Attending the Inclusive Museum conference in Vienna, Austria, was a very interesting experience. It was a fairly small conference in comparison to some I have attended with thousands of delegates – there appeared to be around 200 participants attending in […]
Vienna, Austria: Inclusive Museum Conference Read More »
Museums of yesteryear were often large, gloomy places, barely accessible to people with limited mobility, with information about exhibits written in small print only legible to those with excellent eyesight. In the late 20th century, the development of small personal
The Digital Museum Read More »
Asylum postcards provide an excellent visual record of the mental hospital over time. While today’s audiences may find these postcards rather grim, photographers of the past found asylum buildings impressive and visually pleasing. For postcard production, photographers sought out appealing
Mayday Hills patients and staff produced The Open Door magazine and engaged in all aspects of the magazine’s production. From hand-colouring each front cover to binding and distribution, it was considered a form of occupational therapy. Contents included announcements of
The Open Door: Patient Magazine Read More »
Children who lived in Beechworth learned at first hand what mental illness was all about. The grounds of Mayday Hills provided ample opportunities for play, and trusted patients were allowed to walk down the hill into the town to go
Beechworth’s Children:
Living In Town Read More »
From its earliest days, senior staff at Mayday Hills lived in official houses within the grounds, together with their wives and children. These children had the unusual opportunity to mingle with staff and patients as they moved around the grounds.
Beechworth’s Children:
Living in the grounds Read More »
Researcher Dr Eileen Clark recently worked on an episode of the television program Who Do You Think You Are (Australia) shown on the SBS channel on Tuesday 18 June 2024 and now on SBS On Demand https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/. The show features
Who Do You Think You Are Read More »
These two black and white photographs of the Beechworth Asylum are titled and dated differently. Photograph One is titled ‘Visitors’ Day’ (circa 1900), and the second is titled: ‘At Beechworth Asylum’ (1880-1900). The visitor’s outfits are identical, and although the
Beechworth Asylum: Visitors’ Day photographs (1880-1900) Read More »
Voices from the Asylum is a dramatic monologue that showcases the seldom heard voices of patients which can be uncomfortable to hear. It includes readings from Bedlam at Botany Bay by James Dunk and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey;
Voices from the Asylum Read More »
James Neilson BRADLEY (1868–1943)James BRADLEY was born in Sandhurst (Bendigo), one of seven children of William BRADLEY and Jane NEILSON. In 1892 he married Ida Emily SCOPES and they had three children, all born in Beechworth. He had a short
Asylum Staff Cricket Team Read More »
