William Frederick Windham | |
|---|---|
 William Windham in 1861[1] | |
| Born | 9 August 1840 |
| Died | 2 February 1866 (aged 25) |
| Education | Eton College |
| Occupation | Land owner |
| Spouse | Anne Agnes Willoughby |
| Parents |
|
William Frederick Windham (9 August 1840 – 2 February 1866) was the son of William Howe Windham and the heir to Felbrigg Hall in the county of Norfolk, England. In 1861–62, he was the subject of a "lunacy" case after he married a woman of whom his uncle did not approve, causing his family to claim that he was incapable of managing his affairs. Windham won the case in a ruling that characterised him as eccentric rather than a lunatic.
The case was described in the British Journal of Psychiatry as "a significant event in psychiatric history" in the transition from "legal management in psychiatric illness and towards medical management".[2]
A spendthrift, Windham frittered away his considerable fortune and, facing legal fees of £20,000 from the case, was forced to declare bankruptcy and sell Felbrigg Hall. He moved into a local hotel but continued his dissolute lifestyle and worked as a coach driver before dying at the age of 25.
- ^ W. F. Windham, Esq. Science Photo Library. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ Jones, Kingsley (October 1971). "The Windham Case: The Enquiry held in London in 1861 into the state of mind of William Frederick Windham, heir to the Felbrigg Estate". British Journal of Psychiatry. 119 (551): 425–433. doi:10.1192/bjp.119.551.425. PMID 4942958.