Asylum: Gransha (HOS/17/7)
Registration Number: 6163

Hello, my name is Melissa and today I’ll tell you about my patient Mary.

Mary was first admitted to the Londonderry/Derry Lunatic Asylum in June 1917, after having been caught unlawfully assaulting her sister Anne. Mary had hit Anne with a broom and had threatened to end her sister's life, this surprised me as during the period families were known to be close-knit with one other.

Mary was noted for being easily angered and excitable something which was carried out throughout her entire stay, with her also being listed as blind in her left eye as it was completely opaque. Her supposed cause of insanity was listed as hereditary as two of her brothers had previously died within the asylum when she had lived in America for 30 years working in the occupation of a housekeeper.

Mary suffered during her time in the asylum as she was admitted for the second time in November 1918, again for assaulting a person and having attempted to drown herself. 

This was sad and disheartening to learn that people struggled so much with their mental health but yet failed to be taken seriously, and were left to their own devices. Throughout her case, Mary was known to have tried to have made several attempts to strangle herself in order to end her life.

Haiku:

Cold misty morning,

Still beneath the sheets;

Left to its own accord.

Reflecting on this, it was hard to read, knowing she struggled so much wanting to be free as she saw it as her only way out from her torment. Even with family visits, Mary struggled from her rage as she continued to attack her sister, with her sister Anne being forced to leave. This caused her to often be sedated during her time, with this causing her to slowly become frail and being spoon-fed before she eventually died in 1920.

Mary McGuigan by Melissa Jonhston

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