An exhibition, mounted by the Kew Historical Society, featuring a number of photographs and objects exploring the historical roles of the asylum in our culture, focusing on the Yarra Bend Asylum, the Kew Lunatic Asylum (later Willsmere Hospital) and the Kew Children’s Cottages. Photographs of the opening night of the exhibition on asylums by the Yarra, organised as part of the Kew Festival 2017. Institutions featured were: Yarra Bend Asylum, Kew Lunatic Asylum, and the Children's Cottages Kew. The exhibition was opened by Astrid Judge. The co-curators were Robert Baker and Judith Scurfield.kew historical society - exhibitions, childrens cottages kew, yarra bend asylum, kew lunatic asylum

Following a Royal Commission in 1854, the building of a new Asylum at Kew began in 1864. It was built to replace the Yarra Bend Asylum on the Fairfield side of the Yarra River. Work started in 1864 and was completed in 1872 at a cost of ₤198,334. Operating over a period of 116 years, and often renamed to take account of public sensitivities, the ‘Kew Lunatic Asylum’ was one of the largest asylums built in Australia. ‘Willsmere’ was finally closed in December 1988 and sold by the Government of Victoria in the late 1980s. The photograph is by Charles Nettleton. He arrived in Victoria in 1854. In Melbourne he joined the studio of T. Duryea and Alexander McDonald and specialized in outdoor work. ... Nettleton opened his own studio in 1858. His souvenir albums were the first of the type to be offered to the public. However, when the dry-plate came into general use in 1885 he knew that the new process offered opportunities that were beyond his scope. Five years later his studio was closed (Source: ADB)A rare silver albumen photograph by the Victorian photographer Charles Nettleton.A framed original silver albumen photograph by Charles Nettleton showing the front of the Kew Lunatic Asylum.KEW LUNATIC ASYLUMkew lunatic asylum, studley park, charles nettleton, asylum, willsmere hospital, willsmere mental hospital, lunatic

The Ballarat Benevolent Asylum was demolished in 1941. A large tree is in the process of falling in a garden setting of the Ballarat Benevolent Asylum.Verso: "1941 Benevolent Asylum. Trees being removed."ballarat, benevolent asylum, asylum, ballarat benevolent asylum, queen elizabeth benevolent asylum, garden, tree felling, demolition

255 p., illus.Written by former inmate Sandy Jeffs and sociologist and occupational therapist Margaret Leggatt, after interviewing many people associated with Larundel.larundel, larundel psychiatric hospital, mental health, mental illness

The Ballarat Benevolent Asylum was demolished in 1941. The site is now the Queen Elizabeth centre. A man stands in front of a building that is being demolished. Rubble is evident in the foreground. The building is the former Ballarat Benevolent Asylum. Verson: "Benevolent Asylum 1941. Demolition of original first part building of 1857. "ballarat, benevolent asylum, asylum, ballarat benevolent asylum, queen elizabeth benevolent asylum

A sepia photograph of the front view of the Sunbury Asylum.Handwritten on back: Sunbury Asylum taken by Ivo Hammet.hammet, ivo, photographers, sunbury asylum, hospital for the insane, buildings, george evans collection

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

A sepia photograph of a tennis match at the Hill. Believed to be taken at 'The Hill' (Sunbury Asylum) 1906.Handwritten on back: ERIC BOARDMAN / SUNBURY V ASYLUM / 1906boardman, eric, sunbury asylum, sports, tennis, 1900s, the hill, george evans collection

Mr Richardson sometimes deputised for his friend Mr Henry Berry at Sunday services at the Asylum, c.1890.A rare, historically significant and well-provenanced example of resources - clothing - made by residents of the Kew Lunatic Asylum in the 19th century.Multicoloured, hand-knitted woollen sock, created for Mr. W.H. Richardson (father of the historian Dorothy Rogers, the donor), and made by patients of the 'old Kew Asylum'. Attached handwritten note by Dorothy Rogers): "This sock was made for my father (W. H. Richardson) by patients of the old Kew Asylum. He often deputised for Mr Henry Berry at Sunday afternoon services about 1890'.men's clothing, socks, kew lunatic asylum, w h richardson, dorothy rogers

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

This glass slide captures the driveway into Mayday Hills Mental Asylum formally known as the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum circa 1900. The slide depicts the driveway lined with an elevated landscape featuring tall trees, shrubbery of different varieties and well shaped bushes. The Mayday Hills Mental Asylum was constructed between 1864 and 1867 to the designs by the Public Works Department (PWD). The decommissioned Asylum was one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in Victoria and consisted of sixty-seven buildings, one thousand two hundred patients and five hundred staff members. The Asylum was predominately inhabited by long-stay patients but there were active out-patients. The Asylum was one of the first asylums to focus on treatment and rehabilitation instead of institutional confinement. At the Asylum, active 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 glass slide captures social and historical significance as it represents a one small part of a much larger and pivotal location within Beechworth history. This lantern slide stands testament to a special place in Beechworth’s history and its significance continues to be remembered today.Thin translucent sheet of glass with a square image printed on the front and framed. It is held together by metals strips to secure the edges of the slide.NOW SCENE / ASYLUM AVENUE/ R.P.B. HALL/ BEECHWORTH.burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, mayday hills

