The former Kew Lunatic Asylum, was commenced in 1856 and opened in 1872. At various stages of the institution's history it was named the Kew Lunatic Asylum (1872-1956), Kew Mental Hospital (1956-1960s), Willsmere Mental Hospital (c.1960s-1982), and the Willsmere Unit (1982-1989). Most of the records relating to this former institution are held by the relevant Government Department or by the Public Record Office Victoria. Due to the location of this institution in Kew, the Kew Historical Society also holds an extensive photographic archive as well as significant collections of personal papers collected by staff who worked there.This photograph is one of a series donated to the Society by the photographer, taken following the closure of the Willsmere Unit, and before its redevelopment as a private residential complex. The series is historically significant in that it depicts interior and exterior views of the former institution that were subsequently altered or demolished during redevelopment. A number of the 'views' are socially significant as they allow us to examine the ways in which public institutional architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries responded to the needs of those with perceived mental health issues. Colour snapshot of a part or section of the former Willsmere (Kew) Mental Hospital, taken by Rick Lowell following its decommissioning and before its sale and redevelopment.kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere unit, health & human services, mental health, institutional architecture

The former Kew Lunatic Asylum, was commenced in 1856 and opened in 1872. At various stages of the institution's history it was named the Kew Lunatic Asylum (1872-1956), Kew Mental Hospital (1956-1960s), Willsmere Mental Hospital (c.1960s-1982), and the Willsmere Unit (1982-1989). Most of the records relating to this former institution are held by the relevant Government Department or by the Public Record Office Victoria. Due to the location of this institution in Kew, the Kew Historical Society also holds an extensive photographic archive as well as significant collections of personal papers collected by staff who worked there.This photograph is one of a series donated to the Society by the photographer, taken following the closure of the Willsmere Unit, and before its redevelopment as a private residential complex. The series is historically significant in that it depicts interior and exterior views of the former institution that were subsequently altered or demolished during redevelopment. A number of the 'views' are socially significant as they allow us to examine the ways in which public institutional architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries responded to the needs of those with perceived mental health issues. Colour snapshot of a part or section of the former Willsmere (Kew) Mental Hospital, taken by Rick Lowell following its decommissioning and before its sale and redevelopment.kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere unit, health & human services, mental health, institutional architecture

The former Kew Lunatic Asylum, was commenced in 1856 and opened in 1872. At various stages of the institution's history it was named the Kew Lunatic Asylum (1872-1956), Kew Mental Hospital (1956-1960s), Willsmere Mental Hospital (c.1960s-1982), and the Willsmere Unit (1982-1989). Most of the records relating to this former institution are held by the relevant Government Department or by the Public Record Office Victoria. Due to the location of this institution in Kew, the Kew Historical Society also holds an extensive photographic archive as well as significant collections of personal papers collected by staff who worked there.This photograph is one of a series donated to the Society by the photographer, taken following the closure of the Willsmere Unit, and before its redevelopment as a private residential complex. The series is historically significant in that it depicts interior and exterior views of the former institution that were subsequently altered or demolished during redevelopment. A number of the 'views' are socially significant as they allow us to examine the ways in which public institutional architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries responded to the needs of those with perceived mental health issues. Colour snapshot of a part or section of the former Willsmere (Kew) Mental Hospital, taken following its decommissioning and before its sale and redevelopment.kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere unit, health & human services, mental health, institutional architecture

The former Kew Lunatic Asylum, was commenced in 1856 and opened in 1872. At various stages of the institution's history it was named the Kew Lunatic Asylum (1872-1956), Kew Mental Hospital (1956-1960s), Willsmere Mental Hospital (c.1960s-1982), and the Willsmere Unit (1982-1989). The Kew Idiot Ward/Asylum (1887-1929) was initially part of the Asylum. Later it was called Kew Children’s Cottages (1929-62), Kew Training Centre (1962-c.97), and Kew Residential Services (c.1997-2008). Most of the records relating to these former institutions are held by the relevant Government Department or by the Public Record Office Victoria. Due to the location of these two institutions in Kew, the Kew Historical Society also holds an extensive photographic archive as well as significant collections of personal papers collected by staff who worked at these institutions.This photograph is one of a series donated to the Society by the photographer, taken following the closure of the Willsmere Unit, and before its redevelopment as a private residential complex. The series is historically significant in that it depicts interior and exterior views of the former institution that were subsequently altered or demolished during redevelopment. A number of the 'views' are socially significant as they allow us to examine the ways in which public institutional architecture in the 19th and 20th centuries responded to the needs of those with perceived mental health issues. Colour snapshot of a part or section of the former Willsmere (Kew) Mental Hospital, taken following its decommissioning and before its sale and redevelopment.kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere unit, health & human services, mental health, institutional architecture

