Showing 68 items matching "italianate architecture"
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Villa Alba MuseumPhotograph - Exterior, Villa Alba, 2011
... ...italianate architecture - domestic - kew - mebourne - victoria...The photograph is one of a series of views of the interior commissioned from the photographer Russell Winnell by the Board of Management of Villa Alba Museum in 2011. villa alba museum interior design - 19th century paterson brothers - decorators - melbourne russell winnell photography italianate architecture - domestic - kew - mebourne - victoria Photograph Exterior, Villa Alba Russell Winnell ...Built between 1882 and 1884 for the banker William Greenlaw and with interior decoration by the Paterson Brothers, a number of elements of the the interior design scheme reference Greenlaw’s Scottish origins. Following his death in 1895, from 1897 the house was leased and owned by a succession of owners including the Fripp family, the Royal Women’s Hospital and the Mount Royal Hospital before being sold to the Society of Jesus for Xavier College. In 2004 the title was transferred to Villa Alba Museum Inc., and the western section of the garden leased to Xavier College for 99 years. The photograph is one of a series of views of the interior commissioned from the photographer Russell Winnell by the Board of Management of Villa Alba Museum in 2011.villa alba museum, interior design - 19th century, paterson brothers - decorators - melbourne, russell winnell photography, italianate architecture - domestic - kew - mebourne - victoria -
Villa Alba MuseumPhotograph - Exterior, Villa Alba, 2011
... ...italianate architecture - domestic - kew - mebourne - victoria...The photograph is one of a series of views of the interior commissioned from the photographer Russell Winnell by the Board of Management of Villa Alba Museum in 2011. villa alba museum interior design - 19th century paterson brothers - decorators - melbourne russell winnell photography italianate architecture - domestic - kew - mebourne - victoria Photograph Exterior, Villa Alba Russell Winnell ...Built between 1882 and 1884 for the banker William Greenlaw and with interior decoration by the Paterson Brothers, a number of elements of the the interior design scheme reference Greenlaw’s Scottish origins. Following his death in 1895, from 1897 the house was leased and owned by a succession of owners including the Fripp family, the Royal Women’s Hospital and the Mount Royal Hospital before being sold to the Society of Jesus for Xavier College. In 2004 the title was transferred to Villa Alba Museum Inc., and the western section of the garden leased to Xavier College for 99 years. The photograph is one of a series of views of the interior commissioned from the photographer Russell Winnell by the Board of Management of Villa Alba Museum in 2011.villa alba museum, interior design - 19th century, paterson brothers - decorators - melbourne, russell winnell photography, italianate architecture - domestic - kew - mebourne - victoria -
Villa Alba MuseumPhotograph - Exterior, Villa Alba, 2011
... ...italianate architecture - domestic - kew - mebourne - victoria...The photograph is one of a series of views of the interior commissioned from the photographer Russell Winnell by the Board of Management of Villa Alba Museum in 2011. villa alba museum interior design - 19th century paterson brothers - decorators - melbourne russell winnell photography italianate architecture - domestic - kew - mebourne - victoria Photograph Exterior, Villa Alba Russell Winnell ...Built between 1882 and 1884 for the banker William Greenlaw and with interior decoration by the Paterson Brothers, a number of elements of the the interior design scheme reference Greenlaw’s Scottish origins. Following his death in 1895, from 1897 the house was leased and owned by a succession of owners including the Fripp family, the Royal Women’s Hospital and the Mount Royal Hospital before being sold to the Society of Jesus for Xavier College. In 2004 the title was transferred to Villa Alba Museum Inc., and the western section of the garden leased to Xavier College for 99 years. The photograph is one of a series of views of the interior commissioned from the photographer Russell Winnell by the Board of Management of Villa Alba Museum in 2011.villa alba museum, interior design - 19th century, paterson brothers - decorators - melbourne, russell winnell photography, italianate architecture - domestic - kew - mebourne - victoria -
Kew Historical Society IncPhotograph - 'Mandalay', 3 Molesworth Street (Kew), 1979
... ...italianate architecture -- Kew (Vic.)...Manadaly - Molesworth street (kew) historic houses -- kew italianate architecture -- Kew (Vic.) KAIKOURA -- MOLESWORTH STREET -- KEW (VIC.) beswicke & coote Large original, black and white print positive photograph of 3 Molesworth Street, Kew The two storey Italianate mansion has a double loggia and two bay windows on the side of the property. ...'Mandalay' at 3 Molesworth Street, Kew was originally named 'Kaikoura'. Pru Sanderson's 'Kew Urban Conservation Study' (1988) describes the house as: "The first documentary evidence of this property records that William Dawson was the original owner and occupier of this substantial two-storey mansion, built at the outset of the economic depression of the 1890s. Having an initial N.A.V. of £120 4, the house was occupied by Dawson until at least 1904. This two-storeyed rendered house is