At the time of the census in 1901 (nine years after the hospital opened) there were 272 patients, 118 men and 154 women. Most of the patients were rather depressingly described as “pauper patients”. In addition, there were 6 private patients and one criminal patient.
They were looked after by 43 staff (about 6 patients for each staff member) headed by a medical superintendent, a chief asylum attendant (ie chief male nurse, the patients being strictly segregated) and a chief (female) nurse. There were 19 female nurses, 2 of them night nurses, and 10 male nurses including 1 night nurse. The remaining staff were an assistant medical officer, a mechanical engineer, a farm bailiff, a hall porter, a cook with 3 kitchen maids and 3 laundry maids. The census was normally taken on a Sunday, and at this time there was probably a number of staff members either living out or on home leave. The medical superintendent, chief male nurse, farm bailiff and mechanical engineer were married and their families and domestic servants (17 people in all) lived in at the hospital.
By 1911, the total number of patients had increased from 272 to 425, and the number of nurses from 29 to 39. They now had a seamstress, the chief nurse was called a matron, but otherwise the rest of the staff was unchanged. Happily the description “pauper patients” was no longer used: they were all simply patients.
1901 CENSUS: Page : 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 11 • 12 • 13 • 14
1911 CENSUS: Page : 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10• 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17