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 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

Following a Royal Commission in 1854, the building of a new Asylum at Kew began in 1864. It was built to replace the Yarra Bend Asylum on the Fairfield side of the Yarra River. Work started in 1864 and was completed in 1872 at a cost of ₤198,334. Operating over a period of 116 years, and often renamed to take account of public sensitivities, the ‘Kew Lunatic Asylum’ was one of the largest asylums built in Australia. ‘Willsmere’ was finally closed in December 1988 and sold by the Government of Victoria in the late 1980s.A rare and historically significant photograph of female staff of the Kew Hospital for the Insane, in front of the central wing. The photograph is one of a pair donated to the Kew Historical Society by Frances Dorothea Van Brummelen (1931-2011) in 1994. Following her graduation as a social worker, Fran Van Brummelen joined the staff of Kew Cottages in 1969, and became senior social worker there in 1971. She remained at the cottages until she retired in 1994. Earlier, In 1987, with psychiatrist Cliff Judge, she founded the Kew Cottages Historical Society becoming its president. In 2002, the pair collaborated on the book Kew Cottages: the World of Dolly Stainer, which was later commended in the Victorian Community History Awards. Panoramic photograph of group of female staff in north courtyard, in front of Administrative Wingkew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, kew hospital for the insane, willsmere

The Kew Historical Society's postcard collection includes views of Kew, Melbourne and Greater Melbourne as well as those including overseas scenes sent or received from Europe or the Middle East. They date from the 1890s to the 2000s. These postcards may or may not include the name of the publisher or printer. A number of the cards were published as parts of popular series. A way of dating early postcards is to identify whether the reverse was divided by a central line which became the norm after 1902 in the United Kingdom. However, other postcards produced after this date do not always conform to this print layout.The item forms part of the Laurie Bennett collection of thirty-six postcards and photographs of Kew and early Melbourne, donated to the Kew Historical Society in 1980. The postcards in the Bennett collection, like other images in the Society's holdings date from the 1890s to the present and comprehensively indicate points-of-view or scenes considered historically, aesthetically or socially significant in the period in which they were produced.Colour-tinted postcard of the River Yarra at Kew, showing the Kew Lunatic Asylum in the distance.KH-395 .Donated by L. Bennett, 1980river yarra - kew

At the beginning of the 1890s, the Kew businessman and Town Councillor, Henry Kellett, commissioned J.F.C. Farquhar to photograph scenes of Kew. These scenes included panoramas as well as pastoral scenes. The resulting set of twelve photographs was assembled in an album, Kew Where We Live, from which customers could select images for purchase.The preamble to the album describes that the photographs used the ‘argentic bromide’ process, now more commonly known as the gelatine silver process. This form of dry plate photography allowed for the negatives to be kept for weeks before processing, hence its value in landscape photography. The resulting images were considered to be finely grained and everlasting. Evidence of the success of Henry Kellett’s venture can be seen today, in that some of the photographs are held in national collections.It is believed that the Kew Historical Society’s copy of the Kellett album is unique and that the photographs in the book were the first copies taken from the original plates. It is the first and most important series of images produced about Kew. The individual images have proved essential in identifying buildings and places of heritage value in the district.When the Kew Lunatic Asylum was opened in 1871, its extensive 340 acres of grounds were intended for farming, agriculture and recreation for the inmates. The point-of-view chosen by Farquhar for this panoramic photograph focuses on the ordered open fields, haystacks and remnant trees that extended from the foreground to the rear of the Asylum. The inmates are the absent players in this pastoral idyll. In 1891, The Argus reported on the Annual Asylum Picnic: “Wednesday saw the Kew picnic, the yearly festival of the mad folks and their keepers. Once a year the public subscribes for cakes and ale for all these mad folks, and their keepers, from superintendent to lowest wardsman, turn out, and use their best endeavours to make one day in the year sanely merry.” Regardless of such merriment, the Asylum’s development and ongoing status were frequently a source of disquiet to the residents of Kew, who regularly petitioned the State Government for its removal. Despite these views, the Asylum was to remain a functioning institution from 1871 to 1988. Kew Asylum & Groundskew illustrated, kew where we live, photographic books, henry kellett, kew lunatic asylum

