Peckham House, Camberwell, Surrey

In the 1901 British Census Frances E. tenBruggenkate (dutch link) is enumerated at Peckham House, in Camberwell, County Surrey. She was listed as a patient (lunatic), so I was wondering what kind of information I might be able to find. Some googling came up with some answers:

Peckham House was located at 112 High Street in Camberwell (map; location 51.4758194,-0.0846750). It was started in 1826 as the Peckham House Lunatic Asylum.  A great deal of information can be found at the Ennever Website. Peckham House closed in 1952. It certainly does not seem to have been a cheery place, but then in those days this kind of places never were. Other links that give a glimpse into the world of this lunatic asylum are the story of 12 yr old Walter, who was murdered there in 1846, A History of Camberwell (Peckham house is mentioned about halfway down the page), and the 1832 Madhouse Act (search for “Peckham House” with Ctr^F to find some historical dates). Later there was a private division, for paying patients, where the conditions are somewhat better.

As no patient records seem to have survived, we can only speculate as to why Frances was locked up there. In 1881, 2 years after her father died, she and her sister were enumerated with their grandmother at 66 Stockwell Park Road, Lambeth, rather than with her mother and brother. She is listed as “scholar,” so she was still going to school. Her mother and brother were boarding at 40 Lothian Road, Camberwell. In 1891 she was living again with her mother and brother, and is listed as “living on her own means.” In 1911 I cannot find her at all, even though she does not die until 1952. When her mother died in 1917, Frances did not get a share of the estate.

It would be nice to know more, but for the moment all I can do is to reflect on a woman living her life, locked away under such circumstances.