Italianate in styling and is dominated by a two-storeyed loggia that spans two facades. At ground floor level it is supported on coupled cast iron colonettes and above has single colonettes that support stilted segmental arches. The house is quite typical of its time, however it bears a strong resemblance to 39 Sackville Street probably by Beswicke and Coote (q.v.), and 'Kawarau'.in Hawthorn, designed by Coote. The similarity of these buildings and the fact that Beswicke and Coote called tenders for a house in Molesworth Street, both suggest that this house was also by that firm.Large original, black and white print positive photograph of 3 Molesworth Street, Kew The two storey Italianate mansion has a double loggia and two bay windows on the side of the property. A car is parked in front.manadaly - molesworth street (kew), historic houses -- kew, italianate architecture -- kew (vic.), kaikoura -- molesworth street -- kew (vic.), beswicke & coote -
Kew Historical Society IncPhotograph - 'Fernhurst', 13 Fernhurst Grove, 1978
... ...italianate architecture...Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew. fernhurst 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.) george wharton italianate architecture vila maria society st paul's school for the blind Annotated reverse: "View of Fernhurst Home Taken from Street / 10" Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. ...George Wharton arrived in Melbourne in 1844. An architect and surveyor, he was appointed to lay out the 'Village of Kew' by N.A. Fenwick following the land sales of 1851. A protagonist for Kew's separation from the Boroondara District Road Board, he was elected chairman when Kew achieved municipal status in December 1860. His home, 'Fernhurst', was built in 1866 on eight acres in Studley Park, with a four-storey tower and pyramidal roof. The Italianate home was a prominent Kew landmark. It was demolished in 1979 and replaced by St Paul's College in 1980.Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew.Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. Photographed by Stewart West in May 1978, one year before it was demolished, the photograph gives little idea of the large landholding once surrounding the house. Originally accessed from near the corner of Princess Street and Studley Park Road, its gardens had been subdivided in the 1900s and its footprint restricted to 13 Fernhurst Grove. Like many other grand houses, by the 1970s it had been converted into apartments. From the photograph, one can see that the house had retained many of its original features such as the distinctive tower and the wide bow-fronted verandah. The slates on the roof (apart from those on the tower) had been replaced by tiles and the cement render of the exterior painted white. Annotated reverse: "View of Fernhurst Home Taken from Street / 10"fernhurst, 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.), george wharton, italianate architecture, vila maria society, st paul's school for the blind -
Kew Historical Society IncPhotograph - 'Fernhurst', 13 Fernhurst Grove, 1978
... ...italianate architecture...Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew. fernhurst 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.) george wharton italianate architecture vila maria society st paul's school for the blind Annotated reverse: "Fernhurst from higher ground level side shot / 7" Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. ...George Wharton arrived in Melbourne in 1844. An architect and surveyor, he was appointed to lay out the 'Village of Kew' by N.A. Fenwick following the land sales of 1851. A protagonist for Kew's separation from the Boroondara District Road Board, he was elected chairman when Kew achieved municipal status in December 1860. His home, 'Fernhurst', was built in 1866 on eight acres in Studley Park, with a four-storey tower and pyramidal roof. The Italianate home was a prominent Kew landmark. It was demolished in 1979 and replaced by St Paul's College in 1980.Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew.Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. Photographed by Stewart West in May 1978, one year before it was demolished, the photograph gives little idea of the large landholding once surrounding the house. Originally accessed from near the corner of Princess Street and Studley Park Road, its gardens had been subdivided in the 1900s and its footprint restricted to 13 Fernhurst Grove. Like many other grand houses, by the 1970s it had been converted into apartments. From the photograph, one can see that the house had retained many of its original features such as the distinctive tower and the wide bow-fronted verandah. The slates on the roof (apart from those on the tower) had been replaced by tiles and the cement render of the exterior painted white. Annotated reverse: "Fernhurst from higher ground level side shot / 7"fernhurst, 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.), george wharton, italianate architecture, vila maria society, st paul's school for the blind -
Kew Historical Society IncPhotograph - 'Fernhurst', 13 Fernhurst Grove, 1978
