Benevolent Asylum

The Destitute Asylums (usually known as Benevolent Asylums or Infirmaries for the destitute) were institutions established throughout the colonies of Australia in the 19th century to house destitute men and deserted, vagrant or homeless women, their children and orphans not able to support themselves. Poor conditions in the sleeping quarters and harsh treatment in some of these institutions created unpleasant experiences for many of those who had to reside in such places.

Victoria had 9 Benevolent Asylums (three attached to hospitals) in 1857 with an annual cost to the colony (including some building costs) of £124,250.[1]

By January 1860 there were 11 Benevolent Asylums in New South Wales housing 1,282 inmates and with a total annual expenditure of £25,822.[2]

Benevolent Asylums and Infirmaries in Australia
  • New South Wales
    • Benevolent Asylum (Hyde Park, Sydney)
    • Carcoar Hospital and Benevolent Asylum
    • Deniliquin Benevolent Asylum
    • Eden Benevolent Asylum
    • Goulburn Benevolent Asylum
    • Hawkesbury Benevolent Asylum, Windsor
    • Liverpool Benevolent Asylum
    • Newcastle Benevolent Society
    • Newington Benevolent Asylum
    • Parramatta Benevolent Asylum
    • Queanbeyan Hospital and Benevolent Asylum
    • Randwick Asylum for Destitute Children
    • Scone Benevolent Asylum and Hospital
    • Singleton and Patrick's Plains Benevolent Asylum
    • Sydney Infirmary and Dispensary,[3] now Sydney Hospital
  • Victoria
    • Ararat Benevolent Asylum
    • Belfast (Port Fairy) Hospital and Benevolent Asylum
    • Ballarat Benevolent Asylum
    • Casterton Benevolent Asylum
    • Castlemaine Benevolent Asylum
    • Creswick Hospital and Benevolent Asylum
    • Daylesford Hospital and Benevolent Asylum
    • Eaglehawk Benevolent Asylum
    • Hamilton Hospital and Benevolent Asylum
    • Ovens Benevolent Asylum, Beechworth
    • Port Fairy Hospital and Benevolent Asylum
    • Sandhurst (Bendigo) Female Benevolent Asylum
    • Sandhurst (Bendigo) Male Benevolect Asylum
    • Melbourne Benevolent Asylum now Kingston Centre[4]
    • Victorian Benevolent Hospital/Asylum, later known as Mount Royal (closed)
    • Geelong Infirmary and Benevolent Asylum[5]
    • Bendigo Benevolent Asylum and Industrial School[6]
    • Warrnambool Benevolent Asylum
  • South Australia
  • Queensland

Several of the buildings of the Adelaide Destitute Asylum are now home to the SA Migration Museum, which opened on August 26, 2003.[8]

References
  1. Report of the Commissioners appointed to enquire into the Municipalities and Charitable Institutions of Victoria, Parliament of Victoria, Report No.52, 1862-63
  2. Sydney Morning Herald, 3 January 1860, p.4
  3. History of Sydney Benevolent Asylum
  4. Melbourne Benevolent Asylum History Archived 2013-04-24 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 1/9/08
  5. Index to the Admission books Archived May 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine - Geelong Infirmary and Benevolent Asylum. Accessed 1/9/08
  6. Picture of Bendigo Asylum at the NGV website, accessed 1/9/08
  7. Dunwich Benevolent Asylum Agency Details. Accessed 1/9/08
  8. History Trust of South Australia Migration Museum Archived 24 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 1/9/2008


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