Showing 2791 items
matching country victoria
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Fire Services Museum of Victoria
Fire Engine - Hino 3.4L Tanker, CFA Hino 3.4L Tanker
fire-engine-tanker cfa country-fire-authority -
Fire Services Museum of Victoria
LU 600 1947 Austin Tanker
LU 600 the first of the Small Town Units, designed and built by the Country Fire Authority. (CFA) The late Wally Titheridge, Chief Mechancal Officer of the Country Fire Brigades Board, CFBB, and its successor the CFA, stated in an interview in the early 1990's that the vehicle was designed by himself, and built by a body builder in Preston. This was the first of many hundreds of the Small Town Units, on maily Austin, but also Bedford, Leyland, and BMC Chassis. The early series trucks had a 200 gallon (900 Litre) tank, which was proving usefull, but "more is always better" , so the next series had 400 gallon (1000 litre) tanks. -
Fire Services Museum of Victoria
Austin Front mounted pump, 1952 (exact)
1952 Austin, Series 11, front mounted Fire PumperRegistration XF 472, CFA logo on cabin doors, "Austin" badge on front of bonnet.front, 1952, fire, truck, pump, austin, country, authority, cfa, mounted -
Orbost & District Historical Society
bottle, late 19th century - 1920's
At one time, almost all breweries in Australia had their own brand of returnable bottle or were members of bottle co-operatives that managed returnable bottles. Instead of being crushed to make new bottles, as happens in most cases today, these returnable bottles were returned to the brewery or bottle co-operative, washed, inspected for cracks and chips and returned to service.This item is an example of the type of beer bottle commonly used in the late 19th-early 20th century.MBCV brown glass beer bottle. Has the word COUNTRY embossed below shoulder. The letters MBCV in a spade below that.Front - MBCV in a spade. (Manufacturers Bottle Co. of Victoria) At bottom - Property of the Manufacturers Bottle Co-op of Victoria Pty Ltdbottle mbcv glass -
Australian Commando Association - Victoria
Book, SOE In the Far East
Details the work of the Special Operations Executive in the five countries of Mountbatten's South East Asia Command-- India, Burma, Ceylon, Malaya and Sumatra, later expanded to include the Dutch East Indies and French Indochina-- and how the actions of the command could have made Force 136 a more decisive player in the liberation of the South East Asia.There were Australia members of Force 136.Relevant to WW2 Australian Special operations. ww2, soe, special operations -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Book - Hard cover, Sands & McDougall Pty Ltd, Sands& McDougall, Directory of Victoria 1961, 1961
Part of Richard Carter CollectionRed covers with gold printing containing index to streets, suburban postal districts, country postal towns and alphabetical listings, Melbourne and suburban classified professions and trades section. Many advertisements for AMP, Lombard Insurance Co Ltd. K Gardner and Lang Pty. Ltd. on front cover. Back cover Kerb Exchange, May Otway Fire Alarms Pty. Ltd., Sportsmen's Physiotherapy Service and D.P.C. Cleaning Service. -
Ringwood and District Historical Society
Booklet, Record of Sales of Properties in Victoria 1973-1979 (missing 1977)
Multiple listing Bureau of Victoria compiled the booklets. Carter Real Estate Agents were members of the multiple listing bureau and were issued with the booklets11 spiral bound booklets with covers of various colours of buff and green. Containing addresses, number of rooms, age, selling agents and the price of houses in Melbourne. Country areas included - Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo Mornington and South Western."RECORD OF SALES OF PROPERTIES ... This Booklet is compiled by the Multiple Listing Bureau of Victoria for issue to Bureau members only. It must not be made available to non-member agents or the public." -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Drawing, Ernest Marcuse, Bank of Victoria – Yackandandah III, c1983
Ernest Heinrich Marcuse was born on the 1st of December 1900 to Hedwig and Siegmund Marcuse in Berlin Germany. While Marcuse's artistic talent was apparent from a younger age, his earliest existing artwork was from when he was approximately 20 years old. Ernest's formal art training commenced in 1918 with a three year course at the Berlin school of Interior design. After completion he found work until 1924 when Germany's Great Depression took effect. To broaden his career opportunities he undertook a further 12 months study of fashion, drawing and advertising at Berlin's Reiman school of art. From 1925 to 1934 Ernest was primarily a freelance press artist specialising in industrial, architectural and figurative drawing. Prominent newspaper The Berliner Morgenpost was his largest client along with Gross Deutsche Rundfunaustellung (Germany's organisation for major trade shows). During this period he would create many significant works. Two months after Hitler and the Nazi part came to power in 1933, Ernest received a life changing letter stating that being Jewish he could no longer continue employment in Germany. Up until 1938 he would only be able to undertake private commissions and occasional unofficial work as a book illustrator and games designer. This was by arrangement with non Jewish artists who claimed his work as their own, they would then share the income with Ernest. With increasing unrest in Germany during late 1938 Ernest decided to move to London and there he married his girlfriend Lotte. In late 1939 Ernest and Lotte Marcuse embarked on an eight week journey to their new home in Australia where they had been accepted as refugees. Shortly after arriving in Australia Ernest presented his portfolio to an editor at the Argus newspaper and gained employment as a war events illustrator. He soon became well respected and known in particular for his detailed illustrations and cross sections of ships , artillery and aircrafts. His detailed depictions of battles were displayed on the front pages of The Argus newspaper on a number of occasions. In May 1940 as the war intensified Ernest was dismissed from The Argus newspaper due to his Australian government classification of 'stateless person of enemy origin' and was considered a potential security risk. The editor of the time commented "don't blame us, blame Hitler". Marcuse then began to establish himself as a commercial artist. Ernest was de-classified as a 'stateless person of enemy origin' and in early 1942. The Australian army heard of Ernest's artistic abilities and began to utilize his designs for visual training aids and posters. Ernest became Private E.H Marcuse V377746, his first army posting was as staff artist at The infantry officer's training school at Bonegilla. When off duty he was inspired by the beauty of the surrounding area creating the works in North east Victoria 'Kiewa river bridge', 'Hume weir', ' Dried up river bed' and 'Hawksview gold reef mine' from his 1942-1943 period at Bonegilla Victoria. Ernest returned to the area to create drawings and paintings from 1948 to 1983 in locations including Bright, Wandilligong, Bogong High plains and Wallace's Hut, Mt Buffalo, Beechworth, Pretty valley, Kiewa Hydro, Yackandandah and Bontherambo homestead. These sketches were often completed on location, photographs were also taken onsite to assist the works back at the studio. Occasionally Marcuse also painted in the field. Ernest's preferred choice of medium was pencil and ink. Up until 1952 he would often incorporate watercolour into his work. Later into his career he began introducing pastels, acrylic and mixed media. In earlier years Ernest Marcuse often signed his work Mar, later on the signing of works ranged from Marcuse, E.Marcuse, Ernest Marcuse, EHM or simply EM . If a work was considered incomplete or Marcuse did not like the work it would remain unsigned. From Bonegilla