This photograph was captured sometime between an estimated 1940s-1950s. It depicts the Beechworth Benevolent Asylum (later the Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged) which was built in 1862. It is located on an elevated site in Beechworth, Victoria because it was believed the height was beneficial to the health of the patients at the Benevolent. Later wings were added to the original building between 1867 and 1890. The building was constructed in an unusual Flemish Gothic Revival style which contrasts with the classical style of the Mayday Hills Hospital in close proximity to the Benevolent. The Hospital was designed in Italianate Revival architecture. The appearance of buildings like the Mayday Hills Hospital and the Ovens Benevolent Asylum are representative of the importance of Beechworth as a town shortly after the goldrush. During the 1850s and 1860s, administration buildings were erected alongside churches, shops and structures of justice. This marks a movement away from the "chaotic" structure of life on the goldfields and towards a more civilised and cultural lifestyle. This social phenomenon is also witnessed in Melbourne with the creation of buildings like the State Library and the University of Melbourne. The Beechworth Benevolent Asylum was renamed the Ovens Benevolent Home in 1935. The Asylum had been set up to provide accommodation and care for permanently injured gold miners, and for women and children who were penniless, homeless, or whose parents were guests of the state. In 1954 it was renamed as The Ovens and Murray Home (as pictured in this photograph). The purpose of this building was to provide a refuge for the poor and destitute, homeless older men, deserted women and children along with providing care for the mentally ill. These buildings were built at the government's expense and are of great historical and architectural significance.This photograph depicts the Ovens and Murray Home (previously the Ovens Benevolent Home) during the 1940s or 1950s. Since this building is of great historic and architectural significance, photographs like this are especially valuable in reconstructing the use history and any changes/additions to the building over a period of time. This building is important for what it can reveal about society in Beechworth and also architectural styles. This building is made in the Flemish Gothic Revival style which is quite unusual for the 1860s. It is important as an early example of a building constructed for a specific purpose, in the case of this particular building: caring for the aged/destitute. This building is important for research into the civic development of Beechworth as an early Gold Rush town located in Victoria's North-East. During this period, Beechworth was developing as the main center of administration in this region which made it a very influential and quickly developed town. Photographs like this one which depict a building during one period in history can reveal important information for the use and alterations of a building and for preferences in architectural style. It can also be studied for what it reveals about society in Beechworth and compared and contrasted to similar institutions across Australia and with additional photographs in the Burke Museum collection.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paperBack of photograph. Handwriting: "For John Beckingsale"mayday hills, beechworth benevolent asylum, ovens benevolent home, destitute, gold town, beechworth, victoria, north-east vic

This image is a copy of a photograph depicting the front façade of the Mayday Hills Hospital by an unknown photographer. The date this photograph was captured has not been recorded but due to the appearance of the water fountain in the front garden, it can be estimated to be during the 1930s. The fountain does not remain on the site today but stood in the same location, alongside other physical markers, to that in photographs dating to the 1930s. This allows an estimated date of 1930s for this photograph. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like this postcard which portray the structure in a highly deliberate manner. Images like this depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic papermental hospital, insane asylum, mayday hills mental hospital

Photographed in the early 1900s, this black and white photograph depicts 25 members of the Mayday Hills Hospital Staff. Six men sit in front of the group (Mr Imhose stands fourth from the left in front row), upon the ground and behind them, in bright white clothing, sit eight female nurses upon a long bench (one of these nurses is identified on the rear as Miss A.J. Ross). Behind these women stand 10 men. The men are all wearing dark clothing and several have 'Kepi' style hats. The staff photograph was captured by Frazer and Vallance Photographers Melbourne. This image was originally combined with 1997.2491 but these images have since been torn apart and catalogued separately. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like this postcard which portray the structure in a highly deliberate manner. Images like this depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on cardHandwriting reads: "Mental Hospital / Beechworth / Miss A. J. Ross / about 82 in 1944".mental asylum, beechworth, mayday hills, mayday hills hospital, victoria, mental health, history of mental illness, treatment of metal illness, asylum, hospital for mentally unwell, miss a.j. ross, nurse, staff, doctors

Photographed in the early 1900s, this black and white photograph depicts 25 members of the Mayday Hills Hospital Staff. Five men sit in front of the group, upon the ground and behind them, in bright white clothing, sit eight female nurses upon a long bench (one of these nurses is identified on the rear as Miss A.J. Ross). Behind these women stand 12 men. The men are all wearing dark clothing and several have 'Kepi' style hats. The staff photograph was captured by Frazer and Vallance Photographers Melbourne. This image was originally combined with 1997.2490 but these images have since been torn apart and catalogued separately. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like this postcard which portray the structure in a highly deliberate manner. Images like this depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on cardFrazer & Vallance Photographers Melbournemental asylum, beechworth