The new Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked it's centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This item was one of a number donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent of the Hospital. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent at Willsmere in 1981 until its closure in 1988.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of Victorian Government departments and ultimately to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the institutions' histories.Red vinyl photographic album containing 43 images of the Kew Mental Hospital from its origins until ca. 1965. Within the album, there are a range of photos of various sizes. Photos are typically labelled by date, especially within decade. The photos are of varying quality and historical significance. the subject of the photos in the album include architectural features, internal and external environments, patients and staff. Those to be published separately are deemed to be unique and or significant. The album forms part of the Dr. Fred Stamp Collection.kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection

The new Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked it's centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. These photographs were one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent of the Hospital. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent at Willsmere in 1981 until its closure in 1988.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of Victorian Government departments and ultimately to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one group. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the institutions' histories.83 black & white and colour photographs of the Kew Mental Hospital, its patients, its environs, and the 1972 Centenary celebrations. A number of photographs in the envelope are duplicate copies. Some have information inscribed on the reverse. Those to be published separately are deemed to be unique and or significant. The photos form part of the Dr. Fred Stamp Collection.kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection

The new Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked it's centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This Numerical Register was one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent of the Hospital. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent at Willsmere in 1981 until its closure in 1988.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of Victorian Government departments and ultimately to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the institutions' histories.Leather bound register listing the numbers of male and female resident staff, male and female patients in the Surgical Unit between December 1969 and June 1983. The manuscript forms part of the Dr. Fred Stamp Collection.Embossed on spine "Numerical Register / Kew"kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection

The new Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked it's centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This Numerical Register was one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent of the Hospital. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent at Willsmere in 1981 until its closure in 1988.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of Victorian Government departments and ultimately to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the institutions' histories.Printed Staff Handbook for use at the Kew [Willsmere] Mental Hospital. The image on the cover is dated [19]79, so the handbook post-dates that year.STAFF HANDBOOK / WILLSMERE HOSPITAL / KEWkew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection

The new Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked it's centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This photocopied brochure is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent of the Hospital. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent at Willsmere in 1981 until its closure in 1988.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of Victorian Government departments and ultimately to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the institutions' histories.A photocopy of the Willsmere Hospital (Kew Mental Hospital) Centenary Souvenir Brochure, 1872-1972. The Society also has an original copy in its collection.kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection

Dr Fred Stamp (1981-8) > Rosemary Barnes (2018) > Kew Historical Society (2018)CommunicationProvenance OrderStaff newsletters published between 1986 and 1988. Issued by the Medical Superintendent of the Willsmere Unit. The newsletters were published during the final years of the Willsmere Unit (formerly Kew Asylum) kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collectionkew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection

Dr Fred Stamp (1981-88) > Rosemary Barnes (2018) > Kew Historical Society (2018)CommunicationProvenance OrderNewsletters to parents and friends of the Willsmere Unit, created in 1986-1988; the final years of the Unit (formerly Kew Asylum)kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collectionkew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection

Taken 1905 by photograph W.D Gibbons the photograph depicts a pathway leading to the administration building of the Beechworth Mental Asylum. There are three well-dressed young men lounging on the grass as another is jumping behind them. This is significant as it demonstrates that the asylum was not a prison and that the mentally ill patients were allowed their freedom. The Beechworth 'Lunatic' Asylum was constructed between 1864 and 1867 to the designs by the Public Works Department (PWD) and was later renamed the Mayday Hills Mental Asylum. The decommissioned asylum was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in Victoria and consisted of sixty-seven buildings, one thousand two hundred patients and five hundred staff members. At the asylum, active work was considered imperative and workshops were located near the male accommodations and laundries and drying yards near the female accommodation. The administration building itself highlights the architectural and aesthetic significance of the asylum to the State of Victoria. This photograph is historically significant as it demonstrates the architectural and aesthetic significance of the asylum but also the changing approaches to treating mental health. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on grey cork Obverse: W.D Gibbon/ Beechworth Reverse: 79.1701beechworth, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth mental hospital, mayday hills, mayday hills mental hospital, asylum, administration building, wd gibbon, photograph

