The following images are from the Mayday Hills Art Society collection, located within the former Mayday Hills psychiatric hospital building at Beechworth, Victoria. I’m including David Lawrence’s identification of each image – David is on the management committee of the Mayday Hills Art Society and is a researcher and archivist.
The remaining buildings at Mayday Hills are being re-purposed and where possible sold, to new owners. One of the previous female wings was cosmetically renovated and the Mayday Hills Art Society came into existence to provide studio, exhibition and workshop spaces for local artists. They hold a small collection of archival materials, and visitors are welcome to look through their holdings. The following photographs are from their collection:
First photo of Beechworth Lunatic Asylum taken by Algernon Hall in 1866. Image later photo engraved and published in Supplement to the Ovens & Murray Advertiser, Thursday 23 May 1867.Top: Plan of the Beechworth Lunatic Asylum and farm dated 1873. Only shows main buildings and Ha-Ha walls. Bottom image: engineering plans of water supply system with main wards and cottage wards enclosed within Ha-Ha walls. Images from Palace of Broken Dreams, Cohesion Press 2017. https://www.amazon.com.au/Palace-Broken-Dreams-History-Beechworth/dp/19256232381900 postcard of asylum, Beechworth. Men’s wards in front, women’s wards in distance. In front are the Ha-Ha walls enclosing the laundry complex.Cricket XI team at mental health hospital Mayday Hills Beechworth Victoria, Australia.. The group is posed in a garden, against a background of bushes. 1912-1913 cricket XI premiers with trophy in front. Staff officers in suits behind.Nursing and administration staff, and some general staff in Kepis dated 1914. Photo also published in ‘Punch’ magazine 18 June 1914.Hand drawn, aerial view plan of Beechworth Mental Hospital, Victoria, Australia showing location of oval, vineyard, orchards, vegetable garden, administration, and hospital areas. Circa 1920. Plan has been coloured by hand using coloured pencils. Registration No. SH923138 Original drawing of the asylum and farm before Ha-Ha walls were removed. Dated pre-1956 at top but most likely ca1930s.The Asylum cricket team dated 1930 with a small cricket trophy in front. Two administration officers in suits.The arch built at the front gate beside the Gate Lodge (Gatehouse) to celebrate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother). Coronation date 12 May 1937.