This photograph was captured in approximately 1900 and depicts the on site nurses homes. During the 1880s, these detached cottages were constructed and provided accommodation for the staff (in this case, the nurses) who lived within the hospital walls. Within the image are weatherboard buildings, a number of nurses and water tanks. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like these. Images like these depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on card"Early nurses quarters, Beechworth Mental Hospital, now May Day Hills Hospital."may day hills hospital, nurses quarters, beechworth, mayday hills, asylum

These images are copies of a photograph (3448) captured in approximately 1900 and depicts the on site nurses homes. During the 1880s, these detached cottages were constructed and provided accommodation for the staff (in this case, the nurses) who lived within the hospital walls. Within the image are weatherboard buildings, a number of nurses and water tanks. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like these. Images like these depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic papermental hospital, mayday hills, beechworth, copy, nurse, nurses quarters, on-site dwelling, 1900s, 1880, beechworth asylum

This photograph is a copy of that captured in approximately 1900 and depicts the on site nurses homes. During the 1880s, these detached cottages were constructed and provided accommodation for the staff (in this case, the nurses) who lived within the hospital walls. Within the image are weatherboard buildings, a number of nurses and water tanks. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like these. Images like these depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on cardmayday hills, nurse, weatherboard, watertank, mayday hills hospital, asylum, mental health, kew, ararat, mental hospital, beechworth, gold town

In this photo, taken in around 1875, is depicted the exterior of the Beechworth Mental Asylum buildings, with the administration buildings far right of the photo. A sunken boundary wall in the foreground and some people in view, sitting at the pavillion in the centre of the image. The two-storey buildings, designed in Italianate style, and the three-storey towers at the front, influenced by the asylum at Colney Hatch in England. The architecture of the buildings shares key features with other contemporary institutions, like Aradale at Ararat, and its design is attributed to the Public Works Department architect, J.J. Clark, whose name is connected with the construction of many other important public buildings, such as the Asylums at Kew and Ararat, the front block of the Royal Mint, Melbourne and the Melbourne Customs House. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. Large masses of granite were excavated for its foundation and around 250 workmen were employed for its construction. The building, divided into six sections, was comprised of dormitories, doctors` rooms and plenty ancillary rooms and facilities, such as laundries, reading rooms, a concert hall and cooking areas. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients. The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but during the centenary celebrations in 1967 the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.This photograph is historically significant as it provides an insight into the location, surroundings and the exterior of the Mayday Hills Hospital at the end of the 19th century. It also contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history and is acknowledged as a unique construction, being one of three identified as the largest of their kind.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board.Reverse: 37/ 3443/ Beechworth Asylum about 1875/ American & Australasian/Photographic Company/Victoria Branch./C.Bayless, Manager./ No./beechworth mental asylum, aradale, public works department, j.j. clark, melbourne customs house, colney hatch, italianate style, mayday hills hospital, royal mint, granite, benevolent asylum, dormitories, ovens lunatic asylum, ancillary rooms, centenary celebrations, three-storey towers, countryside, mental health conditions, kulin nation, concert hall

The photo is taken in 1890 and a man is depicted, entering the main gates of the Mental Hospital at Beechworth, with the lodge on his right side. The man is dressed according to the australian fashion of that time, wearing a dark suit and a top hat. The countryside surrounding the Hospital is in the background. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. The need for an institution of this kind was arisen due to the increased number of people with mental disturbances (induced by the harsh living conditions on the goldfields) and the remoteness of the district from Melbourne. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients. It was designed in Italianate style and around 250 workmen were employed for its construction. The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but, during the centenary celebrations in 1967, the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.This photograph is historically significant as it provides an insight into the location, surroundings and the exterior of the Mayday Hills Hospital at the end of the 19th century. It also contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history. Moreover, it adds information to the scientific research and the way mental health conditions were treated at that time.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paper unframed.Obverse: Asylum Gates & Lodge/ Reverse: 3451-1/mental hospital, beechworth, australian fashion, dark suit, top hat, countryside, mayday hills hospital, ovens hospital, benevolent asylum, institution, mental disturbances, social welfare, living conditions, goldfields, workmen, italianate style, kulin nation, mental health, ovens lunatic asylum, patients

The photo is taken in 1934 and illustrates the internal view of a ward in the Mental Hospital at Beechworth. Some patients in beds and three nurses are in view. Beds were arranged in lines alongside the walls and there were no partitions or screens to create privacy for patients. Furniture was simple and humble; bed frames were made of metal or wood and pillowcases and covers for the attendant`s tables were sometimes made of blue-striped canvas or calico. Large windows in the walls were offering ample light and the room was well-tended, with Christmas decoration, flowers, pots and carpets on the floor. The nurse in the foreground is Miss Neary. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. The need for an institution of this kind was arisen due to the increased number of people with mental disturbances (induced by the harsh living conditions on the goldfields) and the remoteness of the district from Melbourne. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients. The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but, during the centenary celebrations in 1967, the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation. This photograph is historically significant as it provides an insight into the living conditions of patients admitted to the Mayday Hills Hospital at the beginning of the 20th century. It also contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history. Additionally, it provides important information about the way mental health conditions were perceived at that time and how patients were treated. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paper. Reverse: 1997.2665/ To Miss JA.Peach/ [hallmark: Printed by Harringtons]/ With best wishes/from/H.Jeanes/for 1934.mayday hills hospital, benevolent asylum, ovens hospital, ovens lunatic asylum, kulin nation, beechworth, patients, nurse, social welfare, goldfields, melbourne, mental health, living conditions, blue-striped canvas, calico, bed frames, miss neary, mental disturbances, traditional land, centenary celebrations

