VPRS 1708 Register Of Personal Property Of Patients

The Master in Equity (and Lunacy) was responsible until 1940 (and the transfer of the function to VA 719 Office of the Public Trustee) for the general care protection and management or supervision of the management of the estates of all lunatics, persons of unsound mind and those incapable of managing their own affairs. With very considerable powers over the management of estates, the Master was to charge all expenses incurred against the estate from which they were to be paid and from which they were recoverable.This series consists of the register used to record the personal property such as jewellery, papers and money in the possession of lunatic patients at their time of committal to an institution. The details given include the date upon which the property was received, a number, from whom the property was received (usually a doctor or the Superintendent of the institution), the name of the patient and where the patient was detained, a description of the property and effects, when and how it was disposed of and remarks. Under remarks are recorded signatures of discharged patients or relatives to whom property was returned.