Elizabeth Gilchrist or Brown. Admitted 1868. Murder

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Exhibition: Prisoners or Patients? Criminal Insanity in Victorian Scotland
Elizabeth Gilchrist or Brown. Admitted 1868. Murder

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Elizabeth was aged 21 when she killed her six month old daughter Jessie by giving her laudanum because 'the child had been troublesome and was teething and I thought the laudanum would make her sleep'. Yet moments later she added: 'I did mean to destroy her.'

An alcoholic extract of opium, laudanum was readily, cheaply, and legally available in Victorian times, widely used for pain relief - and recreationally. Laudanum was administered to Elizabeth at Glasgow Royal Lunatic Asylum, where she was twice a patient, to help her sleep during manic episodes.

Photograph of Elizabeth Gilchrist or Brown taken from the Criminal Lunatic Department Case Book. Crown copyright, NRS, HH21/48/1 p289.

In common with many prisoner-patients, Elizabeth had a history of mental problems, which also ran in her family.

"Her ideas are confused and incoherent. She cannot rest and she is perfectly indifferent, impulsive and reckless about everything...Her homicidal tendencies have been often manifested. She is also suicidal and has very frequently attempted to destroy herself. Her reason is so far gone, and she has become so degenerated, that if not prevented she would eat excrement, anything, her own flesh; her fingers or toes especially...Such is her present diseased state of mind that she cannot be left unattended for a single moment either by night or by day."

Medical report into the present state of mind of Elizabeth Gilchrist or Brown by Alexander Mackintosh M.D., Physician Superintendent at Royal Asylum Gartnavel, 18 September 1867 p1-2. Crown copyright, NRS, AD14/67/118.

Royal Asylum Gartnavel
Glasgow 18 September 1867

Medical Report on the present state of mind of Eliza Gilchrist or Brown a patient in the above named Asylum.

Ever since her re-admission Eliza Gilchrist or Brown has been very insane and ill mentally.

Her ideas are confused and incoherent.

She cannot rest and she is perfectly indifferent, impulsive and reckless about everything; and without medical aid could not get any sleep.

Her homicidal tendencies have been often manifested.

On the 14th instant and without external cause she suddenly dashed a woman’s head against a wall.

She is also suicidal, and has very frequently attempted to destroy herself. Her reason is so far gone, and she has become so degenerated, that if not prevented she would eat anything even her own flesh, her fingers and toes especially and that too in the most open and public manner.

Such is her diseased state of mind that she cannot be left unattended for a single moment either by night or day.

She appears to be an incurable lunatic.

Alexander Mackintosh M.D.
Physician Superintendent.

Medical men focused on sex-specific physiological events like pregnancy, childbirth and lactation, when looking for causes in women. 'Puerperal insanity' was the label applied to Elizabeth. A term used only during the 19th century, this diagnosis encompassed a wide range of symptoms, some of which might now be classed as post-partum psychosis. Prison policy was not to release puerperal maniacs until the end of their childbearing span.

Photograph of Elizabeth included in her Criminal Lunatics (Perth) records, 21 September 1889. Crown copyright, NRS, HH17/15.

Gendering could, however, work to women's advantage in eliciting sympathy. Authorities often shifted blame for wrongdoing onto menfolk, who should have behaved better. Gartnavel described her husband Robert Brown as 'a young good-for-nothing', whom she married when aged just 17 and who had recently died in Argentina 'after a short life of dissipation and vice'. He allegedly neglected her and took her out of Gartnavel before she was ready, just to save money.

The order for Elizabeth’s conditional liberation under the guardianship of Mr George Mathie and Mrs Mary Mair, 12 January 1889. Crown copyright, NRS, HH17/15.

ORDER for the Conditional Liberation of an Inmate of the Lunatic Department of Perth Prison, made under the Statutes 34 and 35 Vict. c. 55, and 50 and 51 Vict. c. 52.