The photograph is a copy of the original one, with the latter been captured in 1870. The man depicted is Doctor Thomas Thomson Dick, who was the first Medical Superintendent at Mayday Hills Hospital. He was born in Scotland in 1840 and he died in East Malvern in 1919. He obtained his degree of Doctor of Medicine from Melbourne University in 1864 and, later in his career, he became Inspector-General of the mentally ill. Dr Dick promoted the hospital`s self-sufficiency by engaging patients in various forms of work, such as clothing alterations and cultivation of the farm. He also introduced monthly balls, which could be attended by patients, staff and guests, and they were later replaced by concerts. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. The need for an institution of this kind was arisen due to the increased number of people with mental disturbances (induced by the harsh living conditions on the goldfields) and the remoteness of the district from Melbourne. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients.The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but, during the centenary celebrations in 1967, the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.This photograph is historically significant as it provides information about the staff served at the Mayday Hills Hospital when it first opened. It also contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history and adds valuable information about the changing approaches to the treatment of mental health conditions.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paper.Obverse: (7)/ Reverse: 1997.2452/ Dr Dick/No(7) Pioneer Board/doctor thomas thomson dick, superintendent, mayday hills hospital, scotland, east malvern, doctor of medicine, melbourne university, inspector-general, clothing alterations, cultivation of the farm, self-sufficiency, balls, concerts, ovens hospital, benevolent asylum, beechworth, goldfields, kulin nation, panoramic view, mental health conditions

The photograph, created in 1998, is a copy of the original one, depicting a nurse in uniform at the Mental Hospital in Beechworth, with a fern house behind her. In the background, the two-storey building is in view, along with the covered walkway. The institution had to operate with serious shortage of female nurses for long periods of time. During the 1880s, small houses (cottages) were built to offer accommodation for the nurses living in the hospital and in 1937 began the construction of a nurses` hostel. In 1962 the upper level of the Nurses` Home was converted into a Nurses` Training School. The Mayday Hills Hospital was constructed between 1864 and 1867, with buildings created in a number of periods. It formally opened on 24 October 1867 and, along with the Ovens Hospital and the Benevolent Asylum, made Beechworth a prominent social welfare centre in Victoria. The need for an institution of this kind was arisen due to the increased number of people with mental disturbances (induced by the harsh living conditions on the goldfields) and the remoteness of the district from Melbourne. The two-storey buildings, designed in Italianate style, and the three-storey towers at the front, were influenced by the asylum at Colney Hatch in England. Large masses of granite were excavated for its foundation and around 250 workmen were employed for its construction. The building, divided into six sections, was comprised of dormitories, doctors` rooms and plenty ancillary rooms and facilities, such as laundries, reading rooms, a concert hall and cooking areas. The site was chosen for its panoramic view of the countryside, the hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, all contributing to the cure of patients. The Hospital was originally named the “Ovens Lunatic Asylum” but, during the centenary celebrations in 1967, the name was officially changed to “Mayday Hills Hospital”, showing the gradual shift in the perception and understanding of mental health conditions over the last decades. The Hospital lies on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.This photograph is historically significant as it provides an insight into the everyday life of staff living within the walls of the Mayday Hills Hospital. It also offers important information about the location and the exterior of the Hospital and contributes to the understanding of the district`s development and its importance to the course of Victoria`s history.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paper unframed.Reverse: 3445/mental hospital, beechworth, fern house, female nurses, nurses` home, nurses` training school, nurses` hostel, mayday hills hospital, ovens hospital, colney hatch, two-storey buildings, italianate style, benevolent asylum, ovens lunatic asylum, kulin nation, workmen, covered walkway, granite, hilltop atmosphere, mental health

Mayday Hills Mental Hospital was originally constructed in 1864 under the name of the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum. It was built for locals in need of help who were kept in the local gaol. In its first decade, the residents of the hospital were used as menial labourers but over time, as mental healthcare progressed, were cared for in more nuanced ways. This site became a training hospital for nurses in the 1960's. Eventually, mental health patients were moved to other care facilities and Mayday Hills was operating as a geriatric care facility. It was closed in 1995, after which the buildings and their grounds were purchased to La Trobe University to be used as a campus. The university sold the site in 2011 to private ownership. The image depicts an interior room which is presumed to be a dining or common room. This space has been decorated for Christmas.Mayday Hills Mental Hospital is a historically significant site for many factors. It is representative of healthcare practice in nineteenth century Victoria. It contains rare examples of construction and architecture. It is also significant for aesthetic and technical reasons. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paperObverse: PRINTED BY/ L.MAHER/ BEECHWORTH/ 1997.2702mayday, mayday hills hospital, mayday hills, mayday hills mental asylum, beechworth lunatic asylum, lunatic asylum, beechworth, gaol, beechworth hospital for the insane, beechworth mental hospital, mental hospital, hospital, nurse, nurses quarters, la trobe university, training facility, christmas, christmas party

