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Part of a petition by Wilmshurst for his release. (Y1-5 written at Dartmoor)
Bradstreet, the Cashier of the Oxford Bank, when he acknowledged receiving a Banker’s Letter of Authority, examined it, proved it, acted on it, referred to it and paid your petitioner £4,000 by an Accountable Receipt, Letters of Credit, Bank Notes and Cash in the name of Brown on faith of its contents as the best proof of the genuineness of that authority but when the said Bradstreet, at the suggestion of the Bank Solicitors, Mallons(?), swore he had lost this important letter of Authority and that he could remember nothing about it.
Part of a letter by John Perceval containing copies of letters of complaint from Wilmshurst and Lomas
Starts without introduction in the copy I have with Lomas’s letter dated 20 Sep 1854. The initial paragraphs are about how he was unjustly convicted on false evidence created by his relatives so that they could obtain an inheritance that he had received. Perceval comments on the strength of his legal case. Lomas’s letter continues -
To add to my sufferings I have been put under tortures degrading to human nature, and I have been an eye witness to acts which, if publically known would bring eternal shame and punishment on the perpetrators. The enclosed piece of poetry [not included with this letter] written by a friend of mine and a fellow sufferer will give you some idea of the atrocities of these places, and I assure you that nothing is exaggerated. There are not only continued acts of cruelty of this kind but it is a regular organised system connived at if not endorsed by the Doctor.
Since I have been here I have been treated with the most inhuman neglect having been deprived of proper nourishment under a disease of the liver and internal parts which threatens every hour to deprive me of life. Such is the callous inhumanity of the Doctor, that he sees me day after day pining away without allowing me those things which are necessary to preserve my life, although he takes good care to charge the government for wines, food, medicines etc., that we never good (sic), without caring what becomes of us, as long as he can put money in his own pocket and conceal his own villainy.
Two brothers who are interested in making merchandise of us are the Proprietors of the Asylum and they admit of no appeal from their decisions. They will allow no one to question or interfere with what they do, and if a poor patient venture to speak he is instantly made to feel their vengeance - there is no enquiry when they die however suspicious their deaths may be. After patients have been brutally treated and nearly murdered, they have been known to die very shortly after and no enquiry has been made. Patients are intimidated from speaking through a fear of being murdered. The whole evil is a result of a want of proper investigation and as long as the Doctors can prevail to intimidate the patients and shut the eyes of the Magistrate and Commissioners by making false statements and preventing examination I can see no hope of a stop being put to the disgraceful atrocities that are continually taking place.
Trusting that you will take steps to obtain redress for us,
I remain Sir,
Yours respectfully
B Lomas
P.S Sir, You will observe that I am obliged to get Mr Wilmshurst to write for me. I am so watched and unless these cruelties here done are published I shall be obliged to redress myself so as to be brought before the court.
(Original letter from Wilmshurst)
Fisherton House, Sept 20 1854
Sir,
Observing with pleasure the account of your noble and humane efforts on behalf of those who are unjustly pronounced insane, I take the liberty of placing before you a brief account of the oppression under which I suffer, in hopes that you will kindly employ your influence to obtain my redress.
(TBC)
(End of Perceval’s letter - don’t know who recipient was -)
I also wrote to Mrs Wilmshurst and requested a Friend in the neighbourhood of her residence to call on her - from whom, and from a Mr White, a Surveyor’s Clerk to whom she referred me I (and Mr Bolden the Solicitor of the Alleged Lunatics Friend’s Society) gathered this information, that in consequence of her want of success in behalf of her husband, Mrs Wilmshurst, for the sake of her only child, a daughter [incorrect, she had a son], had been advised to cease all further interference in his behalf and to try and conceal his story and his existence, and that she had been persuaded to follow these counsels, that it was supposed moreover that he had committed several forgeries about the time of his conviction at Oxford - but that he was not of sound mid at the time [no evidence for this - don’t know if he was told this or just jumped to this conclusion], whatever may be his condition now. In consequence of my interview with Mr White I received last month the following letter from Mr Wilmshurst giving a more detailed account of the violence and cruelties practiced on patients in Fisherton Asylum. JP
(Second letter from Wilmshurst after Perceval asked for more information)
Salisbury, Jany 5, 1855
Dear Sir,
Accept my sincere thanks for your kindness in placing my case in the hands of Mr White. I have received his letter but, as the Dr objects to my writing I am obliged to use private means of communicating with him and yourself. Independently of the act of oppression under which I suffer, I possess evidence of a description which your society is desirous of obtaining. Worse cruelties than those which took place at Bethlehem, Birmingham (Prison) etc are daily perpetrated here. Many a poor Patient has fallen sacrifice to the murderous system for the prevention of which your noble Society was formed. The poor creature are constantly irritated, beaten with broomsticks, knocked down, jumped upon, and ill treated in such a way, that many frequently die within a few days after, and those who witness these atrocities are so intimidated that they dare not speak for fear of being served in the same manner. I know of five instances in which the poor creatures have died within a few days after being so used, but the Doctors take every precaution to prevent an exposure, and did they know what I have written no doubt my life would be taken. I have however continued to make careful notes of these matters and I feel it to be my duty by your assistance to bring the matter to light. I have sent this letter secretly by one who cannot read or write and who has promised to take an receive our letters upon consideration that I give him a small sum of money for his risk and trouble. I am very anxious to know how Mr White is getting on with my case, and whether you wish for further particulars now.
Hoping to hear from you shortly
I remain Dear Sir
Yours faithfully
W Wilmshurst
To John Perceval Esq
Campden Cottages
Kensington
Millson’s letter (Copy made by Fisherton House to have it vetted before delivering it to Wilmshurst)
14, Swyrk’s Road
(near the Green Man)
Old Kent Road
London Dec.16.1854
My dear Sir,
I have enclosed your letter as desired to your Sister, you may thank me for getting your Wife to assist you. I have placed in the hands of Mr White Esquire of 58 Lincolns Inn Fields £150 and will never let your case rest until I see you at my offices if you get your liberty to ??????? I will engage you as Clerk to me at a yearly income of £150. Your father in law is a deceitful man and your brother in law I never wish to see, it is useless for any of them to try and keep you at Fisherton House. I have from them no money credentials for even to combat with (I am uncertain about the writing in the last sentence but I’m certain that this is what is says).
I am doing a good practice with my profession and have £1400 from my own private property besides and I will expend £150 a year until I get you home, I have made up my mind to secure you from Fisherton if I have to pay for your Board and Lodging in another asylum. I am informed by my Solicitor that I can do so but previous to doing so, you will be visited by a Clergyman Rev Thomas, a Surgeon (A Allen Esquire of 18 Hauter? St … Square, or an eminent Physician who’s name I will not mention also by Mr White & myself.
I am My dear Sir
Yours Truly
W J Millson
P.S. One of your late Keepers has been engaged by me for some time.
[The closing bracket is missing towards the end of the letter]
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