Elizabeth Latta Pinkerton was born on 15^th September 1848 and baptised on the 28^th, at Abbey, Paisley. She was probably born at Lounsdale, in Abbey Parish, as that was given as her father’s place of residence.

She appears in the 1851 census living with her parents, two elder brothers and elder sister at Stonehouse, Inchinnan, Renfrewshire. Her age was entered as two and she was stated to be ‘at home’.

In 1861, Elizabeth was twelve years of age and living in the family home at 32, Broomlands, High Church, Paisley.

In 1871, she was a house keeper, unmarried, aged 22, living in the family home at 3, Hamilton Street, Paisley. The following household at the same (apparently tenement) address was living in premises having three rooms with one or more windows:

James Anderson, 36, engine smith, born Lanarkshire, near Glasgow Janet, wife, 36, born Forfarshire, Dundee Robert, brother, unm, 16, apprentice iron turner, born Lanarkshire, near Glasgow Mary Boyd, visitor, sister-in-law, unm, 29, forewoman muslin warehouse, born Forfarshire, Dundee Ann Jack Boyd, visitor, sister-in-law, unm, 27, dress-maker, born Edinburgh

The significance of this entry is that it provides a clear indication of the manner in which Elizabeth met her future husband, John Boyd. Her neighbour, Mrs Janet Anderson, Mary and Ann, were all John’s elder sisters.

Elizabeth and John were married on 15^th July 1875, at 3, Hamilton Street, Paisley, the bride’s home. The ceremony was conducted after the publication of banns according to the forms of the Church of Scotland. Elizabeth was aged 26 and a spinster. The witnesses were John Lees and Christina Pinkerton.

In 1881, Elizabeth, aged 32, was living at 4, Wellfield Street, Springburn, Glasgow, with her husband John Boyd and three children. In 1891, the family was at 113, Wellfield Street.

In 1898, Elizabeth was admitted to the Woodilee Asylum, Lenzie. According to the Register of Admissions (Glasgow City Archives, HB30/10/2, Entry 6473), the date of admission was 8^th November. Her Christian name & surname at full length were entered Elizabeth Pinkerton or Boyd and her Sex & class were entered as ‘female pauper’. In this latter respect she was with the great majority; only a small proportion were private patients. Her age was given as 50 and she was stated to be married. Her Condition of life and previous occupation was ‘domestic’. Whether this simply means ‘housewife’ or indicates that she had been in domestic service to someone else is not clear. Her Previous place of abode was 141 Wellfield St and the County or parish to which chargeable was Barony. By whose authority sent was (Sheriff - the authority referred to here is judicial)) W. Guthrie and the Dates of medicate certificates and by whom signed was ‘8^th November, J. McKee, J. Carswell’. Her Bodily condition was ‘exhausted’ and the Form of mental disorder was diagnosed as ‘dementia’. The Supposed cause of insanity was ‘Gen debility’. The Duration of existing attacks was one month.

The detailed case notes (HB30/5/4, Entry 369) reiterate that she was admitted on 8^th November 1898 and disclose the following particulars:

Age 50 years. Deserted Domestic. This is the 1st attack and is of a few days duration. The cause is Heart & Kidney Disease. She is both suicidal and dangerous to others. No known heredity. (1) Refused at first to answer questions and on coaxing answered stupidly talks nonsense such as I couldn’t do it got a prize for life & so I am here. Patient has dull stupid appearance. (2) She is dull, apathetic and stupid in manner and appearance she talks incoherently and she is quite delusive in her ideas

Of her Mental Condition, it was stated that:

She is delirious & quite unconscious of her surroundings. She is very restless & talkative & her talk is quite incoherent.

It was also recorded that she suffered a fall on 11^th November 1898, resulting in a large wound.

Her Family History was summarised as follows:

Father died of old age. Mother died at 71 of Pneumonia. One sister who is healthy. Has four brothers who are all well. There is no history of Insanity or Phthisis.

