As we uncover more of James Nutter’s life, read on to see what November had in store for him, as we look into James’ discovery and research on his friend’s Reverend Robert Hall’s illness.
At the end of October 1804, the Reverend Robert Hall, pastor of Saint Andrew’s church in Cambridge, suffered a psychotic episode that left his friend, James Nutter, a miller, devastated and extremely worried. In his diary entry of Thursday 1st November 1804, James notes that Robert Hall has had “a very restless night- no sleep” and that he is “full of noises and fears of devil”. James reflects on what might have caused his friend’s mental breakdown and he writes:
…we thought it (the illness) might subside & little time & company of his friends would wear out the impression of what we all thought a temporary delusion the effect of his great attention to two very unaccountable occurrences in the neighbourhood excited general attention & talk – one at Sawston at Mr Adam’s the Tanner – whose wife’s maid his – and many persons who visited the house their clothes were torn unaccountably & invisibly other occurrence at Bumpstead – an elderly woman (not best of characters) housekeeper to Mr Walford (of decent character) toads & other noxious reptiles all over her body – one day forced to undress 27 times- and clean herself – no account how produced – Mr Hall had lately been to see both these cases – closely investigated them believed them supernatural & made them subject of frequent conversation & dispute – we thought the delusion merely occasioned by & the effect of this. (Entry of 1st November- unaltered spelling, punctuation and grammar)
James Nutter is a man of the enlightenment, reasonably educated and open to the power of science and reason. Although he is very religious, there is no sign of conflict in his mind between religion and science. His approach to Robert Hall’s illness is guided by reason and the conviction that the illness must have been triggered by some unusual event. The story of the torn gowns at the tanner’s house in Sawston is also mentioned earlier in the diary, in the entry for Monday 8th October 1804. Interestingly James writes there that one of the torn and slit coats “was brought to Dr Milner Master of Queens College & professor of chemistry to try if vitriol occasioned it” (entry of 8th October). Although superstition and belief in the supernatural was still very much alive in Cambridgeshire in 1804, access to authorities such as Dr Milner meant that these beliefs could be challenged by science – a fact James seems to be interested in. James’ search for the causes of Robert Hall’s illness is based on observations and logical analysis of the context in which it occurred.
Modern research on mental health is very much based upon the Stress Vulnerability Model which, as Geoff Brennan writes, “has moved us from seeing individual sufferers as alien to viewing them as people with extraordinary experiences” (Brennan p. 52). The Stress Vulnerability Model recognises that many people who fall ill with psychosis have often recently experienced a traumatic life event. James might have here identified traumatic events that might have contributed to Robert Hall’s illness: dealing with supernatural unexplained phenomenons. The Stress Vulnerability Model also identifies social isolation and physical diseases as contributing factors, two elements also pointed out by Gregory Olinthus in his biography of Robert Hall: the isolation of village life away from his Leicester family and the suffering his bad back inflicted on him. Genetic dispositions are also an important part of the Stress Vulnerability Model and this is indeed later uncovered by James in his diary entry of 18th November 1804 where he notes that Robert Hall’s disorder is “hereditary in the family”.
James’ efforts to understand the causes of Robert Hall’s illness are quite remarkable and reflect his inquisitive mind. Later biographers, such as William Willis, tend to romanticise the event, blaming the illness on Robert Hall’s disappointment in love:
Whilst at Cambridge, Robert Hall, unfortunately was disappointed in love. This disappointment very much affected him. For years it disturbed his mind. (Willis p. 11)
James Nutter’s diary, without doubt, offers a more accurate account of the causes of Robert Hall’s illness, especially if read alongside Gregory Olinthus’ biography. Gregory, who was a contemporary of Robert Hall and knew him well, recalls a very revealing conversation with the pastor, during which it became apparent that Robert was deeply depressed in Cambridge. Asked by Gregory what he thinks of Cambridge, Robert replies:
Before I came to Cambridge, I had read in prize poems, and in other works of fancy, of “the banks of the Cam”, of “sweetly flowing stream’ and so on; but when I arrived here I was sadly disappointed. When I first saw the river as I passed over King’s College Bridge, I could not help exclaiming: Why, the stream is standing still to see people drown themselves! And that, I am sorry to say, is a permanent feeling with me. (Olinthus p. 27)
These morbid thoughts clearly indicate that Robert Hall had never really adapted to his new life in Cambridge and was rather depressed and disappointed. The poems he refers to here are most certainly those of Thomas Gray, William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge, who all have portrayed the River Cam in their nostalgic poems recalling their youths spent in Cambridge colleges. The town that these poets associated with the joys of youth, had clearly failed to leave the same positive impression on Robert Hall.
