httpvh://youtu.be/Wk2CURa9SJA Lachlan Park Hospital circa 1950-60?. This footage shows the Barracks from the front and rear enclosed yard, H Ward and I Ward, the old clock tower and accommodation rooms on the west side of the hospital including the old metal fold up bed. This is very rare footage. Black & White silent footage which was given to us at Willow Court Tasmania Advocacy Group. We would like an accurate year that the footage was taken if anyone could help?
6 Comments
From Sheelagh Wegman (nee Anderson)
I nearly fell off my chair when I looked at this! I am certain that the man peering in the window at 1min 07seconds and again going through the doorway at 3 min 40 seconds is my father Dr Duncan McKenzie Anderson who was Medical Superintendant of Lachlan Park/Royal Derwent from 1952 until his early retirement around 1972. I recall my father at one stage talking about getting someone to film the hospital to bring the poor conditions to the government’s attention (Was it Health Minister Gaha at the time?)My father was an unassuming and gentle man and much loved by his contemporary staff and patients, but was not political and not personallyh ambitious. He was responsible for bringing a more humane and modern approach to the near-mediaeval treatment of psychiatric illness at the time.
The Anderson Family (my family) was the last family to live in the once beautiful old house Frascati, which was originally built for the Colonial Secretary Burnett around 1835-36.
Judging by the models of Holdens in the Avenue, it looks like the early 1960s.
Hello Sheelagh,
I believe that you have been reconnected with a family member in England, I hope that goes well should you choose to follow it up. Thanks for your comments and the bit of history, I am assuming that he is the man looking through the windows of the barracks in the first film, would he also be the man opening the gate in the second film down on the media page? There is a similarity with the picture of him in the book, “Troubled Asylum” page 175. Would I be right a saying that you lived in Frascati? I know the friends of Frascati House would be interested in getting in touch. I will Private email you re: gathering audio stories from past families, staff and Residents.
Cheers
Mark Krause
interesting footage. I too was one of Dr Anderson’s daughters. I will never understand why K ward pictured with it’s clocktower was demolished. I used to graze my pony in the safe grounds of that ward. Once a friend & I climbed the tower and changed the hands of the clock. I recently returned to the hospital and I am sure that the remaining buildings could be used for something.
A great story and a history to be remembered and respected. Hi Catherine, a lot of the history was removed because we didn’t understand it’s real worth so we can only restore the buildings that we have still got, but we can restore the social history, like you grazing your horse in front of K Ward and I love the mischievous one about changing the clock hands. Wonderful memories. Cheers
Mark Krause
I just found your work and presentation here. I am interested because I was recruited in the UK to work for the Tas Public Service as a qualified psychiatric nurse in 1963, arriving in September of that year.
I worked mainly in the newer wards….for largely acute admissions and ‘hospital’ patients on Ward 3 but later with the aloholic team as well as directly with Dr Anderson and Reg Cox. We were promoted to an elevated ‘Special Therapies’ role specially fabricated to avoid career progress conflicts. Conflicts were with the indigent population of personnel who were pursuing the traditional dead mens’ shoes staff progression of qualified staff from a staff nurse role through ward charge nurse heading to nursing admin.
I knew quite a number of clinical staff mentioned throughout….and am tickled to see the names arise again.
Great to see you keeping alive the history of the mental illness services as they have shown themselves and have been shaped by the development of the Commonwealth of Australia and the way that local communities have acted.
Hello Derek,
Thanks for writing to us and give your history. You may have been there at the same time as John Langford who was one of the first locals to travel and be trained in the UK. His video is here: https://youtu.be/xXRlCoxGiVk
Cheers
Mark