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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Mont Albert Reading Circle was founded in 1919 to provide mental stimulus. Its adaptability to changing circumstances over the years were recognised and met. This book unfolds its story. It includes a list of presidents.The Mont Albert Reading Circle was founded in 1919 to provide mental stimulus. Its adaptability to changing circumstances over the years were recognised and met. This book unfolds its story. It includes a list of presidents.ibhai, house names, wolseley street, mont albert, (miss) - sinnott, (miss) - hollow, (mrs) c m grout, (mrs) e drake, (mrs) i steane, (mrs) a webster, (mrs) s g routley, (mrs) - dunn, (mrs) boyce gibson, (mr) noel counihan, (mrs) - normand, (mr) john mcdouall stuart, social clubs, clubs and associations, mont albert reading circle, reading circle, groups (people)

The original photo is part of the photo library of the Mental Health Library, which late in 1999 was transferred to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Copying of photo was by the photography department of the Royal Children's Hospital in Parkville.A Red Cross concert at Sunbury Mental Home. There are 6 rows of chairs with people seated on them. The pianist and the violinist are in the LH back corner of the hall. There are three curtained windows along the LH side and an exit door.sunbury mental hospital, caloola, sunbury asylum, sunbury hospital for the insane, medical services, red cross, george evans collection

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

Two rectangular black and white photographs of the Beechworth Mental Hospital (Mayday Hills) administrative building showing the left and right hand sides of the exterior building with three cars parked in driveway turning circle in the foreground taken in the 1950's by E. Yellard. Mayday Hills Hospital, originally known as the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum was constructed between 1864-67 designed by The Public Works Department. The hospital is made up of a number of buildings, landscaping, ha-ha, workshops, laundry, administrative facilities and farmland, it was constructed in 'Italianate' style by a team of up to two hundred and fifty workers (Woods p. 122). The asylum was established in response to the need for the regional shire to locally care for those particularly affected by their time working the Ovens goldfield during the Indigo Shire gold rush era where poor living conditions and isolation were significantly affecting the welfare of a great many people through poverty and lack of resources. The gaol and orphan labour systems were not able to effectively support to give housing, rehabilitation and ongoing care for the mentally ill, and transporting to Melbourne by waggon was a time consuming and counter-productive solution when the metro facilities were already overcrowded. According to Woods (A Titan's Field p. 122), between 1901 and 1911 a large percentage (thirty five percent in 1901 and twenty four in 1911) of the Beechworth population were either patients or inmates of Beechworth institutions, Mayday Hills accounted for some six hundred and seventy four patients in 1901, Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town and the large volume of people living at the hospital and contributing to this population growth is counted as reason for the survival of Beechworth as a regional township. According to the Victorian Heritage database, during the period 1921-1950 Mayday Hills underwent some modernisation by Public Works Department architect Percy Everett which included a nurses' hostel and new ward which were further developed and continued to function as a mental hospital up until 1995 when it was sold to LaTrobe university. The building and grounds are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register under criterion A, B, D, E and F.These photographs give a good indication of the ongoing use of Mayday Hills from its original establishment in the 1860's through to almost one hundred years later when these photographs were taken. The clarity of the images combined with the style and make of the cars in the foreground give a good indication of the time period and show the continued use and need for the facility over the years. Through images of building facades such as these, we might gain fuller understanding of the structural and aesthetic characteristics to be used in any future development or restorative work.2 x black and white rectangular photographs [copies] printed on Ilford photographic paper8688.1 reverse: Beechworth / Mental / Hospital / 80% 19cm / 12 cm / 80% / 728 / New / Print / BMM / 8688.1 / E. / Yellard / [Stamped : ILFORD] 8688.2 reverse: Beechworth / Mental / Hospital / E. / Yellard / BMM / 8688.1 / [Stamped : ILFORD]administrative building, black and white photographs, beechworth, mental hospital, beechworth mental hospital, mayday hills, cars, 1950, e. yellard, the public works department, public works department, hospital, mayday hills hospital, beechworth lunatic asylum, lunatic asylum, asylum, ovens goldfield, indigo shire, indigo shire gold rush