Marcuse was transferred to Woodside South Australia before his final posting in Melbourne until the end of 1945. Ernest's work from within his army posting 'Troop Train at Night' from his 1945 exhibition Australia at War are part of the permanent collection at Canberra's War Museum. Between 1946 and 1969 Ernest largely worked from home and concentrated on a career as a freelance commercial artist and graphic designer. During that time he created work for well known household names including CRA/Conzinc, Vacuum oil (Caltex), Cottee's Brand (Schweppes and Heinz), Home Beautiful magazine Fulton garden supplies, International Iveco trucks, Ego pharmaceuticals, QV and Sunsense. After retirement Ernest concentrated on his true love of fine art and focused on painting images of personal interest both across Australia and Internationally. Earnest never drove a car. He would often walk or use public transport or enlist in the help of family or artist friends to drive him. Throughout his career Ernest Marcuse's artworks were purchase by private collectors these included ACTU, Melbourne City council, Holland Constructions, Melbourne Metropolitan Tramways Board, GJ Coles and Australian Resources Bank. Ernest Marcuse permanent collections can be viewed at The National Gallery of Victoria , Sydney Jewish Museum, Jewish Holocaust Centre Melbourne, Canberra's War Museum, City of Melbourne, Shire of Yarra ranges and now the Burke Museum. © 2020 Art by Marcuse https://www.artbymarcuse.com.au/aboutDonated to the Burke Museum through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Peter and Evelyn MarcusePen and pencil landscape drawing on paper.Obverse: ERNEST MARCUSE / BANK OF VICTORIA / YACKANDANDAH Reverse: Y 2 / 013 ernest marcuse, marcuse, art, artbymarcuse, beechworth, burke museum, indigo shire, landscape, illustration, drawing, pen and pencil, australian army, war events illustrator, the age, the sun, the argus, germany, refugee, industrial drawing, architectual drawing, figure drawing, berliner morgenpost, grosse deutsche rundfunaustellung, berlin’s reiman school of art., cultural gifts program -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Drawing, Ernest Marcuse, Bank of Victoria – Yackandandah II, c1982
Ernest Heinrich Marcuse was born on the 1st of December 1900 to Hedwig and Siegmund Marcuse in Berlin Germany. While Marcuse's artistic talent was apparent from a younger age, his earliest existing artwork was from when he was approximately 20 years old. Ernest's formal art training commenced in 1918 with a three year course at the Berlin school of Interior design. After completion he found work until 1924 when Germany's Great Depression took effect. To broaden his career opportunities he undertook a further 12 months study of fashion, drawing and advertising at Berlin's Reiman school of art. From 1925 to 1934 Ernest was primarily a freelance press artist specialising in industrial, architectural and figurative drawing. Prominent newspaper The Berliner Morgenpost was his largest client along with Gross Deutsche Rundfunaustellung (Germany's organisation for major trade shows). During this period he would create many significant works. Two months after Hitler and the Nazi part came to power in 1933, Ernest received a life changing letter stating that being Jewish he could no longer continue employment in Germany. Up until 1938 he would only be able to undertake private commissions and occasional unofficial work as a book illustrator and games designer. This was by arrangement with non Jewish artists who claimed his work as their own, they would then share the income with Ernest. With increasing unrest in Germany during late 1938 Ernest decided to move to London and there he married his girlfriend Lotte. In late 1939 Ernest and Lotte Marcuse embarked on an eight week journey to their new home in Australia where they had been accepted as refugees. Shortly after arriving in Australia Ernest presented his portfolio to an editor at the Argus newspaper and gained employment as a war events illustrator. He soon became well respected and known in particular for his detailed illustrations and cross sections of ships , artillery and aircrafts. His detailed depictions of battles were displayed on the front pages of The Argus newspaper on a number of occasions. In May 1940 as the war intensified Ernest was dismissed from The Argus newspaper due to his Australian government classification of 'stateless person of enemy origin' and was considered a potential security risk. The editor of the time commented "don't blame us, blame Hitler". Marcuse then began to establish himself as a commercial artist. Ernest was de-classified as a 'stateless person of enemy origin' and in early 1942. The Australian army heard of Ernest's artistic abilities and began to utilize his designs for visual training aids and posters. Ernest became Private E.H Marcuse V377746, his first army posting was as staff artist at The infantry officer's training school at Bonegilla. When off duty he was inspired by the beauty of the surrounding area creating the works in North east Victoria 'Kiewa river bridge', 'Hume weir', ' Dried up river bed' and 'Hawksview gold reef mine' from his 1942-1943 period at Bonegilla Victoria. Ernest returned to the area to create drawings and paintings from 1948 to 1983 in locations including Bright, Wandilligong, Bogong High plains and Wallace's Hut, Mt Buffalo, Beechworth, Pretty valley, Kiewa Hydro, Yackandandah and Bontherambo homestead. These sketches were often completed on location, photographs were also taken onsite to assist the works back at the studio. Occasionally Marcuse also painted in the field. Ernest's preferred choice of medium was pencil and ink. Up until 1952 he would often incorporate watercolour into his work. Later into his career he began introducing pastels, acrylic and mixed media. In earlier years Ernest Marcuse often signed his work Mar, later on the signing of works ranged from Marcuse, E.Marcuse, Ernest Marcuse, EHM or simply EM . If a work was considered incomplete or Marcuse did not like the work it would remain unsigned. From Bonegilla Marcuse was transferred to Woodside South Australia before his final posting in Melbourne until the end of 1945. Ernest's work from within his army posting 'Troop Train at Night' from his 1945 exhibition Australia at War are part of the permanent collection at Canberra's War Museum. Between 1946 and 1969 Ernest largely worked from home and concentrated on a career as a freelance commercial artist and graphic designer. During that time he created work for well known household names including CRA/Conzinc, Vacuum oil (Caltex), Cottee's Brand (Schweppes and Heinz), Home Beautiful magazine Fulton garden supplies, International Iveco trucks, Ego pharmaceuticals, QV and Sunsense. After retirement Ernest concentrated on his true love of fine art and focused on painting images of personal interest both across Australia and Internationally. Earnest never drove a car. He would often walk or use public transport or enlist in the help of family or artist friends to drive him. Throughout his career Ernest Marcuse's artworks were purchase by private collectors these included ACTU, Melbourne City council, Holland Constructions, Melbourne Metropolitan Tramways Board, GJ Coles and Australian Resources Bank. Ernest Marcuse permanent collections can be viewed at The National Gallery of Victoria , Sydney Jewish Museum, Jewish Holocaust Centre Melbourne, Canberra's War Museum, City of Melbourne, Shire of Yarra ranges and now the Burke Museum. © 2020 Art by Marcuse https://www.artbymarcuse.com.au/aboutDonated to the Burke Museum through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Peter and Evelyn MarcusePen and pencil landscape drawing on paper.Obverse: BANK OF VICTORIA / YACKANDANDAH / ERNEST MARCUSE / Reverse: Y 4 / 015 ernest marcuse, marcuse, art, artbymarcuse, beechworth, burke museum, indigo shire, landscape, illustration, drawing, pen and pencil, australian army, war events illustrator, the age, the sun, the argus, germany, refugee, industrial drawing, architectual drawing, figure drawing, berliner morgenpost, grosse deutsche rundfunaustellung, berlin’s reiman school of art., cultural gifts program -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Drawing, Ernest Marcuse, Bank of Victoria – Yackandandah I, c1983