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 the Mayday Hills Mental Hospital (Titled as 'Asylum for insane') from a distance and includes the surrounding grounds and farmlands.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.Sepia tone postcard printed on matte cardObverse: Beautiful Beechworth (Vic.) 1880 ft. above Sea Level - General View of Asylum for Insane/ Copyright F. Foxcroft Reverse: 1997.2459/ Post Card/ THIS SPACE MAY BE USED FOR CORRESPONDENCE/ THIS SPACE FOR NAME AND ADDRESSmayday, mayday hills hospital, mayday hills, mayday hills mental asylum, mayday hills mental hospital, beechworth, beechworth asylum, beechworth hospital for the insane, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth mental hospital, healthcare, health, rural australia, farm, architecture, historic victorian architecture, classical architecture

Taken circa 1870, depicting twenty-eight staff members divided by gender standing in front of the Beechworth mental asylum. Constructed between 1864 and 1867 to the designs by the Public Works Department (PWD) is the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum that was renamed Mayday Hills. The decommissioned asylum was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in Victoria and consisted of sixty-seven buildings, one thousand two hundred patients and five hundred staff members. The asylum was predominately inhabited by long-stay patients but there was active out-patients. The asylum was one of the first asylums to focus on treatment and rehabilitation instead of institutional confinement. At the asylum active works was considered imperative and workshops were located near the male accommodations and laundries and drying yards near the female accommodation. The asylum closed in 1995 and was sold to La Trobe University before being closed and sold again in 2011 to a private owner. This photograph is historically significant as it provides insight into the importance of Beechworth mental asylum as the asylum demonstrates the changing approaches to the treatment of mental illness in Victoria from confinement to treatment and rehabilitation. Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card Reverse: 1997.2489/ Beechworthbeechworth, mental asylum, beechworth mental asylum, mental asylum administration building, mayday hills, mayday hills mental asylum, beechworth lunatic asylum

Two rectangular black and white photographs of the Beechworth Mental Hospital (Mayday Hills) administrative building showing the left and right hand sides of the exterior building with three cars parked in driveway turning circle in the foreground taken in the 1950's by E. Yellard. Mayday Hills Hospital, originally known as the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum was constructed between 1864-67 designed by The Public Works Department. The hospital is made up of a number of buildings, landscaping, ha-ha, workshops, laundry, administrative facilities and farmland, it was constructed in 'Italianate' style by a team of up to two hundred and fifty workers (Woods p. 122). The asylum was established in response to the need for the regional shire to locally care for those particularly affected by their time working the Ovens goldfield during the Indigo Shire gold rush era where poor living conditions and isolation were significantly affecting the welfare of a great many people through poverty and lack of resources. The gaol and orphan labour systems were not able to effectively support to give housing, rehabilitation and ongoing care for the mentally ill, and transporting to Melbourne by waggon was a time consuming and counter-productive solution when the metro facilities were already overcrowded. According to Woods (A Titan's Field p. 122), between 1901 and 1911 a large percentage (thirty five percent in 1901 and twenty four in 1911) of the Beechworth population were either patients or inmates of Beechworth institutions, Mayday Hills accounted for some six hundred and seventy four patients in 1901, 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 and the large volume of people living at the hospital and contributing to this population growth is counted as reason for the survival of Beechworth as a regional township. According to the Victorian Heritage database, during the period 1921-1950 Mayday Hills underwent some modernisation by Public Works Department architect Percy Everett which included a nurses' hostel and new ward which were further developed and continued to function as a mental hospital up until 1995 when it was sold to LaTrobe university. The building and grounds are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register under criterion A, B, D, E and F.These photographs give a good indication of the ongoing use of Mayday Hills from its original establishment in the 1860's through to almost one hundred years later when these photographs were taken. The clarity of the images combined with the style and make of the cars in the foreground give a good indication of the time period and show the continued use and need for the facility over the years. Through images of building facades such as these, we might gain fuller understanding of the structural and aesthetic characteristics to be used in any future development or restorative work.2 x black and white rectangular photographs [copies] printed on Ilford photographic paper8688.1 reverse: Beechworth / Mental / Hospital / 80% 19cm / 12 cm / 80% / 728 / New / Print / BMM / 8688.1 / E. / Yellard / [Stamped : ILFORD] 8688.2 reverse: Beechworth / Mental / Hospital / E. / Yellard / BMM / 8688.1 / [Stamped : ILFORD]administrative building, black and white photographs, beechworth, mental hospital, beechworth mental hospital, mayday hills, cars, 1950, e. yellard, the public works department, public works department, hospital, mayday hills hospital, beechworth lunatic asylum, lunatic asylum, asylum, ovens goldfield, indigo shire, indigo shire gold rush

