asylum decommissioned psychiatric hospital located princess street boulevard suburb melbourne australia operational largest built australia later known complex buildings constructed design architects house growing number colony victoria purpose built asylum colony victoria larger expensive sister asylum buildings typical examples architecture style popular designed elegant beautiful substantial viewed magnificent asylum insane aim portraying melbourne city whilst avoiding jail like appearance aims use low walls extensively grounds long considered cultural historic significance melbourne complex buildings registered march despite initial grand plans ideals difficult history contributing inquiries years operation including lack resources poor disease common criticisms asylum decades dated facilities criticisms later period continued operate 20th century hospital insane mental hospital psychiatric hospital treating acute long term patients closed december main building surrounding grounds sold 1980s redeveloped residential properties site planning 1850s existing colony victoria years old considered unsuitable originally state disrepair result government colony victoria commissioned report proposing sites designs new asylum contemporary educated opinion built healthy site freely admitting light air drainage gentle fertile country report inspector stated site chosen primary importance depend comfort happiness health inmates site recommended report described site section land acres extent situated miles melbourne mile north village site selected fine slope elevated feet level river admitting proper drainage adapted ornamental grounds aspect chosen south east summer months refreshing influence sea breeze felt exposed south west report idea wind swept locations healthy came wider victorian belief associated disease congestion air caused area recommended asylum originally set aside village reserve locals upset proposal petitioned government avail acres km2 land parish city permanently reserved site asylum government gazette construction began halted immediately reports inferior works foundations investigation followed resigned contractor continued construction designs derived plans earlier outlined basically identical designs larger expensive cost distinctive features asylum complex example plan based model 1850s asylum england based design london considered barracks style asylum perceived resemblance buildings constructed bricks local clay site bricks rendered cement central administration block roof ward wings extend sex wing storey tower contained water tanks ward wings surrounded lined iron retained complex redeveloped internally ceilings brightly coloured walls beds aligned neat rows floors timber principally primary access complex tree lined drive princess street known main drive culminating elliptical main building second drive known lower drive extended princess street rear gates asylum road commonly deliveries asylum rear gatehouse plan detail similar sister asylum larger buildings towers impressive distinctive towers roofs prominent architectural landmarks melbourne clearly visible eastern skyline walls distinctive feature sister use variation walls patients consisted trench vertical faced stone bricks sloped inside walls presented tall face patients escaping outside walls looked low suggest imprisonment journalist described walls excellent arrangement enables patients outside world away appearance feeling walls old walls retained remain intact unlike partially dismantled trenches filled grounds landscaping grounds asylum originally tradition english country park consistent victorian idea pleasant beautiful surroundings help ease mental inmates proposed initial site supplied baron director gardens initially grounds planted conifers large growing trees oaks trees indigenous area river red yellow box retained landscape landscape employed lay grounds park asylum landscape commenced program landscape improvements tree victoria including oak avenues established mature size 1940s conifers widely planted 1860s occasionally oaks oaks widely planted 1880s known responsible oak avenues appears conifers pine oaks planted soon appointment use landscape certainly favoured upright trees possible remnant main drive pine lower drive trees earlier planting scheme trees plants grounds cottages classified historical significance victoria protected property redevelopment addition asylum ornamental gardens grounds featured vegetable gardens farms recreational areas cricket bowling little evidence remains structures road cricket oval patients early patients transferred bend asylum housed main wings men right wing women left dormitory style divided patient type male female paying area women smaller drying located women asylum admission process acts mental act people admitted asylum number means request friend relative acquaintance medical certificates written medical practitioners method amended stated person admitted recommendation medical examined person soon possible admission superintendent hospital required examine patient approve recommended admission discharge patient person found wandering large proper care control brought justices order person removal asylum police usually responsible bringing person justices prisoner crown thought removed jail asylum order chief secretary requested admitted mutually agreed period time onwards end world war little change admission process arriving variable data collected person admitted basic details included age sex marital status address asylum jail transferred details requested included names relatives friends person religion occupation family classified insane information recorded available dates previous form mental disorder condition satisfactory unsatisfactory etc duration existing attack approximately onwards photographs usually taken admission person restless photograph omitted belongings books clothes returned friends family inmates required dress institutional clothes useful number ways assisted public easily identifying escaped inmates reduced need request clothes money clothes family estate conflict inmates swapped stole clothes property estates people deemed insane controlled administered master equity known master given patients years common found pre era insanity general insane noted terms use today different meanings example examining notes early patients likely suffering term severe depression children early days distinction state difficult children children mental