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| DailyMail.co.uk website |
The photographs are poignant - beautifully done, fascinating yet sad at the same time. I wish New York had given the photographer permission to reveal full names of the patients these suitcases belonged to. As a genealogist I immediately wanted to research the person behind the meager belongings.
I wish I could show a photo of one of the suitcases here on Olive Tree Genealogy blog but I don't have permission. So please take a moment and use the link below to read more and view these beautiful photos. They tell a story without words.
Thanks to a reader for telling me about a book which tells the story of the patients these suitcases belonged to. You can buy The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic
in Kindle, Paperback or Hardcover from Amazon.comYou can read more at The Willard Suitcase Project and at Jon Crispin's blog
Also read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2338714/The-chilling-pictures-suitcases-left-New-York-insane-asylum-patients-locked-away-rest-lives.html#ixzz2W0jUwxTN
6 comments:
There's a book on the Willard Suitcases called The Lives They Left Behind (http://amzn.com/1934137146) where the authors were able to match several suitcases with the patient records to tell more in depth stories, though names have been changed in the book. But I agree as a genealogist it's hard not to want to learn more about these people's lives.
Lorine,
This is just so sad and fascinating all at the same time.
I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today's Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2013/06/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-june-14-2013.html
Have a great weekend!
Thanks for the shoutout Jana - it is very sad. I wish we could research the people behind those suitcases. It's interesting about the book Sara mentioned in her comment
Sara - Thanks for the heads up. I definitely want to read that book!
How fascinating! I find it especially interesting, since my GGGGrandmother was committed to the Utica, NY insane asylum!
Sure wish I had a suitcase full of her stuff! Well...actually, I'd settle for just a single item. She's always been a family mystery.
Don't these items belong to next of kin? I would think so. And if I was a descendant, I don't know if I want my ancestor's personal possessions photographed for someone's book. This just seems all wrong to me. Give the stuff back. Ask permission to make money off it. THEN make a book.
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