Law & Practice under the Lunacy Acts

Law and practice Other
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Dear All,

I am researching the law and practice under the (English or Irish) Lunacy Acts etc. prior to the coming into force of the Mental Health Act 1959. It would appear that the leading texts included: (1) Theobald on The Law relating to Lunacy (1924), (2) Heywood & Massey on Court of Protection Practice (7th ed., 1955 (?)), and for Ireland (3) Harrison on the Law and Practice of Lunacy in Ireland (1930). It may also be that the Percy Report (Royal Commission on the law relating to mental illness and mental deficiency, Cmnd 169 (1957)) contains relevant material. However, none of these are available on archive.org or Google Books. I am not based in the UK nor do I have access to any substantial law library. I should be grateful for any guidance that anyone may have as to where I may be able to obtain any of these books.

Kind regards,

Colin McKie KC

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Hello Colin! I have and could loan you the 1924 Theobald, the 1957 Percy Commission Report and two volumes of minutes of evidence, and also a useful 1954 edition of F B Matthews’ “Mental Health Services - a handbook of Lunacy and Mental Treatment and Mental Deficiency”. Maybe other stuff too. Email me at mat.kinton@cqc.org.uk.

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The 7th edition (1954) of Heywood & Massey is currently on sale here: Heywood and Massey Court of Protection Practice by Hunt, D.G., Phillips, J.F.: Good (1954) | Anybook.com.