I read about an ex patient who is starting the journey of recording the stories of those fellow patients who saw life from a different angle than those who cared for them. Dannii Lane was one such patient who spent some time at Royal Derwent Hospital and she has called for personal stories from fellow patients. Meanwhile the history post the ‘Troubled Asylum” book is also being composed by an ex-staff member who has been researching the life of the institution over the last few years. No dates have been expressed by either writers, however Dannii expects that this project will take 3-4 years.
This was the call for the stories in the latest Flourish Autumn Newsletter:
After much thought I have decided to write a book about the former Royal Derwent (Psychiatric) Hospital, including when it was known as Lachlan Park, so I’m looking to write about the period 1950 – 2000.
Importantly, I would like the book to be from the perspective of patients who were there during the period in question. It will be their story about their experiences, both good and bad.
To that end, should anyone wish to share their stories and experiences as a patient at the Royal Derwent, in-cluding Willow Court and Millbrook Rise, I would love to hear from you.
The format is not yet decided, but I’m considering the inclusion of photographs, drawings, and poetry, with people’s experiences in the form of short stories. Like any project of this nature, it takes longer to do the re-search than to write up, so I am expecting a timeframe of 3-4 years. It would be nice to see the book published on or just before the 20th anniversary of the closure of the Royal Derwent……I believe it is time for another view to be revealed, and who better to tell the story than the patients themselves.
If you would like to share your story, anonymously if you prefer, my contact details are:
Dannii Lane
Email: antigone_adelphos@yahoo.com.au
Mobile: 0407 943 87
Dannii Lane