Mayday Hills Mental Hospital was originally constructed in 1864 under the name of the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum. It was built for locals in need of help who were kept in the local gaol. In its first decade, the residents of the hospital were used as menial labourers but over time, as mental healthcare progressed, were cared for in more nuanced ways. This site became a training hospital for nurses in the 1960's. Eventually, mental health patients were moved to other care facilities and Mayday Hills was operating as a geriatric care facility. It was closed in 1995, after which the buildings and their grounds were purchased to La Trobe University to be used as a campus. The university sold the site in 2011 to private ownership. This image depicts people enjoying the grounds and gardens.Mayday Hills Mental Hospital is a historically significant site for many factors. It is representative of healthcare practice in nineteenth century Victoria. It contains rare examples of construction and architecture. It is also significant for aesthetic and technical reasons.Black and white photograph printed on matte photographic paperReverse: at the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum/ (wade)/ do not copy - copy for Burke Museum/ for collection only only/ BMM 8326mayday, mayday hills hospital, mayday hills, mayday hills mental asylum, beechworth asylum, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth mental hospital, beechworth institution, healthcare, mental health, nurses quarters, nurses, gaol, garden, garden party

Mayday Hills Mental Hospital was originally constructed in 1864 under the name of the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum. It was built for locals in need of help who were kept in the local gaol. In its first decade, the residents of the hospital were used as menial labourers but over time, as mental healthcare progressed, were cared for in more nuanced ways. This site became a training hospital for nurses in the 1960's. Eventually, mental health patients were moved to other care facilities and Mayday Hills was operating as a geriatric care facility. It was closed in 1995, after which the buildings and their grounds were purchased to La Trobe University to be used as a campus. The university sold the site in 2011 to private ownership. This image depicts the front facade of the building and a portion of the gardens, including a fountain. Mayday Hills Mental Hospital is a historically significant site for many factors. It is representative of healthcare practice in nineteenth century Victoria. It contains rare examples of construction and architecture. It is also significant for aesthetic and technical reasons.Black and white photograph printed on matte photographic paperReverse: Mental Hospital/ Beechworth Lunatic Asylum/ Xmas 1930/ 8190 VELOX (Watermark)mayday, mayday hills hospital, mayday hills, mayday hills mental asylum, beechworth, beechworth asylum, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth hospital for the insane, garden, gardens & parks, architecture, historic victorian architecture, healthcare, health, fountain, la trobe university

Mayday Hills Mental Hospital was originally constructed in 1864 under the name of the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum. It was built for locals in need of help who were kept in the local gaol. In its first decade, the residents of the hospital were used as menial labourers but over time, as mental healthcare progressed, were cared for in more nuanced ways. This site became a training hospital for nurses in the 1960's. Eventually, mental health patients were moved to other care facilities and Mayday Hills was operating as a geriatric care facility. It was closed in 1995, after which the buildings and their grounds were purchased to La Trobe University to be used as a campus. The university sold the site in 2011 to private ownership. This postcard depicts an interior room which is presumed to be a living or reception room. It is filled with period furnishings. Mayday Hills Mental Hospital is a historically significant site for many factors. It is representative of healthcare practice in nineteenth century Victoria. It contains rare examples of construction and architecture. It is also significant for aesthetic and technical reasons.Black and white postcard printed on matte cardReverse: 11.5.35/ Miss Peach/ Best wishes/ from/ P. Beckman mayday, mayday hills hospital, mayday hills, mayday hills mental asylum, mayday hills mental hospital, beechworth, beechworth asylum, beechworth hospital for the insane, beechworth lunatic asylum, lunatic asylum, healthcare, health, living in country towns, living room, furniture, interior

Taken in Beechworth 1865, this photograph depicts a number buildings looking down Ford Street. The left side of image shows the Bank of Australia, the Post Office, the Bank of Victoria, and Howard Bookseller. The right side depicts the Oriental Bank, Albion Hotel, the Bank of NSW, and the First church in Beechworth which was the Methodist Church on the hill.Black and white rectangular photograph. Image is printed on matt photographic paper with a cardboard backing. Obverse: ALBION HOTEL, HOWARD BOOKSELLER Reverse: STREETS / (in pencil) FORD ST, BEECHWORTH / VICTORIA 1865 19972743 A02743 beechworth, ford street, bank of victoria, burke museum, 1865

Taken in Beechworth, this photograh depicts Camp Street and Albert Road looking towards Asylum Hill. In the center of the image, the railway gate appears to be closed. Black and white rectangular postcard. The image is printed on matte photographic paper and is mounted on cardboard. Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: 7756 1997.2835 84-230-1 POSTCARD Beechworth with takers cart in foreground Townview . beechworth, camp street, albert road, asylum hill