Ernest Heinrich Marcuse was born on the 1st of December 1900 to Hedwig and Siegmund Marcuse in Berlin Germany. While Marcuse's artistic talent was apparent from a younger age, his earliest existing artwork was from when he was approximately 20 years old. Ernest's formal art training commenced in 1918 with a three year course at the Berlin school of Interior design. After completion he found work until 1924 when Germany's Great Depression took effect. To broaden his career opportunities he undertook a further 12 months study of fashion, drawing and advertising at Berlin's Reiman school of art. From 1925 to 1934 Ernest was primarily a freelance press artist specialising in industrial, architectural and figurative drawing. Prominent newspaper The Berliner Morgenpost was his largest client along with Gross Deutsche Rundfunaustellung (Germany's organisation for major trade shows). During this period he would create many significant works. Two months after Hitler and the Nazi part came to power in 1933, Ernest received a life changing letter stating that being Jewish he could no longer continue employment in Germany. Up until 1938 he would only be able to undertake private commissions and occasional unofficial work as a book illustrator and games designer. This was by arrangement with non Jewish artists who claimed his work as their own, they would then share the income with Ernest. With increasing unrest in Germany during late 1938 Ernest decided to move to London and there he married his girlfriend Lotte. In late 1939 Ernest and Lotte Marcuse embarked on an eight week journey to their new home in Australia where they had been accepted as refugees. Shortly after arriving in Australia Ernest presented his portfolio to an editor at the Argus newspaper and gained employment as a war events illustrator. He soon became well respected and known in particular for his detailed illustrations and cross sections of ships , artillery and aircrafts. His detailed depictions of battles were displayed on the front pages of The Argus newspaper on a number of occasions. In May 1940 as the war intensified Ernest was dismissed from The Argus newspaper due to his Australian government classification of 'stateless person of enemy origin' and was considered a potential security risk. The editor of the time commented "don't blame us, blame Hitler". Marcuse then began to establish himself as a commercial artist. Ernest was de-classified as a 'stateless person of enemy origin' and in early 1942. The Australian army heard of Ernest's artistic abilities and began to utilize his designs for visual training aids and posters. Ernest became Private E.H Marcuse V377746, his first army posting was as staff artist at The infantry officer's training school at Bonegilla. When off duty he was inspired by the beauty of the surrounding area creating the works in North east Victoria 'Kiewa river bridge', 'Hume weir', ' Dried up river bed' and 'Hawksview gold reef mine' from his 1942-1943 period at Bonegilla Victoria. Ernest returned to the area to create drawings and paintings from 1948 to 1983 in locations including Bright, Wandilligong, Bogong High plains and Wallace's Hut, Mt Buffalo, Beechworth, Pretty valley, Kiewa Hydro, Yackandandah and Bontherambo homestead. These sketches were often completed on location, photographs were also taken onsite to assist the works back at the studio. Occasionally Marcuse also painted in the field. Ernest's preferred choice of medium was pencil and ink. Up until 1952 he would often incorporate watercolour into his work. Later into his career he began introducing pastels, acrylic and mixed media. In earlier years Ernest Marcuse often signed his work Mar, later on the signing of works ranged from Marcuse, E.Marcuse, Ernest Marcuse, EHM or simply EM . If a work was considered incomplete or Marcuse did not like the work it would remain unsigned. From Bonegilla Marcuse was transferred to Woodside South Australia before his final posting in Melbourne until the end of 1945. Ernest's work from within his army posting 'Troop Train at Night' from his 1945 exhibition Australia at War are part of the permanent collection at Canberra's War Museum. Between 1946 and 1969 Ernest largely worked from home and concentrated on a career as a freelance commercial artist and graphic designer. During that time he created work for well known household names including CRA/Conzinc, Vacuum oil (Caltex), Cottee's Brand (Schweppes and Heinz), Home Beautiful magazine Fulton garden supplies, International Iveco trucks, Ego pharmaceuticals, QV and Sunsense. After retirement Ernest concentrated on his true love of fine art and focused on painting images of personal interest both across Australia and Internationally. Earnest never drove a car. He would often walk or use public transport or enlist in the help of family or artist friends to drive him. Throughout his career Ernest Marcuse's artworks were purchase by private collectors these included ACTU, Melbourne City council, Holland Constructions, Melbourne Metropolitan Tramways Board, GJ Coles and Australian Resources Bank. Ernest Marcuse permanent collections can be viewed at The National Gallery of Victoria , Sydney Jewish Museum, Jewish Holocaust Centre Melbourne, Canberra's War Museum, City of Melbourne, Shire of Yarra ranges and now the Burke Museum. © 2020 Art by Marcuse https://www.artbymarcuse.com.au/aboutDonated to the Burke Museum through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Peter and Evelyn MarcusePen and pencil landscape drawing on paper.Obverse: BANK OF VICTORIA / YACKANDANDAH / Reverse: Y 6 / 017 ernest marcuse, marcuse, art, artbymarcuse, beechworth, burke museum, indigo shire, landscape, illustration, drawing, pen and pencil, australian army, war events illustrator, the age, the sun, the argus, germany, refugee, industrial drawing, architectual drawing, figure drawing, berliner morgenpost, grosse deutsche rundfunaustellung, berlin’s reiman school of art., cultural gifts program -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Postcard, George Symons, c.1990
The photograph printed on this postcard comes from the collection of the Mitchell Library in Sydney. It is sepia in tone and depicts seven men standing and sitting around a mine shaft in the Beechworth region. The photograph has been dated to approximately 1872. This period in history post-dates the Victorian gold rushes which occurred 1852-1853 in Ballarat, Bendigo and Beechworth. During this period, in the 1870s, the surface alluvial gold had been discovered and removed from location. Therefore, in order to reach the deeper and less accessible alluvial gold, diggers began to dig shafts into the earth. These shafts sunk below the ground level by 20 to 30 feet and required timber structures around the entrance and winches to bring the paydirt to the top. The top of this wooden structure is visible behind the man standing in the upper right of the image. This type of mining was highly dangerous as mines often caved in which injured the minors and often resulted in death. Thus, following this period, in the early 1900s, miners opted instead for hydrolic slucing which cut away the earth without the devastating consequences of a mine cave in. This particular group of miners appear to have been unable to afford a horse (then worth around 50 pounds) which were generally used at mines like this to help pull buckets attached to ropes up and down the mine. Instead, this group brought the buckets up and down by windlass. The windlass