Nelson & His World

I recently came across a letter for sale written by Earl St Vincent, in which he refers to 'The Royal Naval Asylum'. I had never heard of this establishment, but have found this link which gives some information, including the fact that Nelson was a supporter of the institution:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Naval_Asylum

I note that the Royal Naval Asylum was an 'industrial school' which I suppose means that it gave training in practical trades, and was not a preparation for life at sea, since girls as well as boys were educated there.

There was a Naval Lunatic Asylum based at Hoxton, which closed after the end of the Napoleonic wars.

That's interesting! Do you know more?

We had a thread going some time ago (with some digressions) about the prevalence of insanity amongst seamen and speculated on the reasons for this (if, indeed the assertion was true).

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=105

I'd be interested to know how the patients were treated. The 'hospital' for the insane known as Bedlam was typical of the period in its ignorant and unsympathetic treatment of the mentally ill, though more gentle handling was already practised in establishments such as The Retreat in York, (still in existence.)

Where did the navy fall in its attitude to the mentally afflicted?

The Royal Naval Asylum began as the British National Endeavour School in Clarence House, Paddington Green in 1799. It was for the orphans of brave soldiers and brave sailors who had laid down their lives for their King. In 1801 after it became obvious that a Military Asylum was being considered by the King, it changed its clientele to the the orphans of ratings in th Royal Navy. On 21 October 1807 in a royal warrant back-dated to 21 October 1805 it was renamed the Royal Naval Asylum.

In those days Asylum simply meant shelter, so Lunatic Asylum was shelter for Lunatics. The Naval Asylum was simply shelter for orphans of naval personnel. It was called an Industrial School because it taught its charges skills that could earn them a living. The Naval Asaylum taught its boys seamanship and related crafts, whilst its girls were taught domestic subjects so that they could be put ino service.

Both Lord Nelson and Lord St Vincent had powers of patronage at the Naval Asylum, and could nominate one child per year providing that they matched the entry requirements.

The RNA merged with Greenwich Royal Hospital School in 1821, and the school continues to this day as the Royal Hospital School at Holbrook, Suffolk.

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for the post!

As far as I can find out,there seems to have been no systematic after care for seamen suffering from insanity.

There is a letter from Nelson to Earl St Vincent in which he offers to finance the private care of a seaman showing signs of insanity. He makes no mention of any naval institution to which mental patients could be sent. His attitude was characteristically kind. St Vincent was convinced the man and another seaman were shamming to get a discharge but Nelson stood his ground and insisted they were genuinely ill and asked that they be seen by the Physician to the Fleet.

I'm a little pressed for time so can't look out the reference at the moment - it's in Nicolas.