Herbert Joseph Chambers was born in 1912 in Clifton Hill, Victoria. Later he was to live in Clark and Charles Streets in Northcote, in South Caulfield, and finally in Mentone. While he may have worked at the Kew Asylum before 1945, that year was when he was presented with a Certificate issued by the Department of Mental Hygiene (Victoria) declaring that he had completed training and passed the examinations required to work as a 'Mental Attendant’. The document is dated 19th December 1945 and signed by the Director of the Department and by the Co-Examiners. From at least 1945, he was to work as a member of the male staff of the Asylum, mainly in the Refractory Ward. A donor gifted to the Kew Historical Society in February 2019 a number of items collected by Herbert Chambers in his work at the Asylum. These include his Certificate of Registration, a photograph taken of him with two colleagues at Circular Quay in Sydney, a notebook containing ‘SP’ betting records of male asylum staff, and five sketchbooks with artwork created by Kenn’th [sic] Bailey, a patient of the Asylum. Herbert Chambers’ period of employment at the Kew Asylum coincided with the employment of the English psychiatrist Dr Eric Cunningham Dax (1908-2008) as Chairman of the Mental Hygiene Authority in 1952. Dr Dax introduced an art therapy program into Victorian psychiatric hospitals, including Kew, where it is likely that the five sketchbooks were created. The sketchbooks are believed to have been presented to Chambers by Bailey as a “gift for looking after him”. Herbert Chambers retired from the Kew Asylum in c.1970 after working there for almost thirty years.Small copy of an original photograph of Herbert Joseph Chambers, a member of the male staff of the Kew Mental Hospital, standing between two unidentified men at Circular Quay, Sydney. The donor believes his father, Herbery Chambers, was in Sydney attending a conference in 1962."Nursing Conference Sydney 1962 / Unknown | Herbert Chambers | Unknown"herbert joseph chambers, kew mental hospital

This photograph is one of approximately 43 original photographs and photocopies of buildings, patients and staff assembled in a red covered, spirally bound photograph album (the album itself is now discarded and the images stored separately). The images in the album cover the period from the 1870s to 1965. A few photographs have inscriptions on the reverse; others had later separate labels in the album. The album was presumably compiled as a public record. It and other items came from the collection assembled by Dr Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent of Willsmere Hospital before its closure in 1988. Original photographs have been uploaded to and described on Victorian Collections. The album itself is listed and linked separately showing the photographs in situ.A number of the photographs from the Willsmere Hospital album are confronting, especially given the condition of the buildings and facilities depicted, as well as the casual photographs of patients, which some viewers may find distressing. The album and its photographs are however an historically significant visual record of the Kew Mental Hospital, especially in the years 1951-1965.Black and white photograph of outbuildings at the Kew Mental Hospital.kew lunatic asylum, kew hospital for the insane, kew mental hospital, kew mental institute, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere hospital

This photograph is one of approximately 43 original photographs and photocopies of buildings, patients and staff assembled in a red covered, spirally bound photograph album (the album itself is now discarded and the images stored separately). The images in the album cover the period from the 1870s to 1965. A few photographs have inscriptions on the reverse; others had later separate labels in the album. The album was presumably compiled as a public record. It and other items came from the collection assembled by Dr Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent of Willsmere Hospital before its closure in 1988. Original photographs have been uploaded to and described on Victorian Collections. The album itself is listed and linked separately showing the photographs in situ.A number of the photographs from the Willsmere Hospital album are confronting, especially given the condition of the buildings and facilities depicted, as well as the casual photographs of patients, which some viewers may find distressing. The album and its photographs are however an historically significant visual record of the Kew Mental Hospital, especially in the years 1951-1965.Black and white photograph of Ward F9 in the Kew Mental Hospital. "Willsmere 1972. Ward F9. Vacant foreground area where 'Tent' stood - burnt out fire 1967. Six (6) elderly ladies burnt to death. Four (4) escaped. Ward: closed from time of fire."kew lunatic asylum, kew hospital for the insane, kew mental hospital, kew mental institute, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere hospital

This photograph is one of approximately 43 original photographs and photocopies of buildings, patients and staff assembled in a red covered, spirally bound photograph album (the album itself is now discarded and the images stored separately). The images in the album cover the period from the 1870s to 1965. A few photographs have inscriptions on the reverse; others had later separate labels in the album. The album was presumably compiled as a public record. It and other items came from the collection assembled by Dr Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent of Willsmere Hospital before its closure in 1988. Original photographs have been uploaded to and described on Victorian Collections. The album itself is listed and linked separately showing the photographs in situ.A number of the photographs from the Willsmere Hospital album are confronting, especially given the condition of the buildings and facilities depicted, as well as the casual photographs of patients, which some viewers may find distressing. The album and its photographs are however an historically significant visual record of the Kew Mental Hospital, especially in the years 1951-1965.Small colour photograph of the nurses' hostel of the Kew Mental Hospital."View of Nurses’ Hostel, Kew"kew lunatic asylum, kew hospital for the insane, kew mental hospital, kew mental institute, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere hospital

