Mental Asylums

Also see Hospitals.
Also see Benevolent Asylums.

OVERVIEW

Prior to the 2000s people with serious mental illnesses or disabilities entered or were committed to institutions such as asylums, licensed houses or receiving houses; the patients may have included people with dementia. Most of these were run by the colonial or state government.

The criminally insane were held at J Ward of Ararat Lunatic Asylum from 1886 to 1991. This was previously Ararat Prison.

For the period 1840 to 1986 inquests were mandatory if a person died in a government institution such as a lunatic asylum/ mental hospital. After 1986 inquests were held when a person died in an assessment / treatment centres registered under Alcoholics and Drug Dependent Persons Act or mental health institutions. See Inquests and Coronial Records.

MELBOURNE AND SUBURBS

• Yarra Bend, Fairfield (Asylum 1848-1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905-1925)
• Collingwood Asylum 1864-1873
• Cremorne Asylum, Richmond 1868-1884
• Kew (Asylum 1871-1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905-1934; Mental Hospital 1934-c.1970s; Mental/ Psychiatric Hospital c.1970s-1988) (also known as Metropolitan Asylum or Willsmere Hospital)
• Kew Cottages (Kew Idiot Ward/ Asylum 1887-1929; Cottages 1929-1962; Training Centre 1962-c1997; Kew Residential Services c1997-2008)
• Northcote Inebriate Asylum 1890-1892
• Royal Park (Receiving House 1907-1959; Hospital for the Insane 1909-1934; Mental Hospital 1934-1954; Psychiatric Hospital 1959-1999)
• Mont Park, Bundoora (Hospital for the Insane 1912-1934; Mental Hospital 1934-1991; Psychiatric Hospital 1971-1991)
• Heatherton Hospital (previously known as Heatherton Sanatorium 1913-1974; Heatherton Hospital 1974-1995; Alfred Healthcare Group - Heatherton Campus 1995-1998)
• Bundoora Repatriation Hospital (previously known as Bundoora Convalescent Farm 1920-1924; Bundoora Repatriation Mental Hospital "B" 1924-1933; Repatriation Mental Hospital, Bundoora 1933-1993)
• Travancore (Special School 1933-1938; Developmental Centre 1938-1968; Psychiatric Development Centre 1968-1982; Child and Family Centre 1982-Present)
• Gresswell Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre, Macleod (previously Gresswell Tuberculosis Sanatorium 1933-1970)
• Larundel, Bundoora (Mental Hospital 1953-1991; Receiving House 1953-1959; Psychiatric Hospital 1959-1999)
• Plenty, Bundoora (Mental Hospital 1963-1991; Psychiatric Hospital 1971-1991)
• Dandenong Psychiatric Centre
• St. Nicholas Mental Hospital, Carlton
• Malvern Clinic
• Parkville (Psychiatric Unit 1966-1984; Adolescent Unit 1984-1991)
• Thomas Embling Hospital, Fairfield 2000-Present
• Sunnyside Licensed House, Camberwell 1905-1916
• Cloverdale Licensed House, Toorak 1906-1911
• Landcox Licensed House, Brighton 1906-1910
• Merton Licensed House, Brighton 1906-1954
• Mt Ida Licensed House, East Hawthorn 1906-1928
• Lara Inebriate Retreat 1907-1937
• Glen Holme Licensed House, Caulfield 1910-1922
• The Tofts Licensed House, Frankston 1910-1924
• Brightside Inebriate Retreat 1910-1945
• St Helens/ Pleasant View, Preston (St Helens Licensed House 1916-1928; Pleasant View Licensed House 1928-1953; Pleasant View Receiving House 1953-1962; Pleasant View Psychiatric Hospital 1962-1973; Pleasant View Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre 1973-1995)
• Belmont Licensed House, Kew 1922-1936
• Hillcrest Licenced House, Murrumbeena 1939-1950

