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Judy Webster's Genealogy Tips and Indexes for local, interstate & overseas folk with historical records in Queensland and other Australian States. © Copyright, Judy Webster.    Search this site Why I use and recommend Findmypast

Genealogy is my business (not just a hobby), and I've spent over 40 years learning about (and indexing) original records, so I charge fees for my time (to consult my index and source notes, email you, and, if applicable, travel to a record office, find the bundle/volume and file/page, take digital photos, and send them).

The cost of copying original documents depends on the handling time and what records are available. If a webpage has multiple entries for a name, there may be multiple people with the same name, or multiple documents (each with different information) for one person.

Step 1: Date Range & Quote research service.

What I'll tell you (from my index):

• Record series type (in brief).
• 'Document was created sometime between [year] and [year]'. (If this shows that the entry must be for a different person with the same name, you won't waste money ordering a copy.)
• Notes (if any) that I made during indexing (sometimes with identifying details).
• No-obligation quote for a digital image of the original document.

How to send a 'Date Range / Quote' request:

1. Calculate the cost: $3 for one entry, plus $1 each for extras (if the same name is listed twice, that's 2 entries).
2. Send payment as explained here (opens in a new window).
3. In an email, type 'Insanity Index: date range & quote', and...
4. List the entries you want. Don't send biographical details - just names.
5. In your email, tell me the payment date, amount and method, and (if you have one) an alternative email address.
6. If you already have a document about the subject's mental health, tell me exactly what that document is (source, date, Archives ID number). DON'T send images.
7. Send your email to the address shown on the payment page.

Step 2:  Original records: Digital COPY.

The cost will depend on the document size, which varies from one page to hundreds of pages. Start with Step 1 above.

Insanity Records: Other Research.

If you want me to search for records of someone who may have been in a mental institution and whose name is *not* on the A to Z pages here, *AND* who died (or may have died) after 1915:

1. Send $15 as explained here (opens in a new window). If I find a document for the specified name, I'll take digital photos. If I don't find anything, I'll refund $10 of your $15 payment.
2. In an email, type 'Insanity: Other Research', and...
3. Subject's name and (if known) birthdate, and death date/place, and name of spouse or next of kin, and (to avoid duplication) Archives ID/location numbers for any documents you already have. Do NOT send images.
4. In your email, tell me the payment date, amount and method, and (if available) your alternative email address.
5. Send the email to the address shown on the payment page.

Other Suggestions (links open in a new window)

Many useful sources are listed in Researching Mental Asylum Patients (one of my mini-guides).

Children in Mental Asylums.

Annual Reports of asylums (Queensland).

Other records that I'm indexing (watch for announcements on What's New).

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Tips for searching this site.

Why I use and recommend Findmypast

This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License. I hold copyright in the contents of the site, which may be used for personal research only. If you reproduce any content in any way, you must acknowledge that it belongs to me. If you wish to use any part of this site for professional or commercial purposes, you must contact me in advance to obtain my permission.