... ...italianate architecture...Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew. fernhurst 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.) george wharton italianate architecture vila maria society st paul's school for the blind Annotated reverse: "Back view of Fernhurst / 8" Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. ...George Wharton arrived in Melbourne in 1844. An architect and surveyor, he was appointed to lay out the 'Village of Kew' by N.A. Fenwick following the land sales of 1851. A protagonist for Kew's separation from the Boroondara District Road Board, he was elected chairman when Kew achieved municipal status in December 1860. His home, 'Fernhurst', was built in 1866 on eight acres in Studley Park, with a four-storey tower and pyramidal roof. The Italianate home was a prominent Kew landmark. It was demolished in 1979 and replaced by St Paul's College in 1980.Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew.Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. Photographed by Stewart West in May 1978, one year before it was demolished, the photograph gives little idea of the large landholding once surrounding the house. Originally accessed from near the corner of Princess Street and Studley Park Road, its gardens had been subdivided in the 1900s and its footprint restricted to 13 Fernhurst Grove. Like many other grand houses, by the 1970s it had been converted into apartments. From the photograph, one can see that the house had retained many of its original features such as the distinctive tower and the wide bow-fronted verandah. The slates on the roof (apart from those on the tower) had been replaced by tiles and the cement render of the exterior painted white. Annotated reverse: "Back view of Fernhurst / 8"fernhurst, 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.), george wharton, italianate architecture, vila maria society, st paul's school for the blind -
Kew Historical Society IncPhotograph - 'Fernhurst', 13 Fernhurst Grove, 1978
... ...italianate architecture...Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew. fernhurst 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.) george wharton italianate architecture vila maria society st paul's school for the blind Annotated reverse: "Fernhurst front view taken from across Fernhurst Grove / 6" Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. ...George Wharton arrived in Melbourne in 1844. An architect and surveyor, he was appointed to lay out the 'Village of Kew' by N.A. Fenwick following the land sales of 1851. A protagonist for Kew's separation from the Boroondara District Road Board, he was elected chairman when Kew achieved municipal status in December 1860. His home, 'Fernhurst', was built in 1866 on eight acres in Studley Park, with a four-storey tower and pyramidal roof. The Italianate home was a prominent Kew landmark. It was demolished in 1979 and replaced by St Paul's College in 1980.Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew.Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. Photographed by Stewart West in May 1978, one year before it was demolished, the photograph gives little idea of the large landholding once surrounding the house. Originally accessed from near the corner of Princess Street and Studley Park Road, its gardens had been subdivided in the 1900s and its footprint restricted to 13 Fernhurst Grove. Like many other grand houses, by the 1970s it had been converted into apartments. From the photograph, one can see that the house had retained many of its original features such as the distinctive tower and the wide bow-fronted verandah. The slates on the roof (apart from those on the tower) had been replaced by tiles and the cement render of the exterior painted white. Annotated reverse: "Fernhurst front view taken from across Fernhurst Grove / 6"fernhurst, 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.), george wharton, italianate architecture, vila maria society, st paul's school for the blind -
Kew Historical Society IncPhotograph - 'Fernhurst', 13 Fernhurst Grove, 1978
... ...italianate architecture...Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew. fernhurst 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.) george wharton italianate architecture vila maria society st paul's school for the blind Annotated reverse: "Front view of Fernhurst showing tower to advantage / 9" Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. ...George Wharton arrived in Melbourne in 1844. An architect and surveyor, he was appointed to lay out the 'Village of Kew' by N.A. Fenwick following the land sales of 1851. A protagonist for Kew's separation from the Boroondara District Road Board, he was elected chairman when Kew achieved municipal status in December 1860. His home, 'Fernhurst', was built in 1866 on eight acres in Studley Park, with a four-storey tower and pyramidal roof. The Italianate home was a prominent Kew landmark. It was demolished in 1979 and replaced by St Paul's College in 1980.Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew.Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. Photographed by Stewart West in May 1978, one year before it was demolished, the photograph gives little idea of the large landholding once surrounding the house. Originally accessed from near the corner of Princess Street and Studley Park Road, its gardens had been subdivided in the 1900s and its footprint restricted to 13 Fernhurst Grove. Like many other grand houses, by the 1970s it had been converted into apartments. From the photograph, one can see that the house had retained many of its original features such as the distinctive tower and the wide bow-fronted verandah. The slates on the roof (apart from those on the tower) had been replaced by tiles and the cement render of the exterior painted white. Annotated reverse: "Front view of Fernhurst showing tower to advantage / 9"fernhurst, 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.), george wharton, italianate architecture, vila maria society, st paul's school for the blind -
