dictionary, The Meaning of Everything.
If you are interest in what is was like to be a committed inmate at a hospital for the criminally insane, I could recommend this book. I could also recommend it to those interested in criminal insanity, or criminal, medical, or English history. If you don’t fit in but still like history or nonfiction in general it wouldn’t be a bad read, but at 3 stars maybe you don’t want to bother.
I only have one comment on a piece of text from the book. It can be found at Kindle location 261. ”It was only during the twentieth century that the word ‘lunatic’ ceased to be the industry norm, whereupon it rapidly became a somewhat guilty word, an incorrect way of describing a sufferer from mental illness. This seems a shame, and although it became a label and a source of stigma, perhaps the time is ripe for its reclaiming by those afflicted by the moon. It is a word of great power and potentially of empowerment. It could give status as much as imputation, for it still aptly conveys the loss of influence over one’s actions to forces both outside our control and not fully understood.” The author I believe didn’t think this through. But, it does remind me of those homosexuals who claim the derogatory “queer” for themselves. But, I do not think he has the mentally ill person’s feelings in mind.
The book was fair. Good as it goes, so to speak. My favorite chapter was on Minor. I have read two books on his contributions to the OED: one featuring him,The Professor and the Madman, and one on the history of the dictionary, The Meaning of Everything.
If you are interest in what is was like to be a committed inmate at a hospital for the criminally insane, I could recommend this book. I could also recommend it to those interested in criminal insanity, or criminal, medical, or English history. If you don’t fit in but still like history or nonfiction in general it wouldn’t be a bad read, but at 3 stars maybe you don’t want to bother.
March 12, 2018
This was an enjoyable, light read. I think the author's intention was to provide a basic introduction to Broadmoor, focusing on the early days. Much of the book describes the histories of a selection of patients, illustrating why Broadmoor was built and why alterations were made, who the patients were and how they arrived there, and how the institution dealt with problems that were technically outside the remit of Broadmoor, such as women patients giving birth.
If you want an introduction to Victorian Broadmoor, this is a good place to start. If you want something deeper, or a view of where Broadmoor sat in the overall scheme of dealing with mental illness in the 19th century, or even how mental illness was dealt with, then this is not the book for you.
A solid three-star read for me.
If you want an introduction to Victorian Broadmoor, this is a good place to start. If you want something deeper, or a view of where Broadmoor sat in the overall scheme of dealing with mental illness in the 19th century, or even how mental illness was dealt with, then this is not the book for you.
A solid three-star read for me.
August 2, 2013
Broadmoor revealed is a fantastic journey in to the world of Lunatics Victorian style. The author has sifted through the records of the Broadmoor Asylum to bring us the story of some of its earliest residents. He also walks through the early history and development of the institution.
Broadmoor became the home to those held at her Majesties pleasure, those found not guilty of heinous crimes due to insanity. Also it was home to your more straight lace mad criminals. It is a great snapshot of an era and speaks great volumes of the social and political values of the time. I thank the author for bringing the cast of colourful inmates and staff back from the mist of time.
Broadmoor became the home to those held at her Majesties pleasure, those found not guilty of heinous crimes due to insanity. Also it was home to your more straight lace mad criminals. It is a great snapshot of an era and speaks great volumes of the social and political values of the time. I thank the author for bringing the cast of colourful inmates and staff back from the mist of time.
June 12, 2019
Review to Come
September 20, 2011
Wow! If you are interested in psychiatric history, the Victorian era, or true crime, this book is for you.
Archivist Mark Stevens works with the Berkshire Records Office and thus has access to the case histories of Broadmoor's inmates, its governors and more. This book is a sampling of case studies (including that of painter Richard Dadd, whose works hang in the Tate Gallery, and William Minor, a major contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary), births in the asylum and various escape attempts.
Stevens brings both the concept of "moral treatment" (an idea developed by English Quakers to help mental health patients, which sounds like something far different from what it is) and the life of asylum patients into the light for readers in a way that is interesting and compassionate. "Moral treatment" involved nutritious food, rest and useful work at the level that each patient was able to manage.
Broadmoor not only had mental health patients but also prisoners, and there were some management issues between the two very different populations. Attempts by Broadmoor's governors to deal with those issues are detailed.
Stevens provides a lovely annotated bibliography at the end of this book so that readers may see the original documents on patients, the asylum's history, etc., from which he worked.
