Roundway, Wiltshire County Asylum attendants and nurses, 1881-1905: a window onto Victorian sobriety

The only detailed surving Male and Female Registers of Roundway provide a rich documentary glimpse of nineteenth century mental health care staff. An analysis is made of what constituted desirable behavior and problems occurring in the workplace. More primary source material has been gathered from visitors books, medical superintendents' reports, patient case records, admission/discharge registers and account books. An attempt will be made to show how the dominant characteristics of Victorianism shaped the lives of the staff. Religion, morality and personal qualities appear more influential than scientific inquiry in determining the pattern of events. The 'Asylum for the Pauper Insane of the County of Wiltshire' later came to be called 'Roundway Hospital'. It is commonly remembered as 'Roundway' and that is how it is referred to here. The nursing staff changed their titles in minor ways during the period considered, but for convenience the dominant titles - 'attendants' for men and 'nurses' for women - are used. The period chosen, 1881-1905, begins from when Dr John Bowes was appointed Medical Superintendent and started to write in the new Staff Registers. The period finishes when he ceased to make entries. There are no detailed registers for any other nineteenth century period.