was a wooden structure mounted over the mining shaft and fitted with a hand-cranked winch which enabled the bucket attached to the rope to be brought up and down.Gold was first discovered in Beechworth in Spring and Reid's Creek in the summer of 1852-1853. At its popularity, this region had approximately 8000 people on the gold fields searching for gold on the banks of these creeks. These periods did not require the use of heavy machinery or the digging of deep mining shafts like the one depicted in this image. Therefore, this image has important connotations for the technologies associated with mining during the approximated 1870s when gold was harder to access. This is a later period in gold history which does not fit into the "gold rush" period. Instead, it occurred after the surface gold had disappeared and therefore, is essential for researchers who are investigating the mining techniques and structures used to reach the alluvial gold which was located deeper under ground in the 1870s. This period predates the use of big heavy machinery used to mine in the 1900s which include dredges. Images such as this one can also impart essential information as to the wardrobe and fashion of men during this period. It also imparts knowledge about the landscape of Beechworth which is useful for people researching the environment and impact of gold mining in the north-east region of Victoria. In addition, since this image is a postcard reproduction of an early Australian image which may date to approximately 1990 it can impart knowledge as to the interests of people during this time period when there may have been an increase into Australian history.A sepia tone facsimile of an early Australian photograph (circa 1872) printed as a postcard.Obverse: BEECHWORTH / Victoria, Australia / Reverse: GM 2 3275 / CORRESPONDENCE / AUSTRALIAN / YESTERYEAR / CARDS / ADDRESS / Published by George Symons (057) 65 3240 / THE MINEHEAD C. 1872 / The easily gleaned gold of the early fields did / not last very long. In order to reach less / accessible alluvial gold diggers began sinking shafts as much as twenty to thirty feet down / and the mines required timbering and winches / to bring the paydirt to the top. / This syndicate has been unable to afford the / luxury of a horse (about 50 pounds) and so everything / must go up and down by windlass and rawhide / bucket. / Photo: Mitchell Library, Sydney / A sepia tone facsimile of / an early Australian photographmining album, gold mine, beechworth, burke museum, mine shaft, postcard, australian yesteryear cards, george symons, the minehead, gold fields, alluvial gold, early australia, c.1872, 1872, gold diggers, north east victoria -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Animal specimen - Buff-Banded Rail, 1860-1880
The Buff-banded Rail is located on mainland Australia. It can also be found in south-east Asia, New Guinea and New Zealand. These birds are often seen individually or in pairs walking through the dense reeds and vegetations of wetlands or crops. This rail has a slow walk and often flicks its tail, which is raised, as they move. They are omnivore scavengers who feed on a large variety of invertebrates, fruit, seeds and vegetables. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum and the National Museum of Victoria, as well as individuals such amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century. This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is in a standing position on a wooden platform. The Buff-Branded Rail has a pale grey/yellow eyebrow over the black glass eyes and a pale yellow bill. It also has an orange and brown coloured band on its breast. This bird is multicoloured with streaks of chestnut brown, black, white and a faint orange-brown. This specimen has a paper tag tied to its right leg and a grey/back label on the wooden platform.Platform: "Banded Landrail" Paper tag: "National Museum Victoria. Banded Landrail Hypotoenidia w8 427 Philippensis (L)"taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, bird, landrail, buff-banded rail -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph - Carte de Visite
A Carte de Visite (hereafter CdV) (also known as a calling card) was popular within the mid-19th Century. It is a small card with a photographic portrait mounted on it. These cards were exchanged during the Victorian era (peaking in the 1860s) between families and friends. This particular CdV was captured by John Paul Carolin in c.1877. Carolin was a two time Mayor of Bendigo (1889-1990 and 1907-1908) and ran a photography studio on Piper Street in Kyneton from 1866. This photograph depicts a young Daniel “Dan” Kelly posing for his photograph while sitting on an ornate chair and leaning his elbow on a small pedestal table. Dan was approximately seven years younger than his famous brother, Edward “Ned” Kelly. He was born in 1861 to John “Red” Kelly (an Irish ex-convict) and Ellen Quinn. In march 1878, Dan was wanted for arrest on the charge of horse stealing. This event, known commonly as the “Fitzpatrick Incident” resulted in the formation of the Kelly Gang as it is known in popular culture today. After the incident the Kelly Gang disappeared into the bush and a 100 pound award was issued for their arrest. During this period the gang robbed banks including those at Jerilderie, Euroa and Benalla. On the 28th of June 1880, Dan Kelly died at Glenrowan in what was the Kelly Gang’s final stand: the Siege of Glenrowan. Following this event, Dan’s elder brother Ned is the sole survivor of the Kelly Gang until he is executed at the Melbourne Gaol on the 11th of November 1880. The circumstances around the deaths of Dan Kelly and Steve Hart are controversial but it is generally accepted that they died in a suicide pact inside the Ann Jones Inn.This photograph is part of the Burke Museum "Kelly album" which includes a significant collection of photographs and artefacts connected to Ned Kelly and the Kelly Gang. Ned Kelly and his gang have become ingrained in Australian popular culture and thus many museums, art galleries and private collections house material connected to the Kelly story which allows the events and people to be researched and interpreted. Individuals like Dan Kelly played an essential part in the Kelly story which have been adapted for popular culture. The study of these individuals through their images and records can help researchers to correctly interpret their involvement with Ned Kelly and the Kelly gang.Sepia, rectangular, postcard on boardObverse: Carolin Photograph Kyneton / Reverse PHOTOGRAPHED / FROM LIFE / ADVANCE AUSTRALIA / BY / J.P. CAROLIN, / KYNETON. / VICTORIA. / COPIES MAY BE HAD ON / APPLICATION. / DK/Dan Kelly/9 2 48/7#carte de visite, kelly gang, dan kelly, daniel kelly, fitzpatrick, ned kelly, steve hart, joe byrne, ann jones inn, glenrowan, kyneton, 1877, john paul carolin, carolin -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph - Carte de Visite, James Bray, 1870