Kew Historical Society IncPhotograph - 'Fernhurst', 13 Fernhurst Grove, 1978
... ...italianate architecture...Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew. fernhurst 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.) george wharton italianate architecture vila maria society st paul's school for the blind Annotated reverse: "Fernhurst corner shot through trees / 12-22" Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. ...George Wharton arrived in Melbourne in 1844. An architect and surveyor, he was appointed to lay out the 'Village of Kew' by N.A. Fenwick following the land sales of 1851. A protagonist for Kew's separation from the Boroondara District Road Board, he was elected chairman when Kew achieved municipal status in December 1860. His home, 'Fernhurst', was built in 1866 on eight acres in Studley Park, with a four-storey tower and pyramidal roof. The Italianate home was a prominent Kew landmark. It was demolished in 1979 and replaced by St Paul's College in 1980.Rare colour photograph of what was once a significant mansion in Kew.Original colour positive photograph (Kodak print) of 'Fernhurst' in 1978. Photographed by Stewart West in May 1978, one year before it was demolished, the photograph gives little idea of the large landholding once surrounding the house. Originally accessed from near the corner of Princess Street and Studley Park Road, its gardens had been subdivided in the 1900s and its footprint restricted to 13 Fernhurst Grove. Like many other grand houses, by the 1970s it had been converted into apartments. From the photograph, one can see that the house had retained many of its original features such as the distinctive tower and the wide bow-fronted verandah. The slates on the roof (apart from those on the tower) had been replaced by tiles and the cement render of the exterior painted white. Annotated reverse: "Fernhurst corner shot through trees / 12-22"fernhurst, 13 fernhurst grove -- kew (vic.), george wharton, italianate architecture, vila maria society, st paul's school for the blind -
Kew Historical Society IncSlide - Derham House (formerly 'Mount View), 8 Selbourne Road, 1979
... ...italianate architecture...The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. historic houses -- kew (vic.) ruyton girls' school derham house mount view italianate architecture fountains "Fountain Ruyton in front of Derham House" Colour positive transparency (slide) of the the fountain and garden of Derham House, formerly 'Mount View', 8 Selbourne Road, Kew. ...One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew in 1979-80. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created.Colour positive transparency (slide) of the the fountain and garden of Derham House, formerly 'Mount View', 8 Selbourne Road, Kew. The house wa designed in 1888 by the architect Frederick de Garis as his home. Prue Sanderson, 'Kew Conservation Study: Vol.II" wrote about Mount View that: "The house is typical of the late Victorian period in it being clad in render and styled in the Italianate. It has an asymmetrical composition with polygon bay windows extending up both floors, to each of the main facades. The ground floor is heavily incised with banded rustication, while the first floor is distinguished by the cast iron balconettes to each window. The fountain and pond in the garden appear to be those depicted in the 1903 MMBW plan of the property.""Fountain Ruyton in front of Derham House"historic houses -- kew (vic.), ruyton girls' school, derham house, mount view, italianate architecture, fountains -
Kew Historical Society IncSlide - 'Ross House' (formerly 'Charleville'), Cotham Road, 1976
... Ross House is a fine example of boom time Italianate architecture. ...Ross House is a fine example of boom time Italianate architecture. Slide 'Ross House' (formerly 'Charleville'), Cotham Road ...Colour transparency (slide) created in June 1976 during a tour by the Junior National Trust, which was led by members of Kew Historical Society. The collection of 21 slides reveals that the tour covered all parts of Kew, but focused understandably on heritage buildings and sites.Image of an historic place in Kew that can be dated to an exact time and place. The images, albeit amateurish in composition, frequently reveal aspects of important buildings and sites that have changed over time.35mm colour transparency of the left hand porticos of Ross House (aka Charleville) in Cotham Road, Kew. The colour of the original render is intact, and that of the cast iron columns used in the colonnade, at least in 1976, are white. Ross House is a fine example of boom time Italianate architecture. ross house -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), historic houses -- kew (vic), charleville -- cotham road -- kew (vic.) -
Glen Eira Historical SocietyDocument - Hopetoun, Hopetoun Street, 2, Elsternwick