I have already recommended this outstanding source to people with an interest in the subject matter, and have no doubt that I will continue to do so with regularity.
Archivist Mark Stevens works with the Berkshire Records Office and thus has access to the case histories of Broadmoor's inmates, its governors and more. This book is a sampling of case studies (including that of painter Richard Dadd, whose works hang in the Tate Gallery, and William Minor, a major contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary), births in the asylum and various escape attempts.
Stevens brings both the concept of "moral treatment" (an idea developed by English Quakers to help mental health patients, which sounds like something far different from what it is) and the life of asylum patients into the light for readers in a way that is interesting and compassionate. "Moral treatment" involved nutritious food, rest and useful work at the level that each patient was able to manage.
Broadmoor not only had mental health patients but also prisoners, and there were some management issues between the two very different populations. Attempts by Broadmoor's governors to deal with those issues are detailed.
Stevens provides a lovely annotated bibliography at the end of this book so that readers may see the original documents on patients, the asylum's history, etc., from which he worked.
I have already recommended this outstanding source to people with an interest in the subject matter, and have no doubt that I will continue to do so with regularity.
December 14, 2015
The book was interesting, but never too interesting, and the only reason I read it so quickly was that it was short. The stories about the inmates were interesting, but they were very superficial. I wanted to hear more about treatment, their every day lives, how they were processes as "pleasure men" (those imprisoned at Her Majesty's Pleasure).The history of mental health can be fascinating, but this was very introductory and so I just dont think it was for me. Also the escapee chapter went on for far too long.
June 14, 2018
Broadmoor is Britain's best-known and oldest high-security psychiatric hospital. Its archive for the 19th century is no longer protected by privacy laws, and a local archivist used it to produce this book, which I think at first was self-published.
This was a hard one to rate because on the one hand it leaves me wanting a lot more detail, and on the other I recognise that it was written by an archivist, who I'm sure (since I have a close relative who is one) will have a great respect for the documentary evidence and will not want to wander off into the territory of the imagination. Indeed the author is gently but persistently critical of Simon Winchester, who does exactly that in his biography of one of the patients, The Surgeon of Crowthorne.
There are three main sections which focus on (1) well-known male patients, including Winchester's subject and two painters; (2) one well-known woman patient (the serial poisoner Christiana Edmunds) and the women who arrived pregnant and the fates of their babies born in Broadmoor; (3) escapees and attempted escapes.
The style might bother some people because Stevens uses Victorian terms for mental illness (insane, lunatics) without apology, but I'm sure the intention was to give a flavour of the times. I did want to teach him the difference between "secret" and "secrete". But my copy's been on my Kindle unread for years, so hopefully he's made that correction in the meantime. He is great at finding new ways to say words that come up again and again, like "helped himself to a slice of unscheduled liberation" for "escaped" :)
This was a hard one to rate because on the one hand it leaves me wanting a lot more detail, and on the other I recognise that it was written by an archivist, who I'm sure (since I have a close relative who is one) will have a great respect for the documentary evidence and will not want to wander off into the territory of the imagination. Indeed the author is gently but persistently critical of Simon Winchester, who does exactly that in his biography of one of the patients, The Surgeon of Crowthorne.
There are three main sections which focus on (1) well-known male patients, including Winchester's subject and two painters; (2) one well-known woman patient (the serial poisoner Christiana Edmunds) and the women who arrived pregnant and the fates of their babies born in Broadmoor; (3) escapees and attempted escapes.
The style might bother some people because Stevens uses Victorian terms for mental illness (insane, lunatics) without apology, but I'm sure the intention was to give a flavour of the times. I did want to teach him the difference between "secret" and "secrete". But my copy's been on my Kindle unread for years, so hopefully he's made that correction in the meantime. He is great at finding new ways to say words that come up again and again, like "helped himself to a slice of unscheduled liberation" for "escaped" :)
August 27, 2011
I really enjoyed this book but what I enjoyed even more were the reactions I got when I told people what I was reading :P
February 8, 2019
An interesting although short insight into a Victorian asylum. Felt that it could have went into more details of the day to day goings on e.g what treatments were used and what the general conditions were like.
October 11, 2011
This book tells the stories of a few patients who resided for a time at Broadmoor Hospital, in England, during the Victorian period; they were actually famous (or maybe infamous is a better word?) at the time. It also discusses what happened with some of the women who were pregnant at the time they were admitted, and gave birth in the hospital, and the escaped attempts made by some of the patients, some successful, some not.