A Carte de Visite (hereafter CdV) (also known as a calling card) was popular within the mid-19th Century. It is a small card with a photographic portrait mounted on it. These cards were exchanged during the Victorian era (peaking in the 1860s) between families and friends. This particular CdV was captured by James Bray in c.1870. Bray who worked as a professional photographer in Camp Street Beechworth from 1870-1891. He was one of four men who photographed the Kelly Gang after the siege in Glenrowan in 1880. He is also renowned for his previous work photographing members of the Kelly gang. Depicted in this photograph is Isaiah “Wild” Wright. Wright was born in approximately 1846 in County Monaghan, Ireland. At age 11, Wright arrived with his father John Wright, mother Margaret and younger siblings in Victoria on the 9th of July 1857. They sailed on the ship ‘Carleton’ which left from Liverpool in England. Wright was stood 5 foot 11 inches tall and had brown hair with hazel eyes. He had a scar on the inside corner of his left eyebrow, a large scar on his right cheek and a scar on the back of his head. Over the years in Australia, Wright was sentenced on numerous (particularly of horse theft) charges and spent time in Pentridge, Hulk Sacramento and Hulk Sandridge. Wright married Bridget Lloyd in 1973. Through this marriage he was connected to the Kelly family as Bridget’s mother was one of Ellen Kelly’s (Ellen was the mother of Edward “Ned” Kelly) sisters. Wright is famous for his participation in the horse stealing incident of 1871 and subsequent bare knuckle fight against Ned Kelly that occurred in 1874. In 1878, Bridget and Isaiah Wright became parents to John "Jack" Thomas Wright. Jack Wright was an Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong in the Victorian Football League 1902-1906. Wright passed away on the 29th of May 1911.This photograph is part of the Burke Museum "Kelly album" which includes a significant collection of photographs and artefacts connected to Ned Kelly and the Kelly Gang. Ned Kelly and his gang have become ingrained in Australian popular culture and thus many museums, art galleries and private collections house material connected to the Kelly story which allows the events and people to be researched and interpreted. Individuals like Isaiah “Wild” Wright played an essential part in the Kelly story which have been enlarged and adapted for popular culture. The study of these individuals thorugh their images and records can help researchers to correctly interpret their involvement with Ned Kelly and the Kelly gang. Artefacts and photographs pertaining to the Kelly gang are particularly valuable for Australian museums. This particular photograph is significant for its connection to Beechworth photographer James Bray who is responsible for many images depicting members of the Kelly Gang. Sepia oval CDV printed on Card. Obverse: J.E. Bray/ Photo Reverse: 10238 Portrait & Landscape/ Photographer J E Bray Signature Beechworth/ Victoria/ Negatives Kept. Copies 5I/. Each May/ Be Had By Forwarding Name And Address/ Accompanied With Remittance To/ The Amount Of Order/ Photographs Coloured In Watercolourskelly album, kelly gang, beechworth, wild wright, boxing, burke museum, imperial hotel, bare-knuckle boxing, isaiah wright, ned kelly, isaiah wild wright, horse theft, hulk sacramento, calling card, pentridge, james bray, cdv, carte de visite -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph - Carte de Visite, James Bray, 1870
This photograph was taken in c.1870 and depicts Aaron Sherrtt who is best known for his involvements with, and eventual assassination by, the Kelly gang. He stands upright in the image with his arm leaning on a podium which reaches his hip. He is wearing an outfit for which he was infamous. Richard Warren, son of the proprietor of the Ovens and Murray Advertiser once stated that “anyone seeing [Aaron] coming down Ford Street would ask, “Who the hell’s this? Some advance agent for the circus?”’. The outfit Aaron wore for this particular photoshoot is reminiscent of this quote. He wears an unusual spotted shirt with a waistcoat and a sash is tied at his waist. He wears boots which turn up slightly at the toes. The hat is a “pork pie” hat which is worn in the typical “Greta Mob” style with the chinstrap under the nose. Aaron Sherritt was born in 1854 in Prahran, Melbourne, to Irish Protestant parents John and Anne. Sherritt stood at 5 foot 10. He had hazel eyes, dark brown hair and pale olive skin. Sherritt was childhood friends with Kelly Gang member, Joe Byrne, having previously attended the same school. Both men had a reputation for stealing horses and on one occasion, after stealing and butchering a cow, Sherritt and Byrne were convicted to six months in Beechworth Gaol (1876). Sherritt, along with Byrne, were reportedly recruited by Ned Kelly in 1877 in stealing stock; however, Sherritt never became a fully-fledged member of the Kelly Gang. Nevertheless, Sherritt scouted for the Kelly Gang in 1878. He later struck a deal with the police (specifically, with Chief Commissioner Standish) to save Joe Byrne's life in exchange for leading the police to the other members of the Gang. From then on, Aaron Sherritt lived the dangerous life of a double agent, providing police with what is assumed today to have been outdated or incorrect information in return for money. On the 26th of June 1880, Aaron Sherritt was murdered in the Woolshed Valley. He was approximately 23-25 years old at death. This event marked the start of the Kelly gang’s last days. Sherritt was murdered by Byrne in front of his wife, 15 year old and heavily pregnant Ellen “Belle” Sherritt and her mother Ellen Barry. Also in the Sherritt dwelling on this particular night were four policemen. The intention behind Sherritt’s murder was for the police to send word to Melbourne that the Kelly gang had murdered Sherritt and a police train would be sent to Glenrowan where the rest of the Kelly gang were waiting. This plan did not go as predicted and ultimately the Kelly gang fell at Glenrowan in 1880. This photograph was taken by James Bray who worked as a professional photographer in Camp Street Beechworth from 1870-1891. He was one of four men who photographed the Kelly Gang after the siege in Glenrowan in 1880. He is also renowned for his previous work photographing members of the Kelly gang. This photograph is part of the Burke Museum "Kelly album" which includes a significant collection of photographs and artefacts connected to Ned Kelly and the Kelly Gang. Ned Kelly and his gang have become ingrained in Australian popular culture and thus many museums, art galleries and private collections house material connected to the Kelly story which allows the events and people to be researched and interpreted. Artefacts and photographs pertaining to the Kelly gang are particularly valuable for Australian museums. This particular photograph is significant for its connection to Beechworth photographer James Bray who is responsible for many images depicting members of the Kelly Gang. The photograph is also of artistic significance as an example of a Carte de Viste dating to 1880 and it's connection to Aaron Sherritt.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on card. Obverse: J.E.Bray./ Photo/ Beechworth Reverse: Portrait & Landscape/ Photographer 5/ Aaron Sherritt J E Bray Signature Beechworth/ Victoria Beware (almost erased out) Negatives Kept. Copies 5I/.Each May/ Be Had By Forwarding Name And Address/ Accompanied With Remittance To/ The Amount Of Order/ Photographs Coloured In Water Colours 10237. kelly album, woolshed valley, 1870s, kelly gang, joe byrne, ned kelly, aaron sherritt, james bray, beechworth, burke museum -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Postcard, 2005
