magdalene laundaries report:disability

Chapter 11:

Routes of entry to the Magdalen Laundries (C):

Heath authorities and social services

[Magdalene report some extracts relating to disability.]

44. This means that by 1929 at least 4 Magdalen Laundries were approved by the Minister for Local Government and Health as extern institutions for the

“maintenance, education or treatment” of women eligible for public assistance.

The effect of these approvals was to permit the referral of women eligible for

public assistance to the Magdalen Laundries and further, to authorise

payment of the expenses of their maintenance there.

45. The Department’s Annual Report for 1938-1939 described the categories of

people maintained in approved extern institutions during the year:

“This class comprises afflicted persons (deaf and dumb, blind, mentally

defective, etc.) unmarried mothers and persons requiring special

treatment in outside hospitals”.10



A 15-year old girl was sent to a Magdalen Laundry in the 1960s by

“[place] Health Authority”. Her only recorded family was a fostermother.

The Register records that she was undergoing treatment at

a named psychiatric hospital. After less than a month, she was

“taken by [name], social worker” to a named psychiatric hospital.

- A woman (age not recorded) who had been in a named institution

for intellectually disabled children was “sent by [name], Health

Authority” to a Magdalen Laundry in the 1960s. She remained there

approximately 4 months

123. Another case involving both the NSPCC and the Health Authorities arose in

the late 1960s, when a man sought the advice of the organisation in relation

to his daughter (aged in her twenties) and her child.46 The woman was

described in the file as:

“somewhat retarded. She wants the child placed in care and is not

interested in keeping it. This child was previously boarded out by the

[place] health authority

137. Another case, which arose in the early 1970s and also involved both the

NSPCC and the “Children’s Dept.” of a Health Board, concerned a young girl

of 14 years of age who was living with her parents.50 An initial complaint was

made to the NSPCC regarding a child being in danger. It was reported that “a

number of men were visiting the house”. The Inspector met the child’s mother

who:

“admitted having affairs with the men and some of them give her

money. She is mentally retarded. [Father’s name] does not work. He is

also retarded. The child was attending the name school in place

[named school for intellectually disabled]. ... The parents are unfit to

have the custody care or charge of their child. I shall get in touch with

the [place] Health Authority about the case”.

138. The Registers of the Religious Congregations indicate that the child was,

within a few months thereafter, admitted to a Magdalen Laundry. She was

transferred to a named psychiatric hospital from the Magdalen Laundry.

139. A subsequent file of the NSPCC – confirming on its face that a named officer of the “Children’s Dept” was the “other agenc[y] ... involved” contains records of the child’s subsequent experiences. At this point the child was 16 years of age. The file records that from psychiatric hospital, she had been discharged to her family. The NSPCC handed the case over fully to the Health Authority and no further records were kept.

160. The information identified by the Committee suggests that the vast majority of

such cases were referrals of a girl or women in employment in a hospital.

Some of these cases of referrals of a girl or woman in employment in a

hospital arise in the context of the period of supervision which followed

discharge from an Industrial or Reformatory School. Such cases are dealt

with in detail in the Chapter 10. However, it is also likely that a small number

of cases of referrals, identified in the records of the Religious Congregations as being from a hospital or a named doctor in a hospital, related to a patient in

that hospital.

161. This is difficult to establish conclusively from official records, but the most

likely circumstances of such referrals probably involved women ready for

discharge from hospital but due to homelessness or disability needed

accommodation, whether temporary or permanent.

162. In cases such as these, it appears that there may have been a practice at

some points in past decades (particularly during the periods in which welfare

provision was minimal) of referral of such patients to either the County Home

or a religious-operated institution (including, but by no means limited to

Magdalen Laundries). The Committee was informed that such a practice

certainly applied in psychiatric hospitals and that it is likely to have also

occurred in general hospitals.

163. The youngest known girl referred from a hospital or by a medical professional

was 13 years of age. The oldest was 71 years of age. The records of the

Religious Congregations suggest that there were some patients referred to

Magdalen Laundries from hospitals on the basis outlined above. Some

appear to have been intended as short-stays, while others, particularly of

more elderly women, may have been intended to provide for them for the

remainder of their lives.

-

A 71-year old woman entered a Magdalen Laundry “from hospital” in

the 1920s. She remained there until her death.

- A woman (age not recorded) entered a Magdalen Laundry in the 1920s

from an identified County Hospital. She “died of consumption” there

A 19-year old woman was sent by a named District Hospital to a

Magdalen Laundry in the 1920s. After a number of months, she “left for

County Home”.

- A woman (age not recorded) entered a Magdalen Laundry “from

Sanatorium” in the 1920s. The details of her departure are not

recorded.

- A 46-year old woman entered a Magdalen Laundry from an identified

“convalescent home” in the 1930s. She remained there for over 10

years, at which point she was “taken out by her sister

A 15-year old girl was placed in a Magdalen Laundry by a named

officer at “Rehab Institute” in the 1960s. She was “taken home by her

father” one month later.

- A 17-year old girl was placed in a Magdalen Laundry by a named

“Rehabilitation Officer” following a number of months in a named

hospital in the 1960s. She remained there for approximately 10

months, after which she was “taken to hostel by [name], Rehab.

Officer”.

Psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric services (including intellectual

disability services for many years)

188. As part of its exploration of State routes of entry to the Magdalen Laundries,

the Committee also considered and examined the possibility of a relationship

between the Magdalen Laundries and psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric

services. In light of the fact that, for many decades, psychiatric institutions

also housed people with intellectual disabilities, it is difficult for long periods of

time to distinguish between these two very different categories in the early

records of the Religious Congregations



Pages 501 to 521 covers psychiatric hospitals and intellectually disabled girls/women.