I, the undersigned, Her Majesty’s Secretary for Scotland, in virtue of the Statutes in that case made and provided, do hereby intimate Her Majesty’s pleasure that Eliza Gilchrist or Brown who was indicted for murder, and on the 26th day of December 1867 was found to be insane, and thereafter was placed under the guardianship of Mr George Mathie Cambuslang, Glasgow, where she now is,

and who is now at Her Majesty’s disposal, shall, until Her Majesty’s pleasure be further declared, be disposed of as follows:-
That she be liberated from custody, and delivered over the care and guardianship of Mrs M. Mair & Mr Robert Brown, and that are under the following conditions, viz.:-

That until otherwise ordered she continue to reside at the dwelling-house of the said Guardians-------, at the Commercial Buildings, Cambuslang, who shall be responsible for her safe keeping and quiet and orderly conduct.

That the said guardian shall give immediate notice to the Prison Commissioners of any signs of returning insanity.

That the said guardian shall do all things, and make all returns, and give all information concerning Eliza Gilchrist or Brown that may be demanded from time to time by the Secretary for Scotland or by the Prison Commissioners.

That the said guardian shall permit such visits of examination as may from time to time be desired by the Secretary for Scotland, or by the Prison Commissioners, or Her Majesty’s Commissioners in Lunacy.

That if any failure in relation to the fulfilment of such conditions shall take place, or when the Prison Commissioners may deem it expedient, the said Eliza Gilchrist or Brown shall be liable to be recommitted to custody.

Her Majesty is graciously pleased to order accordingly, and warrant is hereby granted to the Prison Commissioners to take steps to carry out this Order.

Given under my hand and seal at Dover House, Whitehall, the 12 day of January 1889.

In her pre-trial statement, Elizabeth recorded that since returning home from Gartnavel, 'I felt sometimes the old depression which had afflicted me come back and when in these turns I had thoughts of killing myself. I told my husband... and he did not know what to do with me... I felt my mind affected and it was in that condition that I gave the laudanum to the child.'

Letter from Mary Mair, Kilmarnock, to Dr McNaughton, 27 January 1890. NRS, HH17/15.

59 Robertson Place
27 Jan[uary]/90
Klimarnock

Dr McNaughton

Dear Sir,

I write this to let you know that Robert Brown has just arrived from W.D. America this morning. It seems he has been living at Philadelphia Pen[n]sylvania for some time past with his mother, she it seems had got tired of living there & was wanting to get back to you at Perth, But before he c[oul]d get her on board the steamer to bring her over here; she took so ill he had to take her to an hospital in Philadelphia, & leave her there. So I suppose you will have to see Robert here at his aunts Mrs Mortons Sunnyside Cottage, where he is to make his home at present.

You asked me the last time I saw you to let you know when I knew where Mrs Eliza Gilchrist or Brown was, otherwise I w[oul]d not have thought that it was my duty to have written to on the matter at all, as I consider myself entirely free as far as personal care of her is concerned. But I as well as her sister will be thankfull when she gets back to Perth again under your kind care, It will be good to have her where we know she is well looked after & where we can hear often how she is getting on. Robert Brown called on me just now & said his mother was keeping better a little before he sailed on the 26th inst[ant].

With best respects & with the hope that Mrs Brown will be got home safely under your care before long. I am yours sincerely

Mary M, Mair

By the early 20th century Elizabeth had been discharged from, and readmitted to Perth Criminal Lunatic Department (CLD) multiple times. At one stage her son smuggled her to America for a fresh start, but that too ended in relapse. Deemed no longer dangerous because 'her mental condition has now permanently settled down into consecutive dementia', she was transferred to Ayrshire District Asylum at Glengall in March 1904. She died there in 1909.

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Transcription of the medical report into the state of mind of Elizabeth Gilchrist or Brown by Alexander Mackintosh M.D., NRS, AD14/67/118

Transcription of the order for Elizabeth Gilchrist’s conditional liberation, NRS, HH17/15

Transcription of a letter from Mary Mair to Dr McNaughton, NRS, HH17/15.