In a message dated 14/05/2004 08:36:25 GMT Daylight Time, lucyribbons@optusnet.com.au writes: I am helping with the 1891 transcriptions and have reached the pages for Sedgefield Lunatic Assylum. Most of the males on the list have occupations and seem to be employed. Can any one with some local knowledge tell me if the inmates were resident all the time or were allowed out to work. I don't have any specialist knowledge of that institution, but I would have expected that the inmates would have been kept permanently within the building/grounds, especially at that time. I would class their "occupations" as being like those of patients in a hospital, or prisoners within a prison. That is, they will be their occupations the last time they worked before entering the institution. They would not necessarily have been pursuing that occupation at the time of the census and indeed in this case I would say it would be most unlikely. . Geoff Nicholson . 57 Manor Park, Concord, WASHINGTON, Tyne & Wear NE37 2BU Ask for details of NBL/DUR family history research in depth by THE local expert, working for YOU.