The role and rewards of asylum attendants in Victorian England

This paper reports on a study of the role and rewards of asylum attendants at a West Yorkshire asylum in the period 1852-1889. The role aspect was analysed with reference to the Regulations and Orders of the institution concerned and the rewards aspects with reference to the staff records. It emerged that attendants were the most poorly paid group of staff within the institution and the drop-out rate was high in the early years of service, though a number did give long service.