housed adults nearly children representing quarter inmates accommodated institutions victoria 1880s government decided separate building built accommodate child inmates recommended bend asylum site appropriate buildings children site main building entrance gates chosen contract let erection cottage units cottages opened idiot ward initially considered ward later known separate institution idiot asylum admitted children children remained residence cottages adults master able commit asylum period months able pay lodging fees private able housed specific institutions placed private semi private abolished provisions act taken converted public retreat opened soon moved famous patients political cartoonist died edward cross dressing woman 1870s test cricketer umpire died test cricketer played australia england died politician newspaper editor father australian author australian test cricketer australian team captain victorian cricketer founders australian rules football investigations inquiries despite initial grand plans ideals difficult history resulting inquiries including inquiry occurred years opened notable inquiry occurred severe outbreak fever time thought virtually melbourne inquiry turn led amendments act improvements state planned construction park asylum public outcry treatment insane colony increased 1870s fueled articles magazines writings officially known insane chaired required report state condition insane public private recommendations final report number commission recommendations implemented prior presentation final report implemented amendment act recommendations implemented proclamation act commission recommended criminal patients kept apart patients male insane patients moved ward asylum female dangerous patients commission recommended housed separate insane led construction recommended increasing role medical doctors medical men sole exclusive right determine fellow citizens insane medical expert stands position witness jury judge prior instances time training insanity changing names changing society years operation title changed numerous times response society changing views treatment care mentally ill persons improvements treatment leading better health outcomes changes establishment institution known asylum title emphasised function place detention place people possibly cured short period known possibly differentiate sister country period people committed asylum termed inmates patients detention cure act changed title victorian hospitals insane act didn come operation march time onwards inmates began referred patients mental act altered title mental hospital asylum hospital patient reflected increased involvement medical profession management treatment mental illness world war period significant change treatment people mental illness drugs discovered australian psychiatrist discovered lead improvements treatment people mental illness cases treated hospital shorter period return community designated hospitals providing short term diagnosis accommodation psychiatric hospitals institution section designated mental hospital long term indefinite section designated psychiatric hospital short term diagnosis treatment acute psychiatric illness decision longer house acute short term patients formally proclaimed time colloquially known asylum 1960s began known authors state change later january proclaimed provisions known unit established receive accommodate short term acute patients grounds opened extensive acres km2 grounds intended farming agriculture recreation inmates treatment methods profiles societal factors changed use grounds changed accordingly large area grounds asylum main buildings princess street allocated separate institution area surrounding cottages longer asylum management longer asylum use widening princess street resulted loss land relocation main gates construction boulevard 1930s lead section asylum river frontage acquired roads department acres km2 northern section asylum grounds offered crown grant colony later known hospital training centre continue operate site day area grounds adjacent colony granted building guide dog breeding training centre opened construction early 1970s resulted property loss redevelopment june town clerk city produced report immediate post war priorities strongly urged council propose closure grounds subdivided laid modern town planning principles homes according ideal post war scheme provide employment needed land housing proposal new establishment asylum proposals closure redevelopment years plans mental hospitals victoria necessitated continued operation bed numbers reduced quarters patients result ongoing mental health reform labor government victoria commissioned project purpose plan hospital develop services facilities community long term patients transferred new nursing homes suburbs opened ward refurbished tuberculosis psychiatric institutions patients previously admitted sent newly built units finally closed december sold late 1980s extensive conservation analysis completed recommended bulk original buildings hospital complex eventually developed residential apartments residential development officially opened october premier remaining main hospital buildings including site asylum cricket field developed residential estate project completed buildings grounds grounds currently redeveloped main drive project conditions development permit required section building set aside maintained museum documented history site led creation display section old female paying patients ward development archive resource collection consisting remaining records artifacts left gained control site resource collection created documented histories documented published histories majority information available asylum comes official records held early documents open open public viewing admission books case notes registers medical journals majority documents dating onwards closed sensitive nature material contain possibility degree relatives alive number photographs kept holds number early photographs small number majority short length architecture based exception unpublished phd thesis description years existence thesis unpublished available form website contemporary accounts life available wrote essay weeks asylum describing admission 1890s american reporter wrote series articles pseudonym thomas attendant time excerpts patients doctors victorian mental hospitals royal park detailing terrible conditions 1920s book plea better treatment mentally afflicted
Kew Asylum