Doctor Atkins, District Asylum
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Where: Waterford, Ireland
Try to find the spot where the photographer was standing.
When: Unknown
Try to find the date or year when this image was made.
A stream of irreverent thoughts came into my head when I saw the title to this shot from Poole! Is he perhaps an inmate or the attendant? Does he make "Dr. Atkins Patented Nerve Powders for Lunatic conditions"? No doubt the esteemed Dr. was a healer who laboured to bring solace to those with mental illness but who was he and what asylum did he work at?
And we have answers to all our questions. The consensus is that this is Dr Ringrose Atkins, the Resident Medical Superintendent of Waterford District Asylum (an institution we have visited before). Dr Atkins was from a Cork family (which apparently included several generations of medical professionals), and he was appointed to the position in Waterford in 1878. Evidently he was also president of the YMCA and involved in the temperance movement. He died in his late 40s from complications arising from appendicitis. Given that the 1898 edition of the Journal of Psychiatry records his death as occuring that February, it seems we'll need to tweak the catalogue date range for this image.....
Photographer: A. H. Poole
Collection: Poole Photographic Studio, Waterford
Date: Catalogue range c.1901-1954. Though possibly c.1890s.
NLI Ref: POOLEWP 0678b
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 20394
And we have answers to all our questions. The consensus is that this is Dr Ringrose Atkins, the Resident Medical Superintendent of Waterford District Asylum (an institution we have visited before). Dr Atkins was from a Cork family (which apparently included several generations of medical professionals), and he was appointed to the position in Waterford in 1878. Evidently he was also president of the YMCA and involved in the temperance movement. He died in his late 40s from complications arising from appendicitis. Given that the 1898 edition of the Journal of Psychiatry records his death as occuring that February, it seems we'll need to tweak the catalogue date range for this image.....
Photographer: A. H. Poole
Collection: Poole Photographic Studio, Waterford
Date: Catalogue range c.1901-1954. Though possibly c.1890s.
NLI Ref: POOLEWP 0678b
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Info:
Owner: National Library of Ireland on The CommonsSource: Flickr Commons
Views: 20394
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ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
We had a visit to the Waterford District Lunatic Asylum before - https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/8147225780 ... and there is Dr Ringrose Atkins in the centre (see note)
B-59
Atkins was Medical Superintendent. He died in 1898, aged 47 (bjp.rcpsych.org/content/44/185/453)
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Red Herring - there was a relative(?) John Ringrose Atkins, born in Dublin (1851-1908) who lived in Australia and worked in the theatre as 'Dan Barry'- adb.anu.edu.au/biography/atkins-john-ringrose-2909 .
oaktree_brian_1976
hard to read, but he died of a perforated appendix and a kidney stone, after two days of suffering. First had symptoms while "visiting a lady". President of the YMCA and came from a family of doctors.
oaktree_brian_1976
Apparently you've got a copy of his obituary. sources.nli.ie/Record/PS_UR_003448
irishlad031
Superb detail, great quality portrait.
guliolopez
Here's an obit extract. From the British Journal of Psychiatry of April 1898 (pages 455-456). Suggests that the image was taken before the proposed catalogue date range. Could perhaps have been a copy/reprint. If so, seems likely would have been copied early/mid 1898. Perhaps for memorial cards or obit entries in local press. From the Atkins family of Cork apparently. I've known some people named Ringrose - though normally as a family name. (EDIT - [https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]] linked the same extract earlier. Hadn't realised the BJP made their journal archive available. Would've saved myself an archive trawl :) ) www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/36369485501/
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Thanks all! I've updated the date range and description. And, while this is almost certainly a studio portrait, have mapped it to the asylum/hospital location (as it just seems more fitting). Have a great weekend all!
simbajak
He did a great job of sitting still. The detail is superb. Love the history.
John Spooner
The London Times reported on the National Temperance Congress on Oct 23 1889, including:
Dr. Ilia
nicely framed
MrFletch68
Ringrose first came into the Atkins line with the marriage of Robert Atkins c.1703-1783 to Elizabeth Ringrose c.1706-1788 in Moynoe, County Clare in 1728.