The Bryan family of which the donor is a descendant lived in Princess Streets so the image of the grounds of the hospital are as seen from their home.The grounds of Kew Hospital for the Insane [Kew Lunatic Asylum], from Princess Street, Kew.Later annotation on front of mount: "Photo taken from Princess St overlooking Asylum (? mid 20s). From Mrs [Geraldine] Hopper."kew hospital for the insane, kew lunatic asylum, willsmere

The Ballarat Benevolent Asylum in Ascot Street Ballarat is now know as the Queen Elizabeth Centre.A number of images relating to life at the Ballarat Benevolent Asylum. ballarat benevolent asylum, crimean veteran, architecture

The Ballarat Benevolent Asylum in Ascot Street Ballarat is now know as the Queen Elizabeth Centre.A number of images relating to life at the Ballarat Benevolent Asylum. ballarat benevolent asylum, crimean veteran, architecture

Taken about 1880, this photograph depicts nine people and a horse-drawn carriage in front of the Administration building of Beechworth Mental Asylum. Constructed between 1864 and 1867 to the designs by the Public Works Department (PWD) is the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum which was 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 predominately inhabited by long-stay patients but there were active out-patients. The asylum was one of the first asylums to focus on treatment and rehabilitation instead of institutional confinement. At the asylum, active 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 shows one of the main buildings of the Beechworth Mental Asylum that was pivotal in changing the approaches to treating the mentally ill.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on card.Reverse: 1997.2458/ Front view/ Beechworth/ about 1880/ Lunatic Asylum/ administration building, mayday hills, beechworth, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth mental asylum, horse drawn carriage, mayday hills mental hospital, beechworth lunatic asylum administration building, psychiatric hospitals

The Sunbury Asylum is now the campus for Sunbury Victoria University of Technology.A coloured photograph of a sandblasted window which is on a doorway at the former Sunbury Asylum.sunbury asylum, george evans collection

The Ballarat Benevolent Asylum in Ascot Street Ballarat is now know as the Queen Elizabeth Centre.Black and white image of people working in the garden at the Ballarat Benevolent Asylum. ballarat benevolent asylum, crimean veteran, architecture, garden

Mrs Hayes worked at the Asylum as a nurse.A black and white photograph of Mrs Dorothy Hayes walking down the road at the Sunbury Asylum. Unmountedsunbury asylum, hospitals, sunbury mental hospital, hays, dorothy (mrs), wilson, dorothy (miss), nurses, george evans collection

This is a photograph of The Avenue leading to the Sunbury Asylum. it is lined with pine trees and post and rail fences. At some stage oak trees were also planted along the avenue. In the late 1990s the trees along the west side of The Avenue were removed as a result of housing development. They were later replaced.The Avenue was the main entrance leading to the former Sunbury AsylumA non-digital copy of a black and white photograph of a tree lined avenue with a white border. Unmounted.Written on the photo: Asylum Avenue/ Sunburysunbury asylum, trees, fences, the avenue, george evans collection

The Ballarat Benevolent Asylum building as depicted in this photograph was demolished in 1941.Black and white panoramic photograph of a large building with well laid our gardens in the foreground. The property is the Ballarat Benevolent Asylumballarat, benevolent asylum, asylum, ballarat benevolent asylum, queen elizabeth benevolent asylum, garden

A similar image #296 states it is a photo of the Asylum taken in 1920.A b/w photograph of the Synbury Asylum (Caloola). Photo is framed and it is torn about 1/3 of the way across the bottom.sunbury asylum, hospital for the insane, department of mental health, caloola, george evans collection

The site for an asylum for indigent members of the Old Colonists' Association of Ballarat. One page from the Victorian Government Gazette No. 129, Friday, 16 October 1891, with information on the Old Colonists' Asylum at Mount Clear. ballarat old colonists' association, ballarat old colonists' club, mount clear, old colonists' homes

This photo was taken on a track outside one of the wards up at the Sunbury Asylum.Faded sepia photo of carriage drawn by 2 horses with 1 male standing near the horse's head and 1 adult male seated with 1 male child in carriage.Written across bottom under photo in blue biro: Superintendents Carriage. ASYLUM. SUNBURY ABOUT 1870dixon, c., transport, horse drawn vehicles, clothing and dress, sunbury asylum, hospital for the insane, mental health, photographers, george evans collection

The Ballarat Benevolent Asylum is an early Ballarat institution. The Building depicted was demolished and is now the site of the Queen Elizabeth centre. Black and white photograph of an early Ballarat building. It is the double storey building known as the Ballarat Benevolent Asylum (Later the Queen Elizabeth Centre) ballarat, benevolent asylum, asylum, ballarat benevolent asylum, queen elizabeth benevolent asylum, welfare, queen elizabeth home

Henry Beater Christian (1886-1962) , was a descendant of one of the earliest settler families in Kew. Employed at the Kew Asylum as a 'public servant', he was a skilled amateur photographer, photographing numerous scenes in Kew and on his travels around Victoria. The majority of his photographs date from 1916 to 1929. His finest photographs are housed in two photograph albums. Digital copy of a photograph from page 6 of the 47-page photograph album containing 261 gelatinous silver images, loaned by Diane Washfold with permission given to digitise and hold a copy in our collection. This is a photograph of the grounds of the Yarra Bend Asylum looking across the Yarra River to the Kew Asylum on the horizon. The photograph predates the 1929 closure of the Yarra Bend Asylum. "Yarra Rvr / Kew"henry beater christian (1886-1962), landscape photography, kew (vic.) — yarra river, christian-washfold collection, photograph albums, yarra bend asylum, kew asylum, yarra bend park

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