Thomas Nadauld Brushfield - Blue Plaque
Thomas Nadauld Brushfield was a specialist on lunacy and strove to make the treatment of lunacy more humane. He lived at 'The Cliff' in Budleigh Salterton from 1882 during his later years.
Thomas was born in London on 10 December 1828. He entered the London Hospital as a student in 1845 and was appointed House Surgeon in 1850. In 1851 he moved onto the Chester Lunatic Asylum where he later became resident and in 1854 became Medical Superintendent.
In 1859 he married Hannah, with whom he had five sons and four daughters.
He resigned his post at Chester in 1864 and became Medical Superintendent at Surrey County Asylum at Brookwood. When a Cottage Hospital was erected in its grounds it was designed by Dr Brushfield, who was now recognised as a leading authority in Lunacy and a pioneer of the non-restraint system.Â
While at Chester, he abolished the use of straps, collars, strait-waistcoats and similar apparatus, and ordered that they be burnt in the Asylum yard. To make the life of the patients more bearable, he cheered up the wards by introducing amusements for the patients, pictures on the walls, dances, concerts and theatrical performances.
In 1882 he retired from Chester and came to Budleigh Salterton where he lived at ‘The Cliff’. The house was extended so he could house his library of over 10,000 volumes. During his retirement, he dedicated his time to his literary work on Insanity and his other interest - archaeology. He also became the ‘greatest living authority’ on Sir Walter Raleigh.
He continued to take an active part in promoting concerts and amateur dramatics, and for many years was the Hon. Secretary of the Budleigh Salterton Tennis Club.
Dr Brushfield died in 1937 at the age of 82 and is buried in St Peter’s Burial Ground, which is located opposite St Peter’s Primary School in Moor Lane, Budleigh Salterton.
References:Â Genuki, wikepedia