To commemorate the 125th anniversary of Edward “Ned” Kelly’s committal trial in the Beechworth Historic Courthouse, the Robert O’Hara Burke Memorial Museum (henceforth Burke Museum) commissioned this postcard to coincide with their exhibition dating September 2005 to March 2006 and titled the Ned Kelly 125th Anniversary Exhibition. The postcard depicts a Snider-Enfield of .577 calibre which was reputedly favoured by the Bushranger. The firearm is of typical 1870s hunting design and was displayed as a focal point within this exhibition. The firearm, which was named “Betty” was reportedly taken by Kelly from Henry Dudley. The weapon has the letter ‘K’ engraved into the wood of the fore end. Other items also displayed in this exhibition include the Burke’s Kelly death mask, a replica of the Kelly Gang armour and photographs from the Burke Museum’s Kelly album. This postcard advertises an exhibition held at the Beechworth Burke Museum to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Kelly’s committal trial, which took place in Beechworth's historic courthouse. The selection and interpretation of items like the gun called 'Betty' are significant for understanding the changing nature of Kelly scholarship, treatment and curation, in particular, the popular and iconic myth of the Australian bushranger. The item can be compared with other Kelly photographs in Burke Museum's collection.Rectangular colour printed postcard celebrating Ned Kelly 125th Anniversary Exhibition at Burke Museum, Beechworth. Inset image of Ned Kelly's rifle. Obverse: Ned Kelly / 125th ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION / ROBERT O'HARA BURKE MEMORIAL MUSEUM BEECHWORTH . VICTORIA . AUSTRALIA / September 2005-2006 / BEECHWORTH / Echoes of History / HISTORIC & CULTURAL PRECINCT / NED / KELLY / TOURING ROUTE / REVERSE: Ned Kelly / 125th ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION / ROBERT O'HARA BURKE MEMORIAL MUSEUM BEECHWORTH . VICTORIA . AUSTRALIA / September 2005-2006 / AFFIX STAMP HERE / 7250 / This is the rifle that was taken from Henry Dudley by Ned Kelly. It became Ned's favourite / rifle, which he called 'Betty'. Note the 'K' carved into the wood of the fore-end. / Interestingly, there is at least one other rifle owned by Ned Kelly that also has a 'K' engraved / into it by Ned- the Colt revolving carbine used by Ned at Glenrowan /kelly album, ned kelly exhibition, ned kelly's rifle, betty, snider-enfield, .557 caliber, rifle, revolver, exhibition, beechworth, burke museum, 125th anniversary, firearm -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph
In this image a Colt 1855 Revolving Rifle is placed upon a sign detailing an £8,000 reward for robbery and murder. Writing on the rear of the photograph identifies the rifle as having belonged to Joe Byrne. In colonial Victoria, the Colt brand firearm was highly popular. They began their popularity in the goldfields of the early 1850s. Individuals, particularly those coming to Victoria with prior experience in the goldfield, brought with them a means of self-defence because of the prevalence of assault and robbery on the goldfields. In the 1860s, the Colt firearm became popular among the Victorian Police force. It was decided in June 1864 by Chief Commissioner of Police, Frederick Standish that the Colt revolvers were far more practical, being of simpler construction and therefore, more easily cleaned and less dangerous than the revolvers used prior to this: the Adams and Kerr firearms. The Colt revolver remained in use in regional districts of Victoria as late as the early 1880 when they were used at the Kelly siege at Glenrowan. The £8,000 reward was issued in 1879 after the Kelly Gang committed numerous bank robberies at Euroa and Jerilderie. In the year prior, the Kelly Gang murdered three policemen at Stringybark Creek. This resulted in the creation of the “Felon’s Apprehension Act 1878” which enabled an individual, whether a part of the Police force or civilian, to shoot a declared outlaw on sight. After the bank robberies, the Police force of NSW and Victoria increased the existing reward to this £8,000 amount.This photograph is significant for what it can potentially reveal about the Kelly Gang and firearms made in this period. The rifle in the image is a Colt Revolving Rifle which was known to have been used by the Victorian Police force from the early 1850s to the late 1880s. It is also known that the Kelly Gang stole police rifles which they used to practise with and so the identification of the rifle as having belonged to Joe Byrne is of significant importance to researchers studying the firearms of the Kelly Gang. More research is needed to solidify the connection of this particular weapon to Byrne other than the handwritten note on the back of the photograph. The Burke Museum Beechworth is home to a significant collection of photographs connected to Ned Kelly and the Kelly Gang. Photographs like this one are valuable for what they can potentially reveal about the Kelly Gang and the Police force during this period. Alongside the study of the other images, photographs from this collection have the ability to further expand current knowledge on this period of Australian history. There is also the capability to provide an analysis of how these firearms and Kelly memorabilia have been received in the past. It could be beneficial to undertake a close study of the use history and reception of these artefacts within the museum context.Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph printed on matte photographic paperReverse: 10268 / Joe Byrne's / Riflekelly album, ned kelly, kelly gang, joe byrne, rewards, outlaw, criminals, bushrangers, colt, police, firearm, beechworth, reward, felon's apprehension act 1878, 1880, glenrowan, colt revolver, revolving rifle, 8000 pound reward, jerilderie, euroa, beechworth goldfield -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, 1907-8
The photo from 1907-8 is a sepia print, depicting a small valley with building at base. There are flumes visible above areas of water, trees on hills and a few small cottages on the hillside. Cock's Pioneer Gold & Tin Sluicing Co NZ No 2 Site. The photo was taken of Matthews Gully looking west. Sluicing was undertaken in the area from 1900 to 1942 with some short breaks between these periods. The image depicts a location mined by Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Sluicing Company (as recorded on the annotation on the card mount) The Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines N.L was one of El Dorado's two largest open cut sluicing mines of the 20th Century. The other was named the Cocks El Dorado Gold Dredging Company. The Cocks Pioneer Mines operated from 1901 until 1941 and found a total of 117,378 ounces of Gold and 1,673 tones of tin concentrates over these years. The Cocks company was formed in 1898 and operated until 1941. Open cut sluicing involved the use of high-powered hoses which used the centrifugal sand pump system (known as hydraulic sluicing) which broke down the soil which was then processed for gold and other precious metals. From 1914 , four years after this image was captured, the company reformed to Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL (previously it was known as Cocks Pioneer Sluicing Co) and undertook large scale sluicing operations until 1929 and then 1934-1941. El Dorado is located on Reedy Creek and is surrounded by forested country to the north and east. It is 20 km east of Wangaratta in Victoria's regional north-east. John Cock was the son of a Cornish minor who arrived in El Dorado in 1858. Cock founded his gold and tin mining company which ran successfully for many years in the El Dorado region. It was an open cut sluicing company because of the abandonment of underground mining after this was deemed too dangerous. In 1935 Cock's El Dorado Company commissioned the floating dredge which is still visible in El Dorado today. The dredge was built by the Thompson engineering works, Castlemaine, and weighed over 2,000 tones and today has a place on the Victorian Registers of historic buildings. Interestingly, the name El Dorado does not derive from the gold in the region, but from the Barambogie pastoral run completed by William Baker in 1840-1841. Gold was discovered in El Dorado 1854 but the gold was too deep for individual prospectors to find, it required the use of heavy machinery.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one which portray an open cut sluicing site can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about sluicing and the methods used to find gold in 1910. It also shows a location where sluicing was undertook which provides insight into the impact of sluicing on the environment at a time when it was done. This image is important for current research into the history of El Dorado, a small regional location near Wangaratta in Victoria's North East. Therefore, this image has the capacity to be beneficial for research into society and the motivations of those living and working in this region during this period and therefore, has social significance. The Beechworth Burke Museum has additional images relating to gold sluicing and El Dorado which can be analysed and studied alongside images like this one.Sepia coloured rectangle photograph printed on gloss photographic paper Reverse: 1997. 2613/ A02613/ No2 site/ Matthews Gully/ Cocks Pioneer G&T. ?? Co NZ/ No2 Site looking West/ 1907-8/ (7)sluicing, hydraulic sluicing, 1907, 1908, mining, cock's pioneer gold & tin sluicing co nz, nz, site no 2, matthews gully, west, valley, building, cottages, hillside, trees, water, gold and tin mine -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, 1910 - 1911