Taken in Beechworth, this photograph depicts Camp Street from the Ford Street intersection looking towards Mayday Hills. Black and White photograph printed on gloss photographic paper. Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: 93.00059.3 7740 beechworth, mayday hills, burke museum, camp street

Pattern-hanging bracket slightly pyramid shaped object with wide base. Has square attachment both painted white. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

The design of this set of four lightweight chairs is based on Thonet’s bentwood designs, which are still some of the best-selling designs for café and restaurant owners. It is elegant, sophisticated and durable. Some of these chairs still have their original seat, under which the letters “TH” or “RSL” are hand written. Flagstaff Hill has several bentwood chairs with these letters on them, in either chalk, black paint, or both. It is believed that the chairs were used in the original Warrnambool Town Hall, and later the RSL. The Town Hall was completed in 1891, built on the corners of Timor and Liebig Streets. (In 1977 the Town Hall was declared unsafe and was later replaced by the Warrnambool Performing Arts Centre.) Some of the chairs have marks, paper labels and symbols on them that show that the maker was Josef Jaworek, who had a small furniture factory in east Sinensia, which was at that time in Austria, from 1907 - 1914. Bentwood chairs are made by a process of wetting wood in water, bending it into curved shapes, then allowing it to dry so that the shape becomes permanent. This process originated by Michael Thonet, who had been given the right to bend wood into desired curves by the Austrian Courts in 1842. In 1856 he was granted a 13 year patent to manufacture chairs and table legs of bent wood treated by steam or boiling water. In 1859 his company Gebruder Thonet produced his original design. Thonet’s early designs also featured hand carved or laminated wooden seats. His Model No. 14 was produced in the 1850’s and his most popular design. After Michael’s death in 1871 the family went on designing and producing chairs. These bentwood chairs are believed to be associated with the original Warrnambool Town Hall. The Warrnambool Town Hall played a significant role in the both the local government and the social events of local and district areas. It was a place for Council meetings, community events and entertainment, theatrical and musical.Bentwood chair (4 of 4), painted black, inner back is curled loop, seat has leather cover attached with studs, ventilation holes under seat, legs are splayed and have a bracing ring. Marks: under seat, handwritten and stamped into wood.Marked with handwritten "TH", in both black paint & white chalk. Under rim is label printed "65" Stamped into wood on rim under chair "95".flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, bentwood chair, café chair, restaurant chair, josef jaworek, austrian chairs, furniture

This is a ship model of the SS Orotava, a British Screw Steamship built at Barrow-in-Furness, county of Lancashire, by the Naval Construction and Armaments Company (NC & A Co.) in 1889. Her gross tonnage was 5552.10 tons, length 430 feet, breadth 49.3 feet and depth 34.2 feet. She was built for Pacific Steam Navigation Company (of 31, James Street, Liverpool) and used as a passenger liner. She was launched 1889 and made 2 voyages for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company in 1889. Then under her new management of the Orient Line, she made her first sailing 6th June 1890 from Liverpool to Australia via Suez. During the Boer War (1889 – 1903) she served as a troop ship but apart from this she remained in the Orient Line’s Australia service until 1906. On 14th December 1896 the Orotava sunk at Trilbury Docks after being serviced on her return from Australia, becoming unstable and taking in water. Five men lost their lives. The ship was then raised to dry dock and repaired for service again and an investigation launched into the cause of the sinking. Between 1901 – 1906 the name ‘Orient-Pacific Steam Line’ was used due to the close ties between the Pacific and the Orient lines. In 1906 the Pacific Steam Line Australian service was taken over by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. and the alliance between them and the Orient Line was dissolved in 1909. Orotava was then used in the West Indies service of the Royal Mail Line In World War 1 (Dec 1914 – June 1916) she served as HMS OROTAVA, an armed merchant cruiser. She was broken up in 1919. Ship model of SS Orotava, 4 masts, 2 funnels, British passenger liner, launched in 1889.No case. Mounted on timber base. (some rigging broken, lifeboat now a separate piece)."OROTAVA" painted in white on each side of the bow. 'OROTAVA / LONDON" painted in white on the stern.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ship model, ss orotava, naval construction and armaments co., n c & a co., pacific steam navigaiton company, passenger liner, orient line, orient-pacific steam line, royal mail line, hms orotava

Chair Bentwood, (pair of 2), dark brown colour, round back with curled inverted 'U' design inside backrest, legs with bracing ring. Seat on chair is padded, with metal studs, holes in star pattern underneath. Inscriptions under seat."T H" painted in black, also "TH" in white chalk under seat. "398" on paper on base under seat.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, furniture, bentwood chair, cafe chair

Moulding plane - hollow (shape of mould). White wood maker unknown.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, moulding plane