Under the heading of History of Illness:

Began in August last. She completely lost her memory & became very quiet. She remained quiet till Friday last (Nov. 4th), when she became noisy. Did not seem to take any interest in anything around her. Threatened to take the lives of her children. Could not sleep at night, & talked of taking her own life & that of those around her. Her husband does not behave himself & has left her now. This is supposed cause. She has had kidney disease since January. She is Scottish & is a domestic & temperate. Food, clothing & General Mode of life, Good. Is married & has had five children, all of which are living.

Regarding her Physical Condition, it was entered that ‘She is very thin & frail looking.’

Specifically, ‘There is some inflammatory condition about the right eyelid.’ Her pulse was ‘weak & very irregular.’ Likewise, ‘The heart’s action is very irregular’ and the cardiac sounds were also irregular, with systolic and diastolic murmurs, all indicative of disease.

The lungs appeared to be normal but:

The abdomen is retracted – the walls are relaxed. Reflexes are equal. The superficial reflexes are not easily elicited. Pupils equal react to light but not in accommodation

On 15^th November:

Patient is very restless and tries to get out of bed. Without any aim or object. She seems unconscious of external objects and mutters a few incoherent words every few minutes.

22^nd November:

Patient is still very confused mentally & apathetic as regards objective things. She is quieter & does not resist any thing done for her so much as she has been now

Elizabeth was discharged on on 11^th February 1899, on the grounds that she had recovered.

‘Elizabeth Pinkerton or Boyd’ was re-admitted to Woodilee on 3^rd November 1899. Her No. in Order of Admissions, in the Asylum Register of Lunatics, was 6744. Many of the particulars entered were as previously. Under By Whose Authority Sent was entered W. C. Spens. For Dates of Medical Certificates and by Whom Signed was entered ‘2^nd Nov J. Carswell    J. McKie’. Her Bodily Condition was given as ‘exhausted’. Her Form of Mental Disorder was ‘dementia’ and the Supposed Cause of Insanity was ‘debility’. She had suffered one Previous Attack.

A wealth of detail is once again provided by the accompanying case notes, HB30/5/5, Entry no. 93.

Her age was given as 51 and she was stated to be married. Her religion was entered as Protestant. This was not her first attack and for ‘Duration’ was entered ‘a few days’. Her nearest relative was identified as John Boyd, of 141, Wellfield Street; this presumably refers to her husband. As previously noted, Elizabeth was admitted on 3^rd November 1899 under two medical certificates. The Sheriff’s Order followed on the next day, 4^th November.

Under Facts of Medical Certificates was entered:

Dull, listless, and somewhat stupid: refuses to answer questions: mutters incoherently: very excited: threatens danger: imagines she is being poisoned... Apathetic look: won’t do anything that is asked her.

Her present illness was diagnosed as ‘delusional insanity’ and it was again noted that she had been in Woodilee before. Her physical condition was described as ‘a good deal wasted’. On admission, she weighed only six stones and:

She was admitted in a state of unconsciousness, her tongue was foul & breath malodorous.

Her liver was enlarged. Problems were also identified with her circulatory system. Her breathing was ‘slow & irregular’. Her hearbeat was likewise very irregular. The pulse was of low tension and irregular and only 54 beats per minute. Her digestive system at least was noted as ‘good’.

Her mental condition was stated to be:

Dull & confused – delusions, but not expressing them. Thinks she is to be poisoned.

Under Nervous System, it was noted that:

Patient will not relax limbs when testing. Pupils respond to light & accommodation, & are rather dilated.

A distinct improvement in her physical state was reported on 4^th November, the day following admission, when these entries were made:

Patient says has had no bilious attacks, nor pain in any other region save the liver, & the axillary glands are normal, no tumour in region stomach.

Great improvement in condition, 24 hrs after admission & administration of beef tea, & stimulated. Pulse much better

Elsewhere in the case notes it was stated that the pulse had risen to 70.