... It outlines a description of the Italianate villa architectural aspects of Hopetoun Private Hospital, the history of the owners of the property and the recommendations for inclusion on the National Estate Register and for the planning Scheme control. ...It outlines a description of the Italianate villa architectural aspects of Hopetoun Private Hospital, the history of the owners of the property and the recommendations for inclusion on the National Estate Register and for the planning Scheme control. ...Photocopy of Caulfield Conservation Study for this address, conducted in September 1994. It outlines a description of the Italianate villa architectural aspects of Hopetoun Private Hospital, the history of the owners of the property and the recommendations for inclusion on the National Estate Register and for the planning Scheme control. By Andrew Ward. Includes two photocopied photographs of the exterior of the exterior.italianate style, hopetoun, melrose, hospitals, verandahs, mansions, towers, architectural features, architectural styles, webb charles, architects, glenhuntly road, elsternwick, cutts joseph, korong street, king street, hopetoun street, geoghegan hanbury, webb alfred, kopat pty ltd, webb florence mabel, o’brien annie, reeve charles, haines edith, thomas albert, ward andrew, hopetoun private hospital -
Kew Historical Society IncPhotograph - 'Swinton', 23 Swinton Avenue, 2000
... Swinton is of significance as one of the earliest examples of the use of the Italianate in Australian domestic architecture, and for the elegance of its design, particularly in the tower....Swinton is of significance as one of the earliest examples of the use of the Italianate in Australian domestic architecture, and for the elegance of its design, particularly in the tower. swinton Swinton avenue -- kew (Vic.) ...Swinton is of significance as one of the earliest examples of the use of the Italianate in Australian domestic architecture, and for the elegance of its design, particularly in the tower.Original colour positive photograph of the west elevation of Swinton, 23 Swinton Avenue, Kew. Facade facing Yarra River featuring tower and balcony with door and fanlight below. Projecting bay window at left. Rendered brick with slate roof. Ink on reverse: "Swinton - west elevation / Feb 2000"swinton, swinton avenue -- kew (vic.) -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph, J. Collins, c.1940-1950s
... 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. ...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. ...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 MuseumPhotograph, J. Collins
... 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. ...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. ...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 -
Federation University Historical CollectionBook, The Work of Dwight James Baum, 1927 (exact)
... architectural designs art moderne domestic designs ca d zan Book with large blue hard cover. Title is written on the front cover and the spine in gold. Manufacturer's logo is written on front cover in gold. The book includes index, preface and an introduction. black and white illustrations, plates and floor planes of the architect's work such as Ca d Zan, the fantastical Venetian Gothic waterfront palace of John and Mable Ringling in Sarasota, Florida and the stately Italianate house of Anthony Campagna in Riverdale, New York and more. ...Dwight James Baum is an American architect. He was born in 1886 in Newville, New York. As a young man, Baum moved to Syracuse. In 1909, he graduated from Syracuse University with an architecture degree. He worked for Boring and Tilton and Sanford White which are well known Architecture firms in America. Around 1912, he started his own residential design firm. During the 1920s, Baum designed a significant buildings and several houses in Sarasota, Tampa, Terrace, Temple and Florida all in the Mediterranean Revival Style such as the Ringlings dubbed Cà d'Zan, which is now known as the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. In 1923-1924, he also designed Sunset Hill for Mrs. Eugene D. Stocker at Warren, New York which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. During the Depression Baum became involved with Good Housekeeping Magazine as consulting architect, and as designer of their building exhibit at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. His later work includes Hendricks Memorial Chapel at Syracuse University, with John Russell Pope in 1929–1930 and the pedestal for V. Renzo Baldi's statue of Columbus in the city's Columbus Circle. Dwight James Baum died in 1939. Book with large blue hard cover. Title is written on the front cover and the spine in gold. Manufacturer's logo is written on front cover in gold. The book includes index, preface and an introduction. black and white illustrations, plates and floor planes of the architect's work such as Ca d Zan, the fantastical Venetian Gothic waterfront palace of John and Mable Ringling in Sarasota, Florida and the stately Italianate house of Anthony Campagna in Riverdale, New York and more.architecture, architectural designs, art moderne, domestic designs, ca d zan -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Lantern Slide, c1900
