The bastilles of England, or, the lunacy laws at work. Vol. 1.

  • Lowe, Louisa
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The bastilles of England, or, the lunacy laws at work. Vol. 1. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    curred with him in effecting a very important re-settlement of the family estates. In that re-settlement the father had inserted a proviso, enabling his son. in the event of his dying without issue, to charge the estates, which would then go over with the title to the male relations on his father's side, with £80,000 in favour of any p>erson or 'persons, and for any purposes]' that the baronet might think fit. Sir Samuel Budenell Fludyer, Bart., lived many years after this, but never altered the appointment of his son as sole executor. He died in 1833, and the late baronet proved his will. In October, 1834, Mr. Allen was practising in London as a solicitor, and received a friendly call from Sir Samuel Fludyer, during which he saw nothing in his conversation or behaviour that induced him to think Sir Samuel other than a person of intelligence and perfect sanity. A few days afterwards, Mr. Allen returned the visit, but was informed Sir Samuel was not at home, and he never saw or heard from him again. In the spring of 1835, Mr. Allen was informed by a mutual relation, that there had been a serious misunderstanding between Sir Samuel and his sisters, and that his conduct had rendered it necessary for them to have him placed in confinement as a person of unsound mind. At that time Mr. Allen knew nothing of the father's will, the re-settlement of the estates, etc. In the year 1859, it became necessary to serve Sir Samuel Fludyer with a parliamentary notice of a mere formal character, and his agent was asked for his address in order that he might be personally served as required by the rules of Parliament; but all information as to his abode was refused. In March, 1876, appeared in the newspapers the following advertisement:— March 12—Sir Samuel Fludyer, Bart.—aged 76. Mr. Allen still feeling extremely uneasy as to that case, ex- erted himself to the utmost to obtain information concerning it, and after some time ascertained that the death had occurred at Ticehurst, the cause being registered as disease of the brain and decay of nature. Subsequently he obtained copies of all