In the first week of November Robert Hall’s mental health rapidly further deteriorated. James in his diary notes Robert Hall’s “frequent paroxysms of madness” (entry of 4th November) and even writes down the content of his conversations with Robert, just like a good psychiatrist would do. James asks Robert Hall what makes him laugh so heartily and here is what he replies:
…the Angel Gabriel revealed to me – my head was always too small for my talents – and that my age should be dated back – instead of being 40 years I should now only be reckoned 20 years old and instead of the narrow small head heretofore I should now have two heads. (Entry of 4th November – unaltered)
James recorded this strange conversation in his diary as well as the fact that Robert Hall told him that he was “in great agony” and that:
…the brain at the back part of the head which before had lain dormant in an inactive and bemused state was pushing forward into vigorous action. (Entry of 4th November- unaltered)
Robert Hall’s brain was under serious strain. He was seriously ill. He could not sleep and was extremely agitated. Doctor Thackeray is sent for. The doctor offers to stay overnight in Mr Hall’s house to look after him and observe him. In the middle of the night the good doctor is woken up by Robert Hall who burst open the door of his bedroom and seizes the doctor’s leg. James describes what happens next:
Thackeray got up & went down & with assistance put on the straight waistcoat (which I think was very wrong and the more dictate of his fears but never said so to any person). And from that time to this poor dear man he has been in the most dismal state of derangement and violence except at intervals chiefly in my opinion owing to his confinement at least his violence. (Entry of 4th November- unaltered)
It is extraordinary to see here expressed James’ disapproval of the treatment inflicted upon Robert Hall. The typical treatment of mental illness at the time was a mixture of coercion and listening. After the listening there comes the coercion with the straitjacket. James notes that this leads to a further deterioration in Robert Hall’s mental health, probably correctly identifying coercion as a further distressing factor.
In 1804 there were, of course, no antipsychotic drugs available and actual medical treatment was rather basic:
Dr Thackeray advised a blister on head – Dr Davy a blister on the back the latter was adopted. (Entry of 4th November- unaltered)
It is also likely that Robert Hall would have been administered some narcotic to calm him down, probably laudanum, as this is mentioned in Gregory Olinthus’ account (Olinthus p. 47) although there is no mention of it in James Nutter’s diary.
The medical treatment was clearly not very successful as James writes at the end of his entry dated 4th November (but actually covering the whole week up to the 9th of November):
Day after day – much alike – Nights dreadfull- days calm with sometimes a little sleep & returning temporary sense to know persons and circumstances. (Entry 4th November, unaltered text)
James’ consternation at the illness of his dear friend contrasts with the reaction of the pastor’s congregation when his mental health is revealed to all:
Wonderfull Shock – great sensation in the congregation – in the Town – throughout the University as well as in the village – “all held John to be a prophet”…(Entry 4th November, unaltered text)
The line between madness and greatness is always very fine. Whilst some might have been stigmatised by their illness, Robert Hall’s talents and fame propelled him to the status of quasi prophet. His hallucinations and strange visions, no doubt, were seen as gifts from God.
Later in the month of November, Robert Hall’s brother in law, Mr James, comes from Bristol and arranges for Robert to be taken back to Leicester, near his native village, to be taken care of by Dr Arnold. His Cambridge friends look after his house and belongings in Great Shelford and regularly seek news on his health by letters.
It is clear from reading the detailed entries in James Nutter’s diary that the miller of Cambridge felt that he had been the witness of an extraordinary event: the descent into madness of a great and famous man whose reputation extended far beyond Cambridge.
What does December 1804 hold for James Nutter? Find out in our next blog -discussing wedding bells, and of course, Christmas! Did it snow that year? All will be revealed..
Missed the previous blogs on The Miller of Cambridge: James Nutter? Read our previous entry here: museumofcambridge.org.uk/2024/10/james-nutters-diary-october-1804/
References:
The unpublished diary of James Nutter, miller of Cambridge, 1804-1806 (Nutter family Archives)
Gregory Olinthus, The Miscellaneous works and remains of the Rev Robert Hall with a memoir of his life, London, 1846
William Willis, Lecture on Robert Hall, 1901, printed for private circulation (Cambridgeshire Collections)
Graham Chainey, A literary History of Cambridge, CUP, 1985
Geoff Brennan, “Stress vulnerability model of serious mental illness” in C Gamble and G Brennan, Working with Serious Mental Illness – A Manual for Clinical Practice, Elvesier, 2006, pp. 43-53