Resources

‘Prisoners or Patients? Criminal Insanity in Victorian Scotland’ was an exhibition created in 2019 by National Records of Scotland (NRS) and guest curator Professor Rab Houston of the University of St Andrews. The exhibition looked at the difficult lives of nine offenders admitted between 1857 and 1887 before, during, and after their crime and lapse into ‘insanity’. Informed by Professor Houston’s project ‘Promoting mental health through the lessons of history’, records from the archives of NRS were displayed and contextualised to highlight the treatment of prisoner-patients in a society very different from today. The hope is that examining how these individuals were treated in the past will allow us to reflect on the same issues now, and approach those suffering from mental disorders with better understanding and greater compassion.

Alongside the information available on this site, a portable version of this exhibition has been created for wider use. Consisting of ten travelling boards, this version of the exhibition is free to download for educational purposes. The artwork was created for printing on A2 paper size, but can also be printed using A3, or A4 paper.

If you would like to use this artwork for commercial purposes please contact [email protected]

Map of Perth Prison

Introduction and Conclusion
Image of Marjory McKeraker

Marjory McKeraker or McGregor
Image of Marjory McKeraker

Margaret Hunter or Beaton
Image of Margaret Hunter

Elizabeth Gilchrist or Brown
Image of Elizabeth (Eliza) Sinclair

Elizabeth (Eliza) Sinclair or Clafton
Image of John McFadyen

John McFadyen
Image of Alexander McKinnon

Alexander McKinnon
Image of William Porter

William Porter
Image ofJohn Fothergill Wilso

John Fothergill Wilson
Image of Angus McPhee

Angus McPhee

Public Talks

“Prisoners or Patients? Criminal Insanity in Victorian Scotland” by Professor Rab Houston, School of History, University of St Andrews

A talk delivered in National Records of Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh on 7 August 2019 in connection with the Fringe Festival exhibition ‘Prisoners or Patients? Criminal Insanity in Victorian Scotland’. Guest curator Professor Rab Houston explains the records used in this exhibition, and the development of the criminal justice system’s attempts to deal with those who had committed serious offences, but were found to be insane and thus not responsible for their actions.

“Prisoners or Patients?” by Professor Rab Houston, School of History, University of St Andrews

A follow-up talk that expands on the one given on 7 August 2019 to complement the Fringe Festival exhibition ‘Prisoners or Patients? Criminal Insanity in Victorian Scotland’. Professor Rab Houston explains the inspiration for the exhibition and his work on the project ‘Promoting mental health through the lessons of history’.