Institution Information - Springbank Retreat
Parish/City/County: City Parish, Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Alternative Names: [none]
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Locating Records for this institution
For people admitted to Scottish Mental Health institutions from 1 January 1858 a record usually survives in the ‘Notices of Admissions by the Superintendent of the Mental Institutions’ which are held by the National Records of Scotland. We are creating an index to these records and can assist you in searching the unindexed period. Search our index here or read more about the project here.
Records kept by this private institution do not seem to have survived. If you learn of anything concerning the survival or whereabouts of these records, please contact us.
Text from 1857 Royal Commission Report
“SPRINGBANK RETREAT, GLASGOW; Miss Berry and Miss Anderson, Proprietors; Visited 20th July 1855.
This is a two-storied house situated at Springbank, a suburb of Glasgow, and standing apart, in a garden. When visited, it contained 7 patients, all females, no males being received. The rate of payment varies from a guinea, to a guinea and a half a week. On the upper floor are four bedrooms and a sitting-room; on the lower floor, three bedrooms for patients, a parlour, kitchen, &c. There are water-closets on each floor.
The rooms up-stairs are occupied by the quieter patients, and are exceedingly untidy. Most of the beds are without sheets, the blankets very dirty, and the patients disorderly in their dress.
The rooms down-stairs are appropriated to the more noisy and unruly patients. They are bare and cheerless. The bedding is dirty, and an appearance of dirt and discomfort pervades all the rooms used by the patients.
The patients in general dine together, and the diet seems ample.
There are two servants. The patients are supplied with books and newspapers. One lady attends church.
The garden is about 1/3 of an acre in size, and is surrounded by a wall about 12 feet high. It contains some fruit bushes and vegetables, but is not tidily kept.
The medical attendant visits once a week. He receives £18, 13s. per annum, and 5s. for each extra visit.
Miss Berry was for many years sub-matron in the Glasgow asylum before its removal to Gartnavel. The books kept are the Weekly Register and the Sheriff's Visiting Book. The following is an extract from the latter:—"On the 25th April 1855, Sheriff —, Dr. —, and Dr. — visited the house, and found it to contain seven patients, all of whom the visitors saw. The house was in good order."”