REGIONAL AREAS

• Sunbury (Asylum 1879-1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905-1934; Mental Hospital 1934-1962; Mental Hospital/Training Centre 1962-1985; Caloola Training Centre 1985-1992)
• Ballarat (Asylum 1877-1879; 1893-1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905-1934; Mental Hospital 1934-1969; Lakeside Hospital 1969-1996)
• Ararat (Asylum 1867-1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905-1934; Mental Hospital 1934-1993; Training Centre 1966-1993; Ararat Forensic Psychiatry Centre 1991-1997; Training Centre and Mental Hospital known as non-statutory name of Aradale)
• Bendigo Hospital, Receiving Ward 1873-1951
• Beechworth (Asylum 1867-1905; Hospital for the Insane 1905-1934; Mental Hospital 1934-1967; Mayday Hills Mental Hospital 1967-1991; Mayday Hills Psychiatric Hospital 1978-1995)
• Castlemaine District Hospital, Receiving Ward 1873-?
• Geelong Infirmary, Receiving Ward 1873-?
• Upper Goulburn Hospital, Wood's Point Receiving Ward 1873-?
• Gippsland Hospital, Sale Receiving Ward 1873-?
• Warrnambool Mental Hospital
• Traralgon (Hobson Park Hospital 1963-1971; Mental/Psychiatric Hospital 1971-1995)
• Stawell Mental Hospital
• Sandhurst Boys Centre, Bendigo
• Shepparton (Ambermere Hospital late 1920s-1967; Ambermere Psychiatric Hospital 1967-1996)

PATIENT RECORDS

Patient records may be closed under Section 9 of the Public Records Act and they will not be released for 75 years after the creation of the records. An application under Freedom of Information may be made.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF VICTORIA - MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS

The Public Record Office of Victoria has records from institutions such as mental asylums and receiving houses that have now closed. The records that have been digitized on their website are given below by region.

This is a finding aid for mental health records.

https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/health-and-welfare/mental-health-records-1849-1912

ANCESTRY - VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASYLUM RECORDS, 1853-1940

These include asylum records from the Public Record Office Victoria. They are searchable and may be browsed.

https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=61566

ANCESTRY - VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, LUNATIC ESTATES AND REGISTER, 1867-1906

This collection contains an inventory book of estates belonging to mental health patients as well as a register of patients in mental health facilities in Victoria, Australia.They are searchable and may be browsed.

https://search.ancestry.com.au/search/db.aspx?dbid=60712

FINDMYPAST - VICTORIA, MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTIONS 1849-1919

This collection is comprised of both transcripts and images of the records from eleven different mental health institutions in Victoria, Australia. They are searchable.

https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-Records/victoria-mental-health-institutions

MELBOURNE AND SUBURBS

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF VICTORIA - MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS

They have digitised the following mental asylum or receiving house records:

YARRA BEND, FAIRFIELD 1848-1912

• Yarra Bend Asylum Alphabetical Lists of Patients 1849-1884 (VPRS 7446 P1)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/CAB4C8DF-F4EE-11E9-AE98-B7F680C38D46?image=1

• Yarra Bend Asylum Index to Male and Female Case Books 1848-1912 (VPRS 7422)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7422

COLLINGWOOD 1864-1873

• Collingwood Asylum Alphabetical Lists of Patients 1864-1873 (VPRS 7446 P1)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/CAB7AF11-F4EE-11E9-AE98-11C8C898CBDC?image=1

• Collingwood Asylum Register of Patients 1866-1871 (VPRS 7721)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7721

CREMORNE, RICHMOND 1868-1884

• Cremorne Asylum, Richmond Alphabetical Lists of Patients 1868-1884 (VPRS 7446 P1)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/CAC061A7-F4EE-11E9-AE98-0DCC3B34FC2A?image=1

KEW 1871-1919

• Kew Asylum Alphabetical Lists of Patients 1871-1885 (VPRS 7446 P1)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/CAC347D9-F4EE-11E9-AE98-4FABD6AD9A93?image=1

• Kew Asylum Nominal Register of Patients 1871-1914 (VPRS 7690)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7690

• Kew Asylum Register of Patients 1871-1919 (VPRS 7680)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7680

• Index to Male and Female Case Books 1848-1912 (VPRS 7422)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7422

ROYAL PARK 1907-1913

• Royal Park Hospital for the Insane Nominal Register of Patients 1907-1913 (VPRS 7423)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/B8C80292-F4EE-11E9-AE98-19C5D628E6CE?image=1

SUNNYSIDE LICENSED HOUSE, CAMBERWELL 1905-1915

See St Helens Licensed House, Preston.

ST HELENS LICENSED HOUSE, PRESTON 1905-1915

These records include those for Sunnyside Licensed House, Camberwell.