This photograph depicts Cock's Pioneer G & T Sluicing site No. 4 in El Dorado. Looking eastwards, the photo captures a wooden and tin building with various mining equipment strewn in the foreground. Underneath the verandah, figures can be seen. These are believed to be a Mr. Hollister (left), Mrs. Breustedt (4th from left), children Min and Chris Breustedt, and Kate Timmons holding a girl's hand. The Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines N.L was one of El Dorado's two largest open-cut sluicing mines of the 20th Century. The other was named the Cocks El Dorado Gold Dredging Company. The Cocks Pioneer Mines operated from 1901 until 1941 and found a total of 117,378 ounces of Gold and 1,673 tones of tin concentrates over these years. The Cocks company was formed in 1898 and operated until 1941. Open cut sluicing involved the use of high-powered hoses which used the centrifugal sand pump system (known as hydraulic sluicing) which broke down the soil which was then processed for gold and other precious metals. From 1914, four years after this image was captured, the company reformed to Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL (previously it was known as Cocks Pioneer Sluicing Co) and undertook large-scale sluicing operations until 1929 and then 1934-1941. The Cocks Pioneer was an extremely successful mining company during the 20th century. In the Annual Report of the Secretary for Mines for the year 1915, the Cocks Pioneer was the largest producer of gold and tin collecting 5,535 ozs. of gold and £7,500 of tin. Twenty years later in 1935, Cocks Pioneer was still one of the most profitable mines in Victoria, ranking as the second-highest dividend paying mine. The company produced a total of 3,650 kg of gold. El Dorado is located on Reedy Creek and is surrounded by forested country to the north and east. It is 20 km east of Wangaratta in Victoria's regional northeast. John Cock was the son of a Cornish miner who arrived in El Dorado in 1858. Cock founded his gold and tin mining company which ran successfully for many years in the El Dorado region. It was an open-cut sluicing company because of the abandonment of underground mining after this was deemed too dangerous. In 1935 Cock's El Dorado Company commissioned the floating dredge which is still visible in El Dorado today. The dredge was built by the Thompson engineering works, Castlemaine, and weighed over 2,000 tones and today has a place on the Victorian Registers of historic buildings. Interestingly, the name El Dorado does not derive from the gold in the region, but from the Barambogie pastoral run completed by William Baker in 1840-1841. Gold was discovered in El Dorado in 1854 but the gold was too deep for individual prospectors to find, it required the use of heavy machinery.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one which portray an open cut sluicing site can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about sluicing and the methods used to find gold in 1910. It also shows a location where sluicing was undertook which provides insight into the impact of sluicing on the environment at a time when it was done. This image is important for current research into the history of El Dorado, a small regional location near Wangaratta in Victoria's North East. Therefore, this image has the capacity to be beneficial for research into society and the motivations of those living and working in this region during this period and therefore, has social significance. The Beechworth Burke Museum has additional images relating to gold sluicing and El Dorado which can be analysed and studied alongside images like this one.A black and white copy of a sepia coloured rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on boardObverse: COCKS PIONEER G + T SL CO, N.L. / 1910 - 11 / NO 4 SITE LOOKING EAST / 4 Reverse: 1997.2508 / AUG 29 1909cocks pioneer gold and tin sluicing company, el dorado, mining, sluicing, hydraulic mining, hollister, breustedt, timmons, gold, tin, gold rush, victoria -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, 1910
This photograph dating to 1910 depicts an open cut sluicing site located in El Dorado captured looking east up the open cut from the number 3 Barge site. Sluicing was undertaken in the area from 1900 to 1942 with some short breaks between these periods. The image depicts a location mined by Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Sluicing Company (as recorded on the annotation on the card mount). It portrays open cut rocks with a crevice in the center of the image where the sluicing was being undertaken. There is a small timber structure on the right of the image which could be an entrance to a mine or supports made of wood to prevent a cave in at the open cut site and above the cut rock there is bush. The timber structure has rail tracks on top of the bridge which could suggest the identification of this structure as a mine entrance. The rail tracks were used for little carts which hauled soil from the mine. The Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines N.L was one of El Dorado's two largest open cut sluicing mines of the 20th Century. The other was named the Cocks El Dorado Gold Dredging Company. The Cocks Pioneer Mines operated from 1901 until 1941 and found a total of 117,378 ounces of Gold and 1,673 tones of tin concentrates over these years. The Cocks company was formed in 1898 and operated until 1941. Open cut sluicing involved the use of high-powered hoses which used the centrifugal sand pump system (known as hydraulic sluicing) which broke down the soil which was then processed for gold and other precious metals. From 1914 , four years after this image was captured, the company reformed to Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL (previously it was known as Cocks Pioneer Sluicing Co) and undertook large scale sluicing operations until 1929 and then 1934-1941. El Dorado is located on Reedy Creek and is surrounded by forested country to the north and east. It is 20 km east of Wangaratta in Victoria's regional north-east. John Cock was the son of a Cornish minor who arrived in El Dorado in 1858. Cock founded his gold and tin mining company which ran successfully for many years in the El Dorado region. It was an open cut sluicing company because of the abandonment of underground mining after this was deemed too dangerous. In 1935 Cock's El Dorado Company commissioned the floating dredge which is still visible in El Dorado today. The dredge was built by the Thompson engineering works, Castlemaine, and weighed over 2,000 tones and today has a place on the Victorian Registers of historic buildings. Interestingly, the name El Dorado does not derive from the gold in the region, but from the Barambogie pastoral run completed by William Baker in 1840-1841. Gold was discovered in El Dorado 1854 but the gold was too deep for individual prospectors to find, it required the use of heavy machinery.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one which portray an open cut sluicing site can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about sluicing and the methods used to find gold in 1910. It also shows a location where sluicing was undertook which provides insight into the impact of sluicing on the environment at a time when it was done. This image is important for current research into the history of El Dorado, a small regional location near Wangaratta in Victoria's North East. Therefore, this image has the capacity to be beneficial for research into society and the motivations of those living and working in this region during this period and therefore, has social significance. The Beechworth Burke Museum has additional images relating to gold sluicing and El Dorado which can be analysed and studied alongside images like this one.Sepia coloured rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paper mounted on board.Obverse: COCKS PIONEER Q + T SL CO, N.L. / 1910 / LOOKING EAST UP OPEN CUT / FROM NO3 BARGE SITE / Reverse: 1997 . 2611 / A02611el dorado, north east gold, sluicing, gold sluicing, hydraulic sluicing, 1910, gold and tin mine, open cut mining, mining, gold mining, north-east victoria, beechworth, burke museum -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Postcard, George Rose, c.1945