This photograph is one of approximately 43 original photographs and photocopies of buildings, patients and staff assembled in a red covered, spirally bound photograph album (the album itself is now discarded and the images stored separately). The images in the album cover the period from the 1870s to 1965. A few photographs have inscriptions on the reverse; others had later separate labels in the album. The album was presumably compiled as a public record. It and other items came from the collection assembled by Dr Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent of Willsmere Hospital before its closure in 1988. Original photographs have been uploaded to and described on Victorian Collections. The album itself is listed and linked separately showing the photographs in situ.A number of the photographs from the Willsmere Hospital album are confronting, especially given the condition of the buildings and facilities depicted, as well as the casual photographs of patients, which some viewers may find distressing. The album and its photographs are however an historically significant visual record of the Kew Mental Hospital, especially in the years 1951-1965.Small colour photograph of the interior of a small ward at the Kew Mental Hospital."Interior of a ward. 1/smaller unit"kew lunatic asylum, kew hospital for the insane, kew mental hospital, kew mental institute, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere hospital

Sepia postcard of the Zig-Zag Bridge at Kew. The bridge was constructed in the 1870s to link the Yarra Bend Asylum and Kew Asylum. Initially it transported bluestone from the west side of the Yarra to the east during the construction of the Kew Asylum.Reverse: "Old Tramway Bridge / erected early 1850s / Zig Zag Bridge below mental grounds / washed away in flood / linked the mental asylums / donated by G.L. Beard"bridges - yarra river -- kew (vic.), zig-zag bridge

Newspaper Clipping from "The Post", 19-7-1995. P1. Fight on over unitsRingwood East will become "the mental health suburb of the eastern region" a group of residents has warned, following a council decision to allow units to be built in a residential street, for people with diagnosed mental illness

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

This photograph is one of approximately 43 original photographs and photocopies of buildings, patients and staff assembled in a red covered, spirally bound photograph album (the album itself is now discarded and the images stored separately). The images in the album cover the period from the 1870s to 1965. A few photographs have inscriptions on the reverse; others had later separate labels in the album. The album was presumably compiled as a public record. It and other items came from the collection assembled by Dr Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent of Willsmere Hospital before its closure in 1988. Original photographs have been uploaded to and described on Victorian Collections. The album itself is listed and linked separately showing the photographs in situ.A number of the photographs from the Willsmere Hospital album are confronting, especially given the condition of the buildings and facilities depicted, as well as the casual photographs of patients, which some viewers may find distressing. The album and its photographs are however an historically significant visual record of the Kew Mental Hospital, especially in the years 1951-1965.Small colour photograph of the view of Melbourne from the Nurses’ Hostel, Kew Mental Hospital."View of City from Nurses’ Hostel, Kew"kew lunatic asylum, kew hospital for the insane, kew mental hospital, kew mental institute, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere hospital

This photograph is one of approximately 43 original photographs and photocopies of buildings, patients and staff assembled in a red covered, spirally bound photograph album (the album itself is now discarded and the images stored separately). The images in the album cover the period from the 1870s to 1965. A few photographs have inscriptions on the reverse; others had later separate labels in the album. The album was presumably compiled as a public record. It and other items came from the collection assembled by Dr Fred Stamp, the last medical superintendent of Willsmere Hospital before its closure in 1988. Original photographs have been uploaded to and described on Victorian Collections. The album itself is listed and linked separately showing the photographs in situ.A number of the photographs from the Willsmere Hospital album are confronting, especially given the condition of the buildings and facilities depicted, as well as the casual photographs of patients, which some viewers may find distressing. The album and its photographs are however an historically significant visual record of the Kew Mental Hospital, especially in the years 1951-1965.Small colour photograph of members of staff of the Kew Mental Hospital on a picnic to Emerald Lake with patients of Ward G1.kew lunatic asylum, kew hospital for the insane, kew mental hospital, kew mental institute, willsmere mental hospital, willsmere hospital

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

Worn by patients at Sunbury Asylum.Undershorts in flannel (fawn and red stripe). Waistband backed with heavy calico. Front closes with two black buttons and back has two adjusting ties made of cotton tape. There are two lengthwise keepers on the waist fronts. Combines hand and machine sewing.Inner waistband stamped "Mental Hospital - Sunbury" in red circle. "Flannel underpants male" handwritten in ink inside waistband.costume, sunbury asylum, george evans collection

Golden Square Secondary College ''Indicator'' Year Book 2007 Orange Yellow Green & White Cover Student Activities Mental Health Promotion and Change Theme.bendigo, education, golden square secondary history, 258, y86