When researching the records of the cemetery, there were a few entries that stopped me in my tracks, and working in 3rd Sector mental health where I fight to remove the stigma and shame that still surround mental health made it that little more poignant and heart-wrenching.

The second entry in the cemetery register book is Jane Dougall Boyle, where it is documented she was Pauper Lunatic within Hartwood Asylum with a funeral dated 11/09/1896.

So what made me stop and pause for a moment was that noted in the column under parents, it clearly states ‘Unknown as Daughter not to know names of parents’.

I can not say why she was not allowed to know who her parents were, I can not say why any parent would ‘hide’ from their child. but I do find it sad that she must have been so alone and ‘lost’ with no family identity or history to call her own.

At least she is not alone any more, as she is buried along with Janet Cameron in Lair 2.