Elizabeth’s mental state however showed little sign of improvement:

She is dull and confused in appearance but knows by name some of the officials whom she has seen before when she was on a previous occasion an inmate of this asylum. She has obviously delusions though she will not give expression to these but says I (her) know all about it. She evidently thinks she is to be poisoned or killed in some way by those about her.

On 10^th November 1899:

Is much better in bodily health She is very restless Constantly jumping in and out of bed. She is still confused in appearance but takes her food. & has not to be fed by the nurses as had to be done when first admitted

On the 15^th:

Is now up out of bed. She was so restless. No change mentally is to be noted.

It may be taken that Elizabeth’s condition remained fairly stable for the next twelve weeks and two days as no further entry appears until 9^th February 1900:

Is subject to sudden fainting turns. And her legs often become oedematous – when she has to take to bed. She is quiet – but has a confused and demented appearance. Her talk is foolish and childish.

On 20^th February:

Patient seemed out of sorts to-day but did not complain. She was not seen to shiver at all.

On the 22^nd, Elizabeth was put to bed and her temperature was found to be 102.2ºF. On examination, signs of pneumonia were found in her left lung. On the following day, 23^rd, profuse sweating brought her temperature down to 100º. Over the next five days, her temperature was not markedly febrile and ranged from 97.4º to 100.4º, with an average of 99º. She was growing weaker and her pulse became increasingly irregular. On the evening of 28^th February her temperature rose to 101.4º and on the next morning, 1^st March, touched 102º. It fell again on the morning of 2^nd March to 99.4º but from that time it made a rapid rise, reaching 104.6ºF before death. During Elizabeth’s final two days of life, her respiration exhibited a Cheyne-Stokes character and her pulse was very weak & irregular.

Elizabeth died on 3^rd March 1900, at the Woodilee Asylum in Lenzie. The cause of death was certified as hepatic cancer, from which she had been suffering for an indefinite period. Her usual residence at that time was 141, Wellfield Street, Springburn. The informant was her son, James Boyd, who was resident at the same address.

These particulars are broadly confirmed by the hospital’s Register of Deaths. Under Assigned Cause of Death were specified hepatic cancer and also chronic nephritis, both of which had been ‘indefinite’ in duration. Her Age at Death was entered as 51.

Under Observations was entered ‘PM Glasgow’, indicating that a Post Mortem examination was carried out. This identified a gall stone the size of a pigeon’s egg, as well as issues with the liver and spleen. A subserous myoma and a tumour were also discovered. The left lung was found to be pneumonic and the right was also slightly congested. The heart and its valves were in poor condition.

Brothers and Sisters

The following brothers and sisters are known:

William, born in Abbey, Paisley, on 25^th February 1839.

Alexander, born in Abbey, Paisley, on 11^th June 1840 and baptised 7^th August. Alexander married Janet Donaldson and had at least two sons, William, born on 10^th December 1860 in Paisley, and Alexander, born c. 1863. In the 1881 census, Janet was living at 18, Gauze Street, Paisley. She was designated as a house keeper. Alexander was absent from home for some reason but with her were William, aged 20, a potato salesman, presumably in his grandfather’s business, and Alexander, 17, a grocer.

Jean Jackson Pinkerton, born in Abbey, Paisley, on 17^th March 1843. She was stated to be the third child of the family and the event was registered on 28^th April.

(Note that the above three are known from the 1851 census record).

Mathew (sic), born at Southbar, Inchinnan Parish, Renfrewshire, on 28^th July 1852.

Matthew appears as Matthew G. Pinkerton in the 1871 census and as Matthew Gardner Pinkerton in the 1881 census.

John Latta Pinkerton, born at Southbar on 17^th February 1854.

At the time of the 1881 census, Matthew and John were both unmarried and living with their parents at 3, Hamilton Street, Paisley. Matthew Gardner Pinkerton was a potato merchant, aged 28. John Latta Pinkerton was a law clerk (general), aged 27. Both were entered as born at Inchinnan.This is presumably the same J. L. Pinkerton who was the informant on both of their parents’ death certificates in 1887.