Most of the patients there were sent there as a result of their criminal activity; some were found guilty, but insane. Others were found not guilty, but were still put there on the orders of Queen Victoria.
Most of this book I found interesting, especially the chapters on Christiana Edmunds, who had poisoned people with chocolate, and the stories of the other women who were patients there. It sounds like all the patients were treated well, and there were no abuses against them, but I was disappointed that the book didn't really go into what was done for actual treatment for mental illness at that time. I also found the chapter on the escape attempts overly long; after awhile, one escape attempt sounded like all the other ones. I could tell though, that the author really put a lot of work into his research to make the stories accurate.
Most of the patients there were sent there as a result of their criminal activity; some were found guilty, but insane. Others were found not guilty, but were still put there on the orders of Queen Victoria.
Most of this book I found interesting, especially the chapters on Christiana Edmunds, who had poisoned people with chocolate, and the stories of the other women who were patients there. It sounds like all the patients were treated well, and there were no abuses against them, but I was disappointed that the book didn't really go into what was done for actual treatment for mental illness at that time. I also found the chapter on the escape attempts overly long; after awhile, one escape attempt sounded like all the other ones. I could tell though, that the author really put a lot of work into his research to make the stories accurate.
May 29, 2013
A brief overview of the establishment and early history of the Broadmoor psychiatric hospital in Berkshire. Opened in the 1860s, it was a pioneer of treatment for the criminally insane and was among the first to viewed its inmates as patients rather than purely as prisoners.
The book looks at how Broadmoor was built and opened, gives profiles of the men who ran it in the early years and sketches portraits of some of the inmates, both well-known and (up till now) anonymous.
I found it an interesting and readable study of a world I knew little about, though I have a fair amount of knowledge of Victorian Britain and of the life of women during the era. I particularly enjoyed reading about some of the female inmates, including those who gave birth while in Broadmoor.
To be recommended for those with an interest in history, women's studies and/or mental health.
The book looks at how Broadmoor was built and opened, gives profiles of the men who ran it in the early years and sketches portraits of some of the inmates, both well-known and (up till now) anonymous.
I found it an interesting and readable study of a world I knew little about, though I have a fair amount of knowledge of Victorian Britain and of the life of women during the era. I particularly enjoyed reading about some of the female inmates, including those who gave birth while in Broadmoor.
To be recommended for those with an interest in history, women's studies and/or mental health.
June 16, 2016
Extremely interesting and thankfully not full of pages of dry details, the book focuses instead on the stories of a few captivating inmates of Broadmoor who left some tangible records. Fascinating stories of incarcerations in jails and asylums and escapes therefrom.
It also reveals information about some of the wardens of the institutions, but not enough -- in my opinion -- to understand their attitudes about their work. I wanted more about medical and society opinions on mental illness and criminal behavior, for instance. I still found it intriguing and appreciate the great amount of research by the author, Mr. Stevens.
It also reveals information about some of the wardens of the institutions, but not enough -- in my opinion -- to understand their attitudes about their work. I wanted more about medical and society opinions on mental illness and criminal behavior, for instance. I still found it intriguing and appreciate the great amount of research by the author, Mr. Stevens.
January 15, 2012
Not as interesting as it sounds. I didn't bother finishing it as it was a load of shite!
June 8, 2016
One of those places with a fascinating history, just wish it was a bigger book.
December 31, 2018
This book's length should be enough to inform you that it's not a comprehensive coverage of any aspect of life in a lunatic asylum. Instead, it briefly touches a few aspects: the evolution of mental health system in England (rather, its humble beginnings in the 19th century), the evolution of laws around mental illness and crime (crimes driven by lunacy, crimes and lunacy and lunacy after crime), the society's attitude towards mental illness and its patients, the evolution of asylum layouts, living and security arrangements, documentation and dealing with matters like childbirth, institutionalization of patients etc through experience.
Keeping this book's small scope in mind, it's an entertaining read. Despite its shortness, it's well researched (the end consists of all the resources the author referred to). The author has also provided sources for further reading. And he admits that he knew very little about Broadmoor while writing this book, and more detailed works have been published.
This book can serve as a light or an introductory reading for anyone who's starting to read about mental illnesses and mental asylums. As an outsider, I was unaware about Broadmoor Hospital and its significance. But now, having learned that it's still operating, I'm interesting in reading more about it.