... It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being architecturally significant. The extensive complex of buildings are examples of Italianate-style, which is strongly associated with asylums of the 1860s - the period in which construction of this particular asylum began. ...It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being architecturally significant. The extensive complex of buildings are examples of Italianate-style, which is strongly associated with asylums of the 1860s - the period in which construction of this particular asylum began. ...This glass slide captures a scene from a male hospital ward at Mayday Hills Mental Asylum. Also known as the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum, Mayday Hills was officially opened on the twenty-fourth of October 1867 and was commissioned following lobbying from Beechworth Municipal Council concerning a need for better living conditions for individuals confined to the town's gaol. These individuals, as well as many others who were brought from surrounding institutions, exhibited behaviours that were deemed to be unfit for mainstream society. At its peak, the asylum consisted of sixty-seven buildings and housed over twelve-hundred patients and five-hundred staff. At the time of Australian Federation in 1901 - just a year after this photograph was taken - the patient population numbered six-hundred and seventy-four. The asylum was officially closed in 1996. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being architecturally significant. The extensive complex of buildings are examples of Italianate-style, which is strongly associated with asylums of the 1860s - the period in which construction of this particular asylum began. Today the asylum offers tours to visitors, including daytime history tours and night-time ghost tours. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques.This glass slide is socially and historically significant as it is representative of the lives of the nurses and patients at Beechworth Mayday Hills Asylum in the early twentieth century. It is also historically significant as it is representative of the changing style of treatments and attitudes towards mental illness. Thin translucent sheet of glass with a circular image printed on the front and framed in a black backing. It is held together by metal strips to secure the edges of the slide.Obverse: h /lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, mayday hills, mayday hills hospital, mayday hills asylum, beechworth lunatic asylum, beechworth mental asylum, psychiatric hostpital, beechworth, burke museum, beechworth municipal council, beechworth patients, psychiatric patients, victorian heritage register, 1900, 1900 mayday hills, italianate style, 19th century asylums, asylums victoria, male ward mayday hills -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Lantern Slide, c1900
... It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being architecturally significant. The extensive complex of buildings are examples of Italianate-style, which is strongly associated with asylums of the 1860s - the period in which construction of this particular asylum began. ...It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being architecturally significant. The extensive complex of buildings are examples of Italianate-style, which is strongly associated with asylums of the 1860s - the period in which construction of this particular asylum began. ...Taken in approximately 1900, this glass slide captures an image of a Mayday Hills Mental Asylum nurse. Also known as the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum, Mayday Hills was officially opened on the twenty-fourth of October 1867 and was commissioned following lobbying from Beechworth Municipal Council concerning a need for better living conditions for certain individuals confined to the town's gaol. These individuals, as well as many others who were brought from surrounding institutions, exhibited behaviours that were deemed to be unfit for mainstream society. At its peak, the asylum consisted of sixty-seven buildings and housed over twelve-hundred patients and five-hundred staff. At the time of Australian Federation in 1901 - just a year after this photograph was taken - the patient population numbered six-hundred and seventy-four. The designated site of the institution was chosen due to its scenery and altitude. It was argued that these picturesque surroundings would assist in curing the hospital's patients of their ailments. The asylum was officially closed in 1996. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being architecturally significant. The extensive complex of buildings are examples of Italianate-style, which is strongly associated with asylums of the 1860s - the period in which construction of this particular asylum began. Today the asylum offers tours to visitors: both daytime history tours and night-time ghost tours. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques.This glass slide is socially and historically significant as it is representative of the lives of the nurses who worked at Beechworth's Mayday Hills Asylum in the early twentieth century. Thin translucent sheet of glass with a portrait image printed on the front. It is held together by metal strips to secure the edges of the slide.burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, mayday hills, mayday hills mental asylum, beechworth asylum, beechworth asylum nurses, psychiatric nurses, psychiatric care, 1900 mayday hills, victorian heritage register, italianate style, 19th century asylums, asylums victoria -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph - Lantern Slide, c1900
