Christmas time at the Hospital

History has little recorded evidence about Christmas celebrations at the Hospital, because the hospital was mainly concerned with the treatment of people with mental health issues and those who required life-long guardianship and protective care perhaps? The early pastoral care was often left to the local Ministers of religion in New Norfolk whose job it was to also cater for the whole Derwent Valley as well at the hospital’s patients. These were replaced with social workers in later years. It was the job of the local Ministers of Religion to celebrate the mainly Christian Festivals along with volunteers and lay-readers of the time, some of those were Board Members and Official Visitors at the hospital.

It wasn’t their job to arrange the party, so to speak. So who did? The Hospital Women’s Auxiliary and the Parent’s and Friends Association in later years would often be the instigators for fundraising events for the purchase of Patient gifts along with hospital staff and outside organisations of benevolence such as the Richmond Fellowship and Retarded Children’s Association.

The one thing that was clear throughout history is the gatherings in the hall and general celebrations that abounded throughout the year, therefore it would have been hard to think that Christmas wasn’t treated with as much enthusiasm. I have been searching through records and have found some interesting memories shared about Christmas in the hospital. Some of these memories are from board members, cooks and ex staff.

“There were socials, annual balls, Christmas parties where they would enjoy getting dressed up, a swimming pool and lots of recreational things to do and shopping trips for clients who were able.” Employee 1967 to 1978

Mr Baker used to get dressed up as Santa Claus, assisted by Mrs Baker, and visit all the Wards along with carol singers…. there were memories of how table clothes were introduced into the Wards and the children learnt how to sit up, especially for Christmas Meals. Some of the “Do Gooders” stopped all that. Recordings from: Living In Living Out, a collaborative exhibition of sound, text and stereo images, drawn from the experience of work at the Royal Derwent Mental Hospital, created by Poonkhin Khut, Miranda Morris and Martin Walsh.

“There was always plenty of food, I remember cooking all the Christmas Puddings and the kitchen prepared turkey and hams, some of the hams went missing, I think I knew who was responsible but they were in much higher positions than I” Baker/Cook/ Ward Aide 1962-1997

“I remember Christmas presents being given out to the Patients, everyone was given a pair of socks or underwear, I can remember which.” Nurse 9 years

What were your memories of working, living or being in the township of New Norfolk of Christmas and the Hospital?

Do you have pictures of Christmas Celebrations?

Do you know of Patients that went to staff homes for the holidays or to join in at family meals at Christmas?

We are keen to get these stories on the record so that information can be recorded. Stories, both happy and sad, need to be told during the tours of Willow Court so, the many great things, and human tragedies that happened during Christmas at the Hospital can be known.

P.S. This was a post I placed on Facebook on several groups to start a conversation about the Christmas culture at the Hospital. The response was less than stellar except for one person who took the idea to an ex staff forum. The response was quite difference than I thought and was a reminder for me that there was a clear separation between “Patient/Resident and Staff” While this is typical of a medical model, it was a reminder to me that “different people belong within their own social groups”. While this isn’t 100% true and people did break with this code of behaviour, the majority followed cultural expectations.

The comments and memories shared were 90% about staff functions and the fun and interesting times had at these events with only one mentioning patients/residents. I could only come up with one hypothesis and that was based on the evidence, separation was the normal culture during times of celebrations. This is an area I would like more input from people who had experience. (Edited. Mark Krause)

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Book Launch

For those who are local, there are two opportunities to be at the launch of a new book authored by Karen Knight (Postcards from the Asylum) and Liz McQuilkin. The first is at the Hobart Bookshop and the second (yet to be formally announced) is at Willow Court on the Open Day in January 2019. This will be confirmed as news comes to hand. “Renovating Madness” is a book of Poems.

The Launch will be presented by the first Teacher at Lachlan Park Hospital, Margaret Reynolds.

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Official Opening by the Governor

Human Rights Week Celebrations Sign

Today the Friends of Willow Court’s Human Rights Exhibition was officially opened by Her Excellency Professor The Honourable Kate Warner AM, Governor of Tasmania followed by a guided tour through the different aspects of the display. Both Her Excellency and Mr Richard Warner have been supporters of Willow Court and have paid attention to it’s ongoing restoration and activities.