Taken on the 1st of April 1928 and copied from a private collection on the 27th of January 2010 the photograph depicts three well-dressed men and a small child standing around a fountain at the back of the administration building of Beechworth's 'lunatic' Asylum The asylum was constructed between 1864 and 1867 to the designs by the Public Works Department (PWD) and was later renamed Mayday Hills Mental Asylum. The decommissioned asylum was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in Victoria and consisted of sixty-seven buildings, one thousand two hundred patients and five hundred staff members. The asylum was one of the first asylums to focus on treatment and rehabilitation instead of institutional confinement. At the asylum, active work was considered imperative and workshops were located near the male accommodations and laundries and drying yards near the female accommodation. The asylum closed in 1995 and was sold to La Trobe University before being closed and sold again in 2011 to a private owner.This photograph is historically significant as it demonstrates the freedom and safety of those who visited the asylum while also highlighting this instutions mission to treat and rehabiliate patients instead on institutionalising them.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paperReverse: 7606-1/ Copied 27 Jan 2010/ Copied from private collection/ Inscribed on the back of original/ J.Pinfold 1-4-1929/ May Mental Hospital for the Insane. beechworth, beechworth mental asylum, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth mental hosptial, mayday, mayday hills, mayday hills mental asylum, administration building, fountain

The Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked its centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This portrait photograph is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent in 1981 until the Hospital's closure in 1988. Since the donation was made, this item has been declared a Permanent Government Record, and has been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in 2020.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of the relevant Victorian Government Department and also to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Victoria.Walter H. Barker, Medical Superintendent, Kew Hospital for the Insane 1905-1910. One of a series of portraits of former medical superintendents, sourced and created for exhibition purposes at the Kew Mental Hospital during the centenary celebrations of 1972. Each portrait is framed with a white mount on which the name of the superintendent and his term of office is recorded.Walter H. Barker, 1905-1910kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection, walter h. barker

The Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked its centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This portrait photograph is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent in 1981 until the Hospital's closure in 1988. Since the donation was made, this item has been declared a Permanent Government Record, and has been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in 2020.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of the relevant Victorian Government Department and also to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Victoria.R. Gamble, Medical Superintendent, Kew Hospital for the Insane 1910-1922. One of a series of portraits of former medical superintendents, sourced and created for exhibition purposes at the Kew Mental Hospital during the centenary celebrations of 1972. Each portrait is framed with a white mount on which the name of the superintendent and his term of office is recorded. R. Gamble, 1910-1922kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection, r. gamble

The Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked its centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This portrait photograph is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent in 1981 until the Hospital's closure in 1988. Since the donation was made, this item has been declared a Permanent Government Record, and has been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in 2020.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of the relevant Victorian Government Department and also to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Victoria.Dr Joseph T Hollow, Medical Superintendent, Kew Hospital for the Insane 1922-1928. One of a series of portraits of former medical superintendents, sourced and created for exhibition purposes at the Kew Mental Hospital during the centenary celebrations of 1972. Each portrait is framed with a white mount on which the name of the superintendent and his term of office is recorded.Dr Joseph T Hollow, 1922-1928kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection, dr joseph t hollow

The Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked its centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This portrait photograph is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent in 1981 until the Hospital's closure in 1988. Since the donation was made, the physical item has been declared a Permanent Government Record, and has been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in 2020.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of the relevant Victorian Government Department and also to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Victoria.Dr. Henry Rogerson, Medical Superintendent, Kew Hospital for the Insane, 1938-49. One of a series of portraits of former medical superintendents, sourced and created for exhibition purposes at the Kew Mental Hospital during the centenary celebrations of 1972. Each portrait is framed with a white mount on which the name of the superintendent and his term of office is recorded.Dr. Henry Rogerson, 1938-1949kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection, dr. henry rogerson

The Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked its centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This portrait photograph is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent in 1981 until the Hospital's closure in 1988. Since the donation was made, the physical item has been declared a Permanent Government Record, and has been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in 2020.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of the relevant Victorian Government Department and also to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Victoria.Dr. Retallick, Medical Superintendent, Kew Mental Hospital 1950-1952. One of a series of portraits of former medical superintendents, sourced and created for exhibition purposes at the Kew Mental Hospital during the centenary celebrations of 1972. Each portrait is framed with a white mount on which the name of the superintendent and his term of office is recorded.Dr. Retallick, 1950-1952kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection, dr. retallick, medical superintendent, kew mental hospital, 1950-1952

The Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked its centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This portrait photograph is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent in 1981 until the Hospital's closure in 1988. Since the donation was made, the physical item has been declared a Permanent Government Record, and has been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in 2020.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of the relevant Victorian Government Department and also to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Victoria. Dr. James V. Ashburner, Medical Superintendent, Kew Mental Hospital 1952-1955. One of a series of portraits of former medical superintendents, sourced and created for exhibition purposes at the Kew Mental Hospital during the centenary celebrations of 1972. Each portrait is framed with a white mount on which the name of the superintendent and his term of office is recorded. Dr. James V. Ashburner, 1952-1955kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection

The Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked its centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This portrait photograph is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent in 1981 until the Hospital's closure in 1988. Since the donation was made, the physical item has been declared a Permanent Government Record, and has been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in 2020.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of the relevant Victorian Government Department and also to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Victoria.Dr. H. Bower,, Medical Superintendent, Kew Mental Hospital 1956-1966. One of a series of portraits of former medical superintendents, sourced and created for exhibition purposes at the Kew Mental Hospital during the centenary celebrations of 1972. Each portrait is framed with a white mount on which the name of the superintendent and his term of office is recorded.Dr. H. Bower, 1956-1966kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection, dr. h. bower, medical superintendent, kew mental hospital, 1956-1966

The Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked its centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This portrait photograph is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent in 1981 until the Hospital's closure in 1988. Since the donation was made, the physical item has been declared a Permanent Government Record, and has been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in 2020.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of the relevant Victorian Government Department and also to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Victoria.Dr. Cyril Burt, Medical Superintendent, Kew Mental Hospital 1967-77. One of a series of portraits of former medical superintendents, sourced and created for exhibition purposes at the Kew Mental Hospital during the centenary celebrations of 1972. Each portrait is framed with a white mount on which the name of the superintendent and his term of office is recorded.Dr. Cyril Burt, 1967-1977kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, dr fred stamp, the fred stamp collection, dr. cyril burt, medical superintendent, willsmere mental hospital, 1967-1977

The Kew Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1871 and opened in 1872. The year 1972 marked its centenary. Over the years, members of staff at the asylum collected records, photographs, publications and plans of the asylum, later hospital. The Society has a number of important collections relating to the asylum and the Children's Cottages. These include the Dr Cliff Judge, the Irena Higgins and the Dr Fred Stamp Collections. This portrait photograph is one of a number of items donated by the family of the late Dr. Fred Stamp who was the last medical superintendent. Dr Frederick Stamp graduated from Bristol Medical School (UK) in 1968. He and his family emigrated to Australia in 1977 to Goulburn (NSW), moving to Melbourne in 1980. He became Superintendent in 1981 until the Hospital's closure in 1988. Since the donation was made, the physical item has been declared a Permanent Government Record, and has been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in 2020.Following their closure, the medical records of the Kew Mental Hospital and the Children's Cottages Kew were relocated to the archives of the relevant Victorian Government Department and also to the Public Records Office of Victoria. Other collections, such as the Fred Stamp Collection, were assembled by staff who worked at the hospital. The years leading up to the closure of Kew must have been fraught, and many of the items in the hospital were probably destined for hard waste disposal. Dr. Fred Stamp, the medical superintendent, kept aside or rescued a number of these items, of which this is one. Following his death, his family donated these to the Kew Historical Society. The Society recognises these items to be of lasting historical significance, essentially due to their provenance and to their rarity. Together they (and the Judge and Higgins Collections) are an invaluable aid for researchers of the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Victoria.Dr Frederick Stamp, Medical Superintendent, Kew Mental Hospital and Willsmere Unit 1981-1988. One of a series of portraits of former medical superintendents, sourced and created for exhibition purposes at the Kew Mental Hospital during the centenary celebrations of 1972. Each portrait is framed with a white mount on which the name of the superintendent and his term of office is recorded.Dr Frederick Stamp, 1981-1988kew lunatic asylum, kew mental hospital, willsmere, kew hospital for the insane, the fred stamp collection, dr frederick stamp, medical superintendent, willsmere mental hospital, 1981-1988