... It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being architecturally significant. The extensive complex of buildings are examples of Italianate-style, which is strongly associated with asylums of the 1860s - the period in which construction of this particular asylum began. ...It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being architecturally significant. The extensive complex of buildings are examples of Italianate-style, which is strongly associated with asylums of the 1860s - the period in which construction of this particular asylum began. ...Taken in approximately 1900, this glass slide captures an image of two Mayday Hills Mental Asylum nurses. Also known as the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum, Mayday Hills was officially opened on the twenty-fourth of October 1867 and was commissioned following lobbying from Beechworth Municipal Council concerning a need for better living conditions for certain individuals confined to the town's gaol. These individuals, as well as many others who were brought from surrounding institutions, exhibited behaviours that were deemed to be unfit for mainstream society. At its peak, the asylum consisted of sixty-seven buildings and housed over twelve-hundred patients and five-hundred staff. At the time of Australian Federation in 1901 - just a year after this photograph was taken - the patient population numbered six-hundred and seventy-four. The designated site of the institution was chosen due to its scenery and altitude. It was argued that these picturesque surroundings would assist in curing the hospital's patients of their ailments. The asylum was officially closed in 1996. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register as being architecturally significant. The extensive complex of buildings are examples of Italianate-style, which is strongly associated with asylums of the 1860s - the period in which construction of this particular asylum began. Today the asylum offers tours to visitors: both daytime history tours and night-time ghost tours. Lantern slides, sometimes called 'magic lantern' slides, are glass plates on which an image has been secured for the purpose of projection. Glass slides were etched or hand-painted for this purpose from the Eighteenth Century but the process became more popular and accessible to the public with the development of photographic-emulsion slides used with a 'Magic Lantern' device in the mid-Nineteenth Century. Photographic lantern slides comprise a double-negative emulsion layer (forming a positive image) between thin glass plates that are bound together. A number of processes existed to form and bind the emulsion layer to the base plate, including the albumen, wet plate collodion, gelatine dry plate and woodburytype techniques. Lantern slides and magic lantern technologies are seen as foundational precursors to the development of modern photography and film-making techniques.This glass slide is socially and historically significant as it is representative of the lives of the nurses who worked at Beechworth's Mayday Hills Asylum in the early twentieth century.Thin translucent sheet of glass with a portrait image printed on the front. It is held together by metal strips to secure the edges of the slide.burke museum, beechworth, lantern slide, slide, glass slide, plate, burke museum collection, photograph, monochrome, 1900 mayday hills, mayday hills, beechworth mental hospital, beechworth mental asylum, beechworth asylum nurses, psychiatric nurses, psychiatric care, victorian heritage register, italianate style, 19th century asylums, asylums victoria -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPostcard, George Rose, c.1945
... 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 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 MuseumPhotograph, c.2000
... 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. ...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 MuseumPostcard, C. F. Falk, c.1930
... 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. ...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 MuseumPostcard, R & B Hall, c.1930
... 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. ...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 MuseumPhotograph
... 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. ...This image is a copy of a photograph depicting the front façade of the Mayday Hills Hospital by an unknown photographer. The date this photograph was captured has not been recorded but due to the appearance of the water fountain in the front garden, it can be estimated to be during the 1930s. The fountain does not remain on the site today but stood in the same location, alongside other physical markers, to that in photographs dating to the 1930s. This allows an estimated date of 1930s for this photograph. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like this postcard which portray the structure in a highly deliberate manner. Images like this depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic papermental hospital, insane asylum, mayday hills mental hospital -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph
... 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. ...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 -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph
