Essondale Patient File for Yonosuki Ashikawa

Warning

The LOI Research Team has flagged this record for containing sensitive information. This record contains the following sensitivities:

  • Details or graphic images of serious illness (mental or physical) or mortality of identifiable individual(s).
  • Could cause undue or disproportionate dishonour / embarrassment to self or family.

Essondale Patient File for Yonosuki Ashikawa

Description

Title Proper 93-5683 BOX 1370 FILE 16003
Date(s) 1937
General material designation
This file contains a textual record.
Scope and content
Yonosuki Ashikawa was admitted to Essondale on 4 June 1937 with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. He died at Essondale of pulmonary tuberculosis on 24 July 1945 at the age of 26. He was born in Vancouver; his permanent address was listed as Princess Avenue on his death certificate. His ward notes indicate that upon Ashikawa’s death his brother Michinosuke was contacted by Constable Davidson of the R.C.M.P. Japanese Division, but was said to be “unable to provide funeral arrangements.” File includes correspondence with Michinosuke, who was informed of Yonosuki’s tuberculosis diagnosis in April 1945. In a letter to Essondale officials from 20 May 1945, he wrote that, “owing to the present situation I have not been able to see him for a long time.” Michinosuke was planning to move to Montreal in June. Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr. A.M. Gee wrote to Davidson on 7 July, informing him that Yonosuki’s “life expectancy is not very great” and lamenting that he had yet to hear from Michinosuke regarding his new address.
Name of creator
British Columbia. Mental Health Services created this archive which were transferred to the BC Archives from 1987 to 2000.
Immediate source of acquisition
The digital copies of the records were acquired by the Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective between 2014 and 2018.
This record was digitized selectively.

Metadata

Title

Essondale Patient File for Yonosuki Ashikawa
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Terminology

Readers of these historical materials will encounter derogatory references to Japanese Canadians and euphemisms used to obscure the intent and impacts of the internment and dispossession. While these are important realities of the history, the Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective urges users to carefully consider their own terminological choices in writing and speaking about this topic today as we confront past injustice. See our statement on terminology, and related sources here.