• St. Helens, Preston Case Book 1905-1915 (VPRS 7490)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7490

GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA - GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES

The Genealogical Society of Victoria has indexes and digitised mental hospital records online in its Genealogical Index of Names (GIN). Mental hospital records included:

• Kew Asylum: case books 1871-1912
• Mont Park (?): asylum registers 1912-1955

https://www.gsv.org.au/article/our-collection

SUNBURY

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF VICTORIA - MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS

They have digitised the following mental asylum or receiving house records:

SUNBURY 1877-1920

• Sunbury Asylum Alphabetical Lists of Patients 1879-1885 (VPRS 7446 P1)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/CAC93B4D-F4EE-11E9-AE98-FFDF4D8DADE0?image=1

• Sunbury Asylum/ Hospital for the Insane Nominal Register of Patients 1877-1907

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7428

• Sunbury Asylum Register of Patients 1877-1920 (VPRS 8236)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS8236

 

BALLARAT

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF VICTORIA - MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS

They have digitised the following mental asylum or receiving house records:

BALLARAT 1877-1907

• Ballarat Asylum Alphabetical Lists of Patients 1877-1884 (VPRS 7446 P1)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/CAC62E0B-F4EE-11E9-AE98-7F4176C0AFF2?image=1

• Ballarat Asylum/ Hospital for the Insane Nominal Register of Patients 1893-1907 (VPRS 7426)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7426

ARARAT

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF VICTORIA - MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS

They have digitised the following mental asylum or receiving house records:

ARARAT 1867-1906

• Ararat Asylum Alphabetical Lists of Patients 1867-1884 (VPRS 7446 P1)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/CABA9543-F4EE-11E9-AE98-A52B8581B966?image=1

• Ararat Asylum/ Hospital for the Insane Nominal Register of Patients 1867-1906 (VPRS 7427)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7427

BENDIGO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF VICTORIA - MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS

They have digitised the following mental asylum or receiving house records:

BENDIGO 1874-1908

• Receiving Ward, Bendigo Hospital Register of Patients 1874-1908 (VPRS 7493)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7493

BENDIGO REGIONAL ARCHIVES CENTRE - BENDIGO HOSPITAL RECEIVING WARD REGISTER OF PATIENTS 1874-1908 INDEX (VPRS 7493)

The Receiving Ward housed patients that had mental health issues.

https://www.brac.vic.gov.au/_files/ugd/cdba08_c2a527cee3314675853b3a6f3c116a28.pdf

BENDIGO REGIONAL ARCHIVES CENTRE - BENDIGO HOSPITAL RECEIVING WARD PATIENT RECORDS 1908-1941 INDEX (VPRS 18845)

The Receiving Ward housed patients that had mental health issues.

https://www.brac.vic.gov.au/_files/ugd/cdba08_b57f0b79e0754f409721021e5a7bac13.pdf

BENDIGO REGIONAL ARCHIVES CENTRE - BENDIGO HOSPITAL RECEIVING WARD PETTY SESSIONS REGISTERS 1942-1950 INDEX (VPRS 18842)

The Receiving Ward housed patients that had mental health issues.

https://www.brac.vic.gov.au/_files/ugd/cdba08_c02a566639a1490f89a312b4c378b1db.pdf

BEECHWORTH

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF VICTORIA - MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS

They have digitised the following mental asylum or receiving house records:

BEECHWORTH 1867-1912

Beechworth Asylum Alphabetical Lists of Patients 1867-1884 (VPRS 7446 P1)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/CABD5465-F4EE-11E9-AE98-B97BEFDD863E?image=1

• Beechworth Asylum Case Book of Male Patients 1867-1912 (VPRS 7395)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7395

• Beechworth Asylum Case Book of Female Patients 1878-1912 (VPRS 7396)

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7396

NEWSPAPERS

Newspapers may include articles of news where the circumstances under which a person has been committed to a lunatic asylum/ mental hospital are recounted. See Newspapers, Magazines and Journals.

STAFF RECORDS

Also see Public Servants.

ARCHIVAL ACCESS VICTORIA - BEECHWORTH ASYLUM STAFF REGISTER 1867-1966

This database contains over 6,000 names of individuals who were employed at the Beechworth Asylum between 1867 when the asylum opened and 1966. A digital image can then be accessed linked to the name.

https://datastudio.google.com/reporting/ece41169-8f0b-481d-bf76-31ce16013930/page/xxtWC

BUILDING RECORDS

See Buildings.

BOARD AND TRIBUNAL

VICTORIAN MENTAL HEALTH REVIEW BOARD 1987-PRESENT

https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/cases/vic/VMHRB/

VICTORIAN MENTAL HEALTH TRIBUNAL 2014-PRESENT

https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/cases/vic/VMHT/