"Extract from the Ninth Report of the Committee of Visitors of the County Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell #January Quarter Session, 1854.

In the month of July last, in consequence of letters addressed by a male patient To Mr Perceval, complaining of ill-usage on the part of certain Attendants in the year 1851; Complaints which had been fully investigated by the then Committee —. The Commissioners in Lunacy deputed two of their body to examine into these charges on the spot, who reported upon them to the Home Secretary. The conclusion at which they arrived, namely, that there was reason to believe that the Attendants did sometimes use disgusting language among themselves, and that in some instances they had been guilty of harsh and unfeeling conduct towards the patients, induced Lord Palmerston to write to your Committee strongly urging the appointment of a Head Attendant, whose duty it should be exclusively to supervise the Attendants in the Wards and Airing Courts. In deference to this suggestion, the Committee of Visitors accordingly appointed to that situation Robert Blencowe, who has been Attendant in the Asylum for 14 years, and whom Dr Begley and the Storekeeper strongly recommended as being in every way qualified to full such a position. His salary is fixed at £45 for the first year, with a promise of an increase to £52 at the end of that time, if his conduct should be satisfactory; and from the Report of the Medical Superintendent.

Up to the present time, he seems to have discharged his duties in a very able manner.

The Committee of Visitors hope and believe, that, with such additional supervision, no complaints either of bad language towards each other, or of harshness towards the patients on the part of the Attendants, will be repeated."