J & G Meakin was an English pottery manufacturing company founded in 1851 and based in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. In the 19th century, J & G Meakin was known for the vast quantities of cheap ironstone china it produced for the domestic English market and export to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. From around 1970, designs included Liberty, Sterling, Trend, Classic, and Heirloom. Some of these were influenced by earlier designs. The newer wares can be distinguished by back stamp markings such as 'permanent colours', 'everlasting colour', or 'dishwasher proof'. J & G Meakin had close family and corporate affiliations to the potteries Johnson Brothers, and Alfred Meakin Ltd, which explains why many patterns are similar, if not almost the same. There was a takeover by J. & G. Meakin in 1968 of Midwinter Pottery. The firm was then taken over by the Wedgwood Group in 1970. In 2000 production under the Meakin name ceased and their long-established works, Eagle Pottery, was then used for the production of Johnson Bros pottery. Eagle Pottery closed in 2004 when production was transferred abroad; the works were demolished in 2005.Item is significant as it is believed to be an early example of the SOL trademark made between 1913-1925.Ironstone wash jug and bowl set, white, often referred to as a ewer and bowl. Both jug and bowl have matching raised embossing of panels with floral motifs within them.Both items have marks "Ironstone China Reqd SOL 39/4/3 STG Meakin England" Trademark of J & G Meakin with sun emblem .flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, jug china white and basin, jug, jug and basin, jug & bowl, ewer, bowl, ewer & bowl, j and g meakin, ironstone ware, bathing, washing, personal hygiene

J & G Meakin was an English pottery manufacturing company founded in 1851 and based in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. In the 19th century, J & G Meakin was known for the vast quantities of cheap ironstone china it produced for the domestic English market and export to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States and one of these pottery lines was called "EMPRESS" and was in production through the 1930s. From around 1970, designs included Liberty, Sterling, Trend, Classic, and Heirloom. Some of these were influenced by earlier designs. The newer wares can be distinguished by back stamp markings such as 'permanent colours', 'everlasting colour', or 'dishwasher proof'. J & G Meakin had close family and corporate affiliations to the potteries Johnson Brothers, and Alfred Meakin Ltd, which explains why many patterns are similar, if not almost the same. There was a takeover by J. & G. Meakin in 1968 of Midwinter Pottery. The firm was then taken over by the Wedgwood Group in 1970. In 2000 production under the Meakin name ceased and their long-established works, Eagle Pottery, was then used for the production of Johnson Bros pottery. Eagle Pottery closed in 2004 when production was transferred abroad; the works were demolished in 2005.Item is significant as today the "EMPRESS" china pattern from the 1930s by Meakin is today a collectable item and a good example of the Meakin range of china.Plate china white oval with a pattern inscribed along the edge Inscription to base "EMPRESS" warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, alfred meakin, staffordshire potteries, iron stone pottery, serving dish

This item is believed to have been made in or around the Staffordshire area in the United Kingdom. Over 1500 pottery firms have operated in Stoke-on-Trent since the early 1700's - Some lasted only a few years and some for well over 200 years. Some potters built and owned their own works. Many others were tenants in works built by others and a succession of potters occupied the same works. It was also a common practice for a works to be split between two different pottery companies or for a larger manufacturer to let out a smaller section of his works to a potter who would make wares which were not of interest to the pot works owner. Some potters purchased 'blanks' from other manufacturers and put their own decoration on them some items have two back stamps some have no marks at all. This adds to the confusion and frustration of trying to trace details of a particular manufacturer such as the subject item.A mass produced utilitarian item made for domestic use, no history or manufacturing provenance currently available. At this time the item cannot be associated with an historical event, person or place, provenance is unknown.Serving dish white ironstone raised pattern of bows around the top.Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village

