VPRS 18433 Leave of Absence and Trial Leave Registers

This series comprises of registers that were used to document leave of absence and trial leave for patients at Aradale Mental Hospital and Aradale Training Centre (VA 2841).Under Section 87 of the Lunacy Act 1890 (No.54), the Superintendent of any institution could permit any patient to be absent therefrom upon trial leave for such period as may be thought fit, upon parole for such period not exceeding seven days or with the consent of the Chief Medical Officer for such longer period as was thought fit and could, from time to time without the return of such patient, renew such leave or parole. Likewise, the Inspector could of his own authority permit any patient to be absent from any institution upon trial leave or upon parole for such period as he thought fit.This series comprises of three registers that were maintained to record Leave of Absence and Trial Leave for patients and clients. Each register contains entries under the following:- date of Admission- name of Patient- whether male or female- register number- period of leave allowed- leave Extended to (also used to record death whilst on leave, discharge whilst on leave, or transfer to another institution)- date of return or discharge- name, Relationship and Address of Guardian.Trial leave tended to be of longer duration. Patients were often discharged whilst on trial leave. However, discharge sometimes occurred also during a leave of absence.The registers also record information in relation to transfers to other institutions, extensions of leave, discharges and deaths whilst on leave, and abscondings. It is evident that the series of registers commenced long before 1925 as the first number in Register 1 is "654".At the back of register 1 there is a page which includes a record of escapes, recorded chronologically by date of escape. This record covers the period 1925-1965. Information may include:- name of patient- date admitted to institution- date of escape- date returned- age at time of escape- religion- occupation- marital status- details of escape and recapture.