The Rose Stereograph Company first began producing postcards, identified as the 'P' series (like this particular example) in 1913 and continued in this business until 1967 after which they switched to machine manufactured colour postcards printed by an external company. These were produced by Victorian-era photographer George Rose (1861-1942) often reputed as one of the best photographers in Australia during the later 19th Century and early 20th Century. Rose was born in 1861 in Clunes and began his photography business in 1880 when he founded the Rose Stereograph Company. He later switched to producing postcards after stereographs lost popularity in the early 1920s. The Mayday Hills Hospital was one of these locations photographed by George Rose and published as a postcard. 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.Pale sepia toned rectangular postcard printed on matte card.Obverse: THE ROSE SERIES P. 4689 / COPYRIGHT / ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, MENTAL HOSPITAL, BEECHWORTH, VIC / Reverse: Published by the Rose Stereograph Co. / Armadale, Victoria / POST CARD / THE "ROSE" SERIES / DE LUXE / A REAL PHOTOGRAPH / PRODUCED IN AUSTRALIA /mayday hills, asylum, mental hospital, hospital, beechworth -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, c.2000
This photograph was captured on an undisclosed date and by an unidentified photographer. It was printed in colour through the company AGFA which is a Belgian-German Multinational Corporation. This business prints, develops, manufactures and distributes digital imaging products, software and systems. It was founded in 1967 and continues to operate today. 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.Coloured rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paper.Reverse: AGFAbeechworth, mayday hills, mayday hills asylum, mental health, history of mental health, asylum, 1860s, gold town, north-east victoria, kew asylum, ararat asylum -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Postcard, C. F. Falk, c.1930
This postcard contains a depiction of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria from the direction of Farm Hill, circa 1930. It was designed by C.F.Falk in Beechworth and printed in Saxony which is a landlocked state of Germany which borders the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria and the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. The depiction is a painting of the Mayday Hill Hospital which portrays the extensive buildings an HaHa wall (many of which have not survived to the present day). It provides a unique opportunity to reconstruct this historical site as it may have looked in approximately 1930. 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). The extent of buildings displayed in this postcard helps convey the imposing and enormity of the structure before decommission. 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. The title on the obverse of this photograph as "Asylum for Insane, Beechworth" reflects a bygone era and attitude to mental health. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. 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.Colour rectangular postcard printed on cardObverse: Asylum for Insane, Beechworth. / Reverse: C.F. Faulk, Beechworth. Printed in Saxony. POST CARD / ADDRESS ONLY / AFFIX / STAMP / B 2298 / 1997.2457 /mental hospital, insane asylum, mayday hills mental hospital, beechworth, mayday hills, asylum, gold town, north-east victoria, ararat asylum, kew asylum -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Postcard, R & B Hall, c.1930
This postcard was published by R. & B. Hall in Beechworth and printed in Saxony, circa 1930. Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany which borders the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria and the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. This particular postcard is embossed with a pattern which surrounds the middle image in the center of the card. This image depicts Asylum Avenue which leads to the Mayday Hills Asylum in Beechworth, Victoria. What makes this scene particularly interesting is the appearance of snow which is rare in Beechworth. The road depicted on the postcard has track marks made by a car with thin wheels. 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. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. 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.Pale coloured rectangular postcard printed on matte embossed card.Obverse: Snow Scene; Asylum Avenue, Beechworth. / Reverse: POST CARD / ADDRESS ONLY / Published by R. & B. Hall, Beechworth. / Printed in Saxony. / 3447 [crossed out] / 1997.2492 / AFFIX STAMP /asylum, asylum avenue, beechworth, snow north-east vic, victoria, snow scene, mayday hills, mayday hills hospital, mental hospital, colonial attitudes, mental health, history, town development, postcard -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, J. Collins, c.1940-1950s
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 paperObverse: OVENS & MURRAY HOME / Reverse: KODAK PAPER / 727 / J. Collins BMM 8689.1 /mayday hills, beechworth benevolent asylum, ovens benevolent home, asylum, refuge, poor and destitute, goldrush, flemish gothic revival, architecture -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, J. Collins
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 -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph
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 -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph
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 -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph
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 -
The Beechworth Burke Museum
Photograph, c1860
The photo depicts men dressed in formal suits and in bowler hats walking out the front of the Beechworth Court House. Beechworth became known as the legal headquarters of north-east Victoria after the establishment of the Circuit Court in 1857. This was later known as the Court of Assize and dealt with cases surpassing the reach of the General Sessions and County Courts. The Court House was built a year after for these proceedings and was extended in 1865. As the image is undated the year is not known, however it can be assumed it was taken after 1857 as the Court House is pictured.The photograph holds historic significance as it contributes to an understanding of the legal systems in Beechworth at that time. Specifically, the popularity of the Court House as a large number of people are pictured in the photo, which may represent the frequent use or interest in a signifiant trial that may have occurred at the place.Black and white landscape photograph printed on paper.beechworth courthouse, court house, beechworth, bowler hats, trial, legal, law, court, proceedings, circuit court, court of assize, assize, county courts, general sessions