This photograph of the 10 crew of the SPECULANT would have been taken prior to Feb 10th 1911, when the ship was wrecked on the south coast of Victoria at a place called Cape Patton. The barquentine SPECULANT was a steel, three-masted sailing ship built in 1895 in Inverkeithing, Scotland, registered in Warrnambool, Victoria and wrecked at Cape Paton, Victoria, 10th February 1911. The SPECULANT had been involved in the timber trade between the United Kingdom and Russia, until sold to its Warrnambool owners and timber merchants Messrs. P.J. McGennan & Co. (Peter John McGennan) in 1902 for 3000 pounds and had her sailed to Warrnambool as her new port. Peter John McGennan was born in 1844 and worked as a builder and cooper in Holyhead, Anglesea, Wales. He immigrated to Australia in 1869 as a free settler and arrived in Warrnambool in 1871 and undertook management of a property in Grassmere for Mr. Palmer. Peter met his wife Emily in South Melbourne and they married in 1873. They had ten children including Harry who lived to 1965, and Andrew who lived until 1958. (The other children were their four brothers - John who was killed in the Dardenalles aged 35, Frederick who died aged 8, Peter who died aged 28, Frank who died aged 5 weeks - and four sisters - Beatrice who died age 89, Edith who died aged 49, Blanche who died aged 89 and Eveline who died aged 48.) In 1874 Peter starting a boating establishment on the Hopkins River. In 1875 he opened up a Coopers business in Kepler Street next to what was Bateman, Smith and Co., moving to Liebig Street, next to the Victoria Hotel, in 1877. In 1882 he then moved to Lava Street (which in later years was the site of Chandlers Hardware Store). He was associated with the establishment of the Butter Factory at Allansford. He started making Butter Boxes to his own design and cheese batts for the Butter Factory. In 1896 established a Box Factory in Davis Street Merrivale, employing 24 people at its peak, (it was burnt down in 1923); and in Pertobe Road from 1912 (now the Army Barracks building). Peter was a Borough Councillor for Albert Ward from 1885 to 1891, he commenced the Foreshore Trust (including the camping grounds along Pertobe Road), and he was an inaugural Director of the Woollen Mill in Harris Street, buying an extensive share-holding in 1908 from the share trader Edward Vidler. They lobbied the Town Hall to have a formal ‘Cutting’ for the waters of the Merri River to be redirected from its natural opening south of Dennington, to its existing opening near Viaduct Road, in order to have the scourings from the wool at the Woollen Mill discharged into the sea. He sold Butter Boxes around the state, and had to ship them to Melbourne by rail. Peter’s purchase of the SPECULANT in 1902 enabled him to back-load white pine from Kaipara, New Zealand to Warrnambool to make his butter boxes then, to gain profitability, buy and ship potatoes and other primary produce bound to Melbourne. (McGennan & Co. had also owned the LA BELLA, which had traded in timber as well, until she was tragically wrecked with the loss of seven lives, after missing the entrance channel to Warrnambool harbour in 1905. It appears that the SPECULANT was bought to replace the LA BELLA.) In 1911 the SPECULANT had been attempting to depart Warrnambool for almost the entire month of January to undergo docking and overhaul in Melbourne. A month of east and south-easterly winds had forced her to remain sheltered in Lady Bay, Warrnambool apart from one morning of northerlies, when an attempt was made to round Cape Otway; she had to return to shelter in Portland after failing to make any headway. With only 140 tons of sand ballast aboard, the ship would not have been easy to handle. Captain Jacobsen and his crew of nine, mainly Swedes, decided to make for Melbourne, leaving Portland Harbour on 5th February 1911. By the 9th they had reached Cape Otway, where they encountered a moonless night, constant heavy rain, and a heavy sea with a south-easterly wind blowing. After safely rounding Cape Otway the course was changed to east, then north-east to take the vessel to a point six miles off Cape Patton, following the orders of Captain Jacobsen, who told the crew to be very careful with the steering, as the wind and sea was running to leeward. The patent log (used to measure speed) had been out of order for the last four months as no-one in Warrnambool was able to fix it: it was intended to have it repaired in Melbourne. In the meantime the crew measured the vessel's speed by looking over the side and estimating wind strength. This compounded the difficulties of imprecise positioning, as the strong cross wind and sea were acting on the lightly laden vessel to steadily drive it towards the shore. At 3.30am on Friday 10 February 1911 Captain Jacobsen and the first mate were looking over the side of the vessel when they heard the sound of breakers and suddenly struck the rocks. The crew immediately knew they had no chance of getting the SPECULANT off, and attempted to rescue themselves by launching the lifeboat, which was instantly smashed to pieces. One of the crew then volunteered to take a line ashore, and the rest of the crew were all able to drag themselves to shore, some suffering hand lacerations from the rocks. Once ashore they began to walk along the coast towards Lorne, believing it was the nearest settlement. Realising their mistake as dawn broke they returned westwards to Cape Patton, and found a farm belonging to Mr C. Ramsden, who took them in and gave them a change of clothes and food. After resting for a day and returning to the wreck to salvage some of their personal possessions, at 10am on Saturday they set out for Apollo Bay, a voyage that took six hours, sometimes wading through flooded creeks up to their necks. The Age described the wreck as "listed to starboard. All the cabin is gutted and the ballast gone. There is a big rock right through the bottom of her, and there is not the slightest hope of getting her off". A Board of Marine inquiry found that Captain Jacobson was guilty of careless navigation by not taking steps to accurately verify the position of the vessel with respect to Cape Otway when the light was visible and by not setting a safe and proper course with respect to the wind and sea. It suspended his certificate for 6 months and ordered him to pay costs. The location of the wreck site was marked for a long time by two anchors on the shoreline, until in 1970 the larger of the two anchors was recovered by the Underwater Explorers' Club and mounted on the foreshore at Apollo Bay. The bell from the wreck was also donated to the Apollo Bay Surf Lifesaving Club but is recorded to have been stolen. Rusting remains of the wreck can still be found on the shoreline on the southern side of, and directly below Cape Patton. Parts of the SPECULANT site have been buried by rubble from construction and maintenance works to the Great Ocean Road, as well as by naturally occurring landslides. Peter J McGennan passed away in 1920. The Gates in the western wall of the Anglican Church in Henna Street/Koroit St are dedicated to him for his time of community work, which is matched with other prominent Warrnambool citizens; Fletcher Jones, John Younger, J.D.E (Tag) Walter, and Edward Vidler. After Peter J McGennan's death Harry, Andrew and Edith continued to operate the family business until July 11th 1923 when the company was wound up. (Andrew lived in Ryot Street Warrnambool, near Lava Street.) Harry McGennan (Peter and Emily’s son) owned the Criterion Hotel in Kepler Street Warrnambool (now demolished). His son Sid and wife Dot lived in 28 Howard Street (corner of Nelson Street) and Sid managed the Criterion until it was decided by the family to sell, and for he remained Manager for the new owners until he retired. Harry commenced the Foreshore Trust in Warrnambool around 1950. The McGennan Carpark in Pertobe Road is named after Harry and there are Memorial-Stone Gates in his memory. (The Gates were once the original entrance to the carpark but are now the exit.). Peter’s great-grandson, also called Andrew, is a Security Officer in Warrnambool. The Patent Log (also called a Taffrail log) from the SPECULANT, mentioned above, and a number of photographs, are now part of the Collection at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. The SPECULANT is historically significant as the largest ship to have been registered in Warrnambool, and is believed to have been the largest barquentine to visit Melbourne. It is evidence of the final days of large commercial sailing vessels involved in the Victorian and New Zealand timber trade. The SPECULANT is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register VHR S626Photograph, black and white. of the 10 crew of the SPECULANT on board the ship holding two 'Speculant Warrnambool' lifebuoys. Taken early 1900's flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, warrnambool historical photograph, la bella, speculant, cumming and ellis, international timber trade, p. j. mcgennan and co. warrnambool, peter mcgennan, capt. james jacobsen, warrnambool maritime history, h. pengilley apollo bay

