Elizabeth Crichton (1779 – 1862) was a British philanthropist who founded the Crichton Royal Hospital in Dumfries. She had wanted to create a university but it was opened instead as the Crichton Institution for Lunatics in 1839. It now holds part of several universities and in her memory: a cathedral like church and her statue.
Crichton was born in Rockhall in 1779 to Margaret Dalzell and Sir Robert Grierson fifth baronet. In 1810 she married James Crichton who had qualified as a doctor at Edinburgh University but whose fortune was made after he had joined the East India Company. He practised medicine but it was his trading in India and China that left Elizabeth a rich widow. He had left £100,000 and his widow was allowed to spend it on any project agreed by the trustees.[1]
Elizabeth Crichton Statue at Crichton Royal Hospital
It was said that she wanted to create a university in Dumfries but she was prevented by the existing Scottish universities.[2] The original hospital building, now The Crichton, was designed by William Burn and opened as the Crichton Institution for Lunatics in 1839.[3] It became the Crichton Royal Institution in 1840.[4] The Southern Counties Asylum, which was intended to provide facilities for paupers, was erected on the site in 1849 and subsequently amalgamated with the main facility.[5]
Crichton persuaded the phrenologistWilliam A. F. Browne to become Crichton's medical superintendent and to implement his ideas of both occupational therapy and art therapy.[6] She travelled to Montrose Asylum, interviewed Browne and offered him the equivalent post at the Crichton Royal in Dumfries.[7] Browne remained at the Crichton for almost twenty years (1838-1857) setting new standards in therapeutic administration. In 1843 the hospital staged a theatre production where all the actors and musicians were patients and the following year the patients started a paper, New Moon, that was published for the next 92 years. The patients would be taken on picnics and Crichton would visit regularly to hear of Crichton Hall's progress.[1]
Crichton Memorial Church is a huge building that was built as a memorial to her and her husband fifty years after the creation of the foundation that they had created. It was designed by Sydney Mitchell and construction lasted from 1890 to 1897.[8] A statue of her was unveiled in May 2000 near to the Crichton Memorial Church in Dumfries. The statue is by Bill Scott and is one of the small number of memorials to women in Scotland.[9]
Referencesedit
^ ab"Crichton [née Grierson], Elizabeth (1779–1862), founder of the Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/73998. Retrieved 6 March 2020. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^Jones, H. Longueville (1838). "University of Dumfries". Journal of the Statistical Society of London. 1 (7). Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: 392. JSTOR 2337769.
^Historic Environment Scotland. "Crichton Royal Hospital Crichton Hall (Category A Listed Building) (LB3839)". Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^"Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries". National Archives. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
^"The Crichton". Historic Hospitals. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
^"Elizabeth Crichton – A Woman with a Dream". The Crichton Trust. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
^Allan Beveridge, ed. (2005). "Psychiatry in pictures – 186 (1): 1-a1 – The British Journal of Psychiatry". The British Journal of Psychiatry. 186 (1): 1–a1. doi:10.1192/bjp.186.1.1-a1. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
^"Crichton Memorial Church from The Gazetteer for Scotland". www.scottish-places.info. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
^"Statue of Elizabeth Crichton | Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland". womenofscotland.org.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
May 03, 2024
elizabeth, crichton, 1779, 1862, british, philanthropist, founded, crichton, royal, hospital, dumfries, wanted, create, university, opened, instead, crichton, institution, lunatics, 1839, holds, part, several, universities, memory, cathedral, like, church, sta. Elizabeth Crichton 1779 1862 was a British philanthropist who founded the Crichton Royal Hospital in Dumfries She had wanted to create a university but it was opened instead as the Crichton Institution for Lunatics in 1839 It now holds part of several universities and in her memory a cathedral like church and her statue Elizabeth CrichtonElizabeth Crichton by unknown artistBornElizabeth Grierson1779RockhallDied11 October 1862Friars CarseNationalityGreat BritainKnown forCreating the Crichton Royal Hospital in DumfriesLife editCrichton was born in Rockhall in 1779 to Margaret Dalzell and Sir Robert Grierson fifth baronet In 1810 she married James Crichton who had qualified as a doctor at Edinburgh University but whose fortune was made after he had joined the East India Company He practised medicine but it was his trading in India and China that left Elizabeth a rich widow He had left 100 000 and his widow was allowed to spend it on any project agreed by the trustees 1 nbsp Elizabeth Crichton Statue at Crichton Royal Hospital It was said that she wanted to create a university in Dumfries but she was prevented by the existing Scottish universities 2 The original hospital building now The Crichton was designed by William Burn and opened as the Crichton Institution for Lunatics in 1839 3 It became the Crichton Royal Institution in 1840 4 The Southern Counties Asylum which was intended to provide facilities for paupers was erected on the site in 1849 and subsequently amalgamated with the main facility 5 Crichton persuaded the phrenologist William A F Browne to become Crichton s medical superintendent and to implement his ideas of both occupational therapy and art therapy 6 She travelled to Montrose Asylum interviewed Browne and offered him the equivalent post at the Crichton Royal in Dumfries 7 Browne remained at the Crichton for almost twenty years 1838 1857 setting new standards in therapeutic administration In 1843 the hospital staged a theatre production where all the actors and musicians were patients and the following year the patients started a paper New Moon that was published for the next 92 years The patients would be taken on picnics and Crichton would visit regularly to hear of Crichton Hall s progress 1 Crichton Memorial Church is a huge building that was built as a memorial to her and her husband fifty years after the creation of the foundation that they had created It was designed by Sydney Mitchell and construction lasted from 1890 to 1897 8 A statue of her was unveiled in May 2000 near to the Crichton Memorial Church in Dumfries The statue is by Bill Scott and is one of the small number of memorials to women in Scotland 9 References edit a b Crichton nee Grierson Elizabeth 1779 1862 founder of the Crichton Royal Hospital Dumfries Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press 2004 doi 10 1093 ref odnb 73998 Retrieved 6 March 2020 Subscription or UK public library membership required Jones H Longueville 1838 University of Dumfries Journal of the Statistical Society of London 1 7 Journal of the Royal Statistical Society 392 JSTOR 2337769 Historic Environment Scotland Crichton Royal Hospital Crichton Hall Category A Listed Building LB3839 Retrieved 20 March 2019 Crichton Royal Hospital Dumfries National Archives Retrieved 24 January 2019 The Crichton Historic Hospitals 31 May 2015 Retrieved 26 April 2019 Elizabeth Crichton A Woman with a Dream The Crichton Trust Retrieved 6 March 2020 Allan Beveridge ed 2005 Psychiatry in pictures 186 1 1 a1 The British Journal of Psychiatry The British Journal of Psychiatry 186 1 1 a1 doi 10 1192 bjp 186 1 1 a1 Retrieved 9 February 2009 Crichton Memorial Church from The Gazetteer for Scotland www scottish places info Retrieved 7 March 2020 Statue of Elizabeth Crichton Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland womenofscotland org uk Retrieved 7 March 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Elizabeth Crichton amp oldid 1165220533, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