The Governor’s visit to Willow Court Barracks

Also in attendance were Councillors Paul Belcher, Julie Triffett, Anne Salt and newly elected Councillor Rachel Power who is now the Council Representative on the Friends of Willow Court and Frascati House Committees.

The display will be open to the public tomorrow only from 9 am till 5 pm as part of the 70th celebrations of the Declarations of Human Rights.

Her Excellency Professor The Honourable Kate Warner AM, Governor of Tasmania & Mr Richard Warner with Deputy Chair of FoWC Mr Tony Nicholson OAM

 

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December Celebrations

International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is held on 3 December each year.

IDPwD is a United Nations sanctioned day that is celebrated internationally. It aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate their achievements and contributions.

Each year the UN announces a theme to observe for International Day of People with Disability. The annual theme provides an overarching focus on how society can strive for inclusivity through the removal of physical, technological and attitudinal barriers for people with disability. This has been occurring since 1992 when the General Assembly proclaimed 3 December as the International Day of Disabled Persons.

The theme for International Day of People with Disability for 2018 is ‘Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality’. According to the United Nations, 2018’s theme focuses on empowering people with disabilities for an inclusive, equitable and sustainable development as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Today, countries all around the world celebrate the day.

 

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Friends of Willow Court tour and display success.

The second official Friends of Willow Court day of tours and display has past with great success. The group are running tours on the first Sunday of each month at 10 am, 12 mid-day and 2 pm. For those wondering where the takings of the tours go, “the entry fee goes to the Derwent Valley Council, GST and development of resources for future activities on site” according to ex Chair person of the friends of Willow Court.

Head over to our “events page” to see what is happening next and also see our “Open days and Events” under the “Gallery” tab to see what activities have been happening at the site.

 

This month there is an extra event as the Derwent Valley Players are again putting on two short plays “MEET THE MATRON” and “TEA AND CHARITY”, two historical plays written by Sharon Hutchison. They will be performed at The Barracks, circa 1830 WILLOW COURT on Sunday 14th. October, at 11 am and 1.30 pm, with a cream tea served between the two plays at each performance. $30.00 per head.

Bookings 0411 744 248.

 

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Where and what is it?

As a bit of fun we have been going through some photos of the often lost things on the Heritage site. They can be lost because there is simply so much to take in and these things are over looked but they played an important part at the site.

The first picture I put up on the Willow Court History Group’s Facebook group was of a red button. We had a number of people attempt to answer where they thought it was and what it was used for.

It is always good to have ex staff on the Facebook site as they not only know the answers to these questions, they can often add details that had not been known either to me or in records that help us all know what went on behind the walls.

“Matty Graham: That’s an alarm button in the office on the floor in A ward.”

The answer was 100% correct but Matty went on to inform us that C Ward and the Admin Building also had similar foot operated panic alarms.

We also had Carla who had insight into A Ward and stated;

“This button came in handy when the men escaped from C ward and came to get their girlfriends out in A ward.”

She is referring to one of the most recent and well known escapes from the secure hospital Wards. This is when male patients broke out of C Ward and entered A Ward “to get their girlfriends out”.

The other side of this was from a residents view. If you lived in the town of New Norfolk there were different reactions, Paul Mayne remembers growing up and stated; 

“When i was a kid and the alarm went off and we were seen on the streets .. you got to feel the wooden spoon across your ass !!!”

So one photo and we have enjoyed three different perspectives and learnt some new stuff along the way. Thanks guys for participating.

Here is what the Book Troubled Asylum stated about the siren when it was sounded.

“The Lachlan Park Hospital will sound a siren when a patient is considered dangerous escapes” The medical administrator of the hospital (Dr J.R.C. Weatherly) said yesterday the alarm would be three ten-second blasts at five-second intervals. If the patient were recaptured within five hours of the alarm being given. an “all clear”, one thirty second blast would be sounded. Dr Weatherly said the siren would be tested each Friday at noon. The test would be a single 15-second blast. (Troubled Asylum)

Cheers Mark Krause

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