Loch Ard was bound for Melbourne in 1878 loaded with passengers and cargo when it ran into a rocky reef at the base of Mutton Bird Island, near Port Campbell. Of the 54 crew members and passengers on board, only two survived: an apprentice, Tom Pearce and a young woman passenger, Eva Carmichael, who lost all of her family in the tragedy. The wreck of Loch Ard still lies at the base of Mutton Bird Island and much of the cargo has been salvaged. Some was washed up into what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge following the shipwreck. Cargo and artefacts have also been illegally salvaged over many years before protective legislation was introduced. The photograph is significant for its association with the wreck of the Loch Ard. This wreck has been protected as a Historic Shipwreck since 11 March 1982, under the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act (1976) Flagstaff Hill’s collection of artefacts from Loch Ard is significant for being one of the largest collections of artefacts from this shipwreck in Victoria. It is significant for its association with the shipwreck, which is on the Victorian Heritage Register. The collection is significant because of the relationship between the objects, as together they have a high potential to interpret the story of the Loch Ard. The Loch Ard collection is archaeologically significant as the remains of a large international passenger and cargo ship. The Loch Ard collection is historically significant for representing aspects of Victoria’s shipping history and its potential to interpret sub-theme 1.5 of Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (living with natural processes). The collection is also historically significant for its association with the Loch Ard, which was one of the worst and best known shipwrecks in Victoria’s history. The Loch Ard collection meets the following criteria for assessment: Criterion A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. Photograph, portrait of Miss Eva Carmichael. Reverse has gold maker’s print and a white adhesive label with hand writing on it.Reverse of photograph shows 3 signatures in script on bottom right corner., Printed text “PHOTOGRAPHIC / SOCIETY OF VICTORIA / MELBOURNE / REGISTERED COPYRIGHT / JULY 24th 878” and “NONE ARE GENUINE UNLESS WITH / SIGNATURES THUS” and “PRESIDENT / VICE PRESIDENT / - - - - - TARY” plus white label, hand written “F- Ph 56/2 – 74” flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, photograph miss eva carmichael, loch ard shipwreck, loch ard survivor

Miss Eva Carmichael, the subject of the photograph, was one of only two survivors from the wreck of the Loch Ard, wrecked on Mutton Bird Island near Port Campbell, Victoria, on June 1st, 1878..The photograph holds great significance for its connection to Eva Carmichael, one of two survivors from the wreck of the Loch Ard. It is also significant for its connection to the Loch Ard, one of the most tragic shipwrecks in Victoria's coastline and listed on the Historic Shipwreck Register.Photographic portrait mounted on brown cardboard of Miss Eva Carmichael. Miss Carmichael is standing near an upholstered chair and rests wth both hands upon a masonry pillar. Behind her is a balustrade in the classic style common to that period. The background consists of a large tree giving the impression of a garden setting. It was produced at the studio of Arthur & Son, Mount Gambier, 1878. Inscriptions handwritten below the photograph. Handwritten in white "Miss Carmichael" Stamped "Arthur & Son / MOUNT GAMBIER"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, photograph, shipwreck loch ard, eva carmichael, portrait, arthur & son, mount gambier, loch ard, shipwreck, mutton bird island