... 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. ...Photographed in the early 1900s, this black and white photograph depicts 25 members of the Mayday Hills Hospital Staff. Five men sit in front of the group, upon the ground and behind them, in bright white clothing, sit eight female nurses upon a long bench (one of these nurses is identified on the rear as Miss A.J. Ross). Behind these women stand 12 men. The men are all wearing dark clothing and several have 'Kepi' style hats. The staff photograph was captured by Frazer and Vallance Photographers Melbourne. This image was originally combined with 1997.2490 but these images have since been torn apart and catalogued separately. Beechworth's Mayday Hills was chosen as the site of Victoria's newest asylum, at the time, due to the landscape and altitude. The hilltop atmosphere and the native fauna, it was argued, would assist in the cure of the patients kept at the hospital (Wood 1985, 122). The positioning of the hospital had a beneficial effect on the rural town. A pamphlet published by James Ingram and Son (1849) reveal that famous landmarks in Beechworth which included the Post Office, Gaol, Courthouse and Asylum "demonstrate the appreciation of Beechworth by the Government not only as as important district center, but also as a site unrivaled as a sanitarium". There were other locations in contention at the time, but ultimately Beechworth was chosen (Craig 2000, 33). Prior to the creation of the Asylum in Beechworth, those charged with having mental illnesses or, as it was termed, "insanity" were unable to be properly cared for in the Gaol (which is where they were often sent). John Buckley Castieau wrote, in 1861 for the Ovens and Murray Advertiser, that the Gaol was unable to properly care for those classified then as "insane" but that they would endeavor to treat them above the other inmates (which he notes is not always the case in other establishments). Castieau wrote this in favour of supporting the building of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth. It was stated that at the time the Mayday Hills Hospital was built, there were 83 prisoners kept in the Gaol who were to be rehoused to the Hospital on the grounds of "insanity". The classification as someone as "insane", in this period of time is a reflection on the inability to cure and understand illnesses of the mind during the mid to late 1800s. Opening on the 24th of October 1867, the Mayday Hills Hospital was originally named the "Ovens Lunatic Asylum", a title which is very much a product of its time. Whilst controversial, changes to the name is part of the history of the Hospital and can provide much insight into the understanding of mental illness throughout history and the use/disuse of this term provides information into the reception/changing opinions of mental illness in society. The Hospital would later become known as the "Mayday Hills Asylum" and/or "Mayday Hills Hospital" with the latter being the most commonly used title. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser notes that on the 7th of March 1865, the foundation stone of the Hospital was laid (it would officially open in 1867) and that it was such a moment of accomplishment and joy for Beechworth that a letter to the editor even suggested that there should be a holiday dedicated to the day the foundation stone as laid. This reveals an extent to which the townspeople of early Beechworth valued the construction of the Hospital in their town. It provided the town with a sense of prestige and honour.At first glance, the remains of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria, inspire tragedy, trauma and beauty. The buildings themselves, with their Italianate style Renaissance architecture designed by J.J. Clark (Craig 2000, 49 & Smith 2016, 203) reflect a bygone period of European and Australian history. The gardens provide a sense of tranquility and beauty. The experience of those within these walls remains a valuable area of study to provide a more complete understanding. This particular hospital is considered the fourth of its like and one of three identified as the largest of their kind. The Mayday Hills Hospital is a sister to the Kew and Ararat Asylums in Melbourne which are both located in relative proximity. Understanding the role of the Mayday Hills Hospital in Beechworth history is integral to understanding the development of the goldfields town, but also for providing important information as to the history of caring for, and the reception of, mental illnesses in Australian and wider European history. Mayday Hills provides a case study which can be researched through oral history, an analysis of the grounds/buildings and through images like this postcard which portray the structure in a highly deliberate manner. Images like this depict the strong façade of the Hospital and provide a glimpse into the tranquility of the gardens. This has been done deliberately to provide a sense of comfort and healing about the building to those looking from the outside. Further research into the importance of the Hospital in Beechworth and it's connection to the town will be supported through images like these kept in the Mayday Hills photo album in the collection of the Burke Museum.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on photographic paper mounted on cardFrazer & Vallance Photographers Melbournemental asylum, beechworth -
The Beechworth Burke MuseumPhotograph
... 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. ...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 MuseumPhotograph
... 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. ...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 MuseumPhotograph
... 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. ...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
