Dear all This is a query about the Rookwood Asylum. I wondered if anyone had access to the admissions register for the Asylum. I have a James Kennedy Sloane dying there on the 25th June 1897. On his death cert it states he was buried in the Presbyterian part of Rookwood cemetery but i have not been able to find him at the cemetery. I am wanting to find out where he was in NSW before being admitted to the Asylum. He was a Miner and a publican here in New Zealand until 1884 and also earlier on in Heathcote, Victoria. The years of his life from 1884 to 1897 still elude me. Cheers Jo

Dear Jo, On www.records.nsw.gov.au there is an Archives in Brief ( four page Help Sheet) dealing with Asylums. There is a 120 year restriction on access to records. If you can prove, by way of certificates, that you are directly related to the inmate you can get access by application to the Health Department. On that approval will have to be the name of a person who you want to look at the records for you in view of where you live, unless you are coming here yourself. You may well find that he was in there as someone who was simply old, and unable to care for himself. Also I think that Asylum was probably what was later to become known as Lidcombe Old Men's Home on Rookwood Road, now Forensic Science establishment. Sincerely, Bill > > This is a query about the Rookwood Asylum. I wondered if anyone had > access to the admissions register for the Asylum. > > I have a James Kennedy Sloane dying there on the 25th June 1897. On > his death cert it states he was buried in the Presbyterian part of > Rookwood cemetery but i have not been able to find him at the cemetery. > > I am wanting to find out where he was in NSW before being admitted to > the Asylum. He was a Miner and a publican here in New Zealand until > 1884 and also earlier on in Heathcote, Victoria. The years of his > life from 1884 to 1897 still elude me.

Dear Jo, Further to my message this morning. Half asleep I calculated incorrectly. The death is outside the restricted period. I was on my way out the door to State Records when I replied this morning so jotted down the details. Records for Rookwood Asylum are not too many, but the book that could have contained details, is not one that can be issued for the use of Readers as it runs into the restricted period. The Archivist looked and there is no James Kennedy SLOANE therein. Sincerely, Bill > > This is a query about the Rookwood Asylum. I wondered if anyone had > access to the admissions register for the Asylum. > > I have a James Kennedy Sloane dying there on the 25th June 1897. On > his death cert it states he was buried in the Presbyterian part of > Rookwood cemetery but i have not been able to find him at the cemetery.