Keeping this book's small scope in mind, it's an entertaining read. Despite its shortness, it's well researched (the end consists of all the resources the author referred to). The author has also provided sources for further reading. And he admits that he knew very little about Broadmoor while writing this book, and more detailed works have been published.
This book can serve as a light or an introductory reading for anyone who's starting to read about mental illnesses and mental asylums. As an outsider, I was unaware about Broadmoor Hospital and its significance. But now, having learned that it's still operating, I'm interesting in reading more about it.
March 2, 2021
If you are interested in social history then this is a good read. It gives a really good insight into the conditions at the time through real personal stories.
Broadmoor Revealed gives the reader a glimpse behind the walls of England's first Criminal Lunatic Asylum.
Focused on the Victorian period, the book tells the stories of some of the hospital's best-known patients. There is Edward Oxford, who shot at Queen Victoria, and Richard Dadd, the brilliant artist and murderer of his father. There is also William Chester Minor, the surgeon from America who killed a stranger in London, and then played a key part in creating the world's finest dictionary. Finally, there is Christiana Edmunds, ‘The Chocolate Cream Poisoner’ and frustrated lover.
To these four tales are added new ones, previously unknown. There were five women who went on to become mothers in Broadmoor, giving birth to life when three of them had previously taken it. Then there were the numerous escapes, actual and attempted, as the first doctors tried to assert control over their residents.
These are stories from the edge of where true crime meets mental illness. Broadmoor Revealed recounts what life was like for the criminally insane, over one hundred years ago.
Broadmoor Revealed gives the reader a glimpse behind the walls of England's first Criminal Lunatic Asylum.
Focused on the Victorian period, the book tells the stories of some of the hospital's best-known patients. There is Edward Oxford, who shot at Queen Victoria, and Richard Dadd, the brilliant artist and murderer of his father. There is also William Chester Minor, the surgeon from America who killed a stranger in London, and then played a key part in creating the world's finest dictionary. Finally, there is Christiana Edmunds, ‘The Chocolate Cream Poisoner’ and frustrated lover.
To these four tales are added new ones, previously unknown. There were five women who went on to become mothers in Broadmoor, giving birth to life when three of them had previously taken it. Then there were the numerous escapes, actual and attempted, as the first doctors tried to assert control over their residents.
These are stories from the edge of where true crime meets mental illness. Broadmoor Revealed recounts what life was like for the criminally insane, over one hundred years ago.
March 17, 2025
Mark Stevens reveals what life was like for the criminally insane, over one hundred years ago. From fresh research into the Broadmoor archives, Mark has uncovered the lost lives of patients whose mental illnesses led them to become involved in crime.
This book was fascinating to say the least! It starts from the beginning talking about the first people to run Broadmoor and the changes they made during their time working there.
Topics covered are infamous patients and their stories, the babies that were born there and what their life looked like and the many escapees and the escape attempts that led to further securing of the prison.
It's a good read, well written and well researched. It's worth a read!
This book was fascinating to say the least! It starts from the beginning talking about the first people to run Broadmoor and the changes they made during their time working there.
Topics covered are infamous patients and their stories, the babies that were born there and what their life looked like and the many escapees and the escape attempts that led to further securing of the prison.
It's a good read, well written and well researched. It's worth a read!
March 16, 2020
A well researched and written book on the history of Broadmoor through the Victorian age.
My only big gripe is that it focuses to much on some patients and not enough on the place itself and the goings on there. Ways of treatment and looking into supposed acts of violence from the handlers at Broadmoor.
But a very interesting book even so.
My only big gripe is that it focuses to much on some patients and not enough on the place itself and the goings on there. Ways of treatment and looking into supposed acts of violence from the handlers at Broadmoor.
But a very interesting book even so.
December 28, 2018
Informative. This book was not bad. Unfortunately it wasn't what I was hoping it would be.
January 5, 2019
Sort of repetitive, but interesting stories of individual patients from actual archive records.
April 3, 2019
Very interesting, short account of some of the most notable patients and incidents at Broadmoor.
May 1, 2019
Summary of the early history of the treatment of the "criminally insane" and Broadmoor in particular. Not a comprehensive history but fascinating and informative nonetheless.
August 7, 2019
Interesting
October 30, 2019
Very interesting read
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