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Archiver > AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS > 2007-03 > 1173665328


From: Trevor <>
Subject: Re: CEMETERY USED FOR CLIFTON HILL DEATH??
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:08:48 +1100
References: <004801c7639e$3f4927d0$7c0c037b@margaret5254ef><45F4AACE.4080903@aardvark.net.au>
In-Reply-To: <45F4AACE.4080903@aardvark.net.au>


There was a Clifton Hill Lunatic Asylum, with its own cemetery,
established by the New South Wales government in 1848. Upon the
creation of Victoria in 1851 it became known as the Yarra Bend Asylum.
Records are held by the PROV.

A Google search for Yarra Bend Asylum will find several entries,
including a page about the Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum Cemetery with
excellent notes by David Weatherill. There is an aerial photograph
showing the approximate location of the cemetery with comments about
interments there.

A Google Book search will reveal that there was a mention made of the
Clifton Hill Lunatic Asylum in Ernestine Hill's book, "The Great
Australian Loneliness", page 290. Published 1948.

A similar search will also reveal the Northcote History Group's time
line of events in Northcote - see
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~nhcs/Nhcstimeline.html

One entry reads: "1848 � Melbourne Lunatic Asylum opened in Fairfield
beside the Yarra River. Called Yarra Bend in 1851."

Another entry suggests the asylum closed in 1925: "1925 � Northcote
cable tram linked directly to Clifton Hill without the necessity of
change before the Merri Creek. Regent Theatre opened in Thornbury.
Overhead bridge at Clifton Hill constructed for railway to cross High
St. Last patient transferred from Yarra Bend Asylum."

The land occupied by the Lunatic Asylum was later used by the Anglican
Mission of St James and St John for a Venereal Diseases Clinic named
'Fairhaven'. Later still, the site became the site of the "Fairlea"
Women's prison.

A Master's Research Thesis by Richard Bonwick (1996) entitled "A history
of the Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum, Melbourne can be viewed online and
downloaded from Melbourne University. (Google)

There is a very large number of resources about the Asylum and its
Cemetery on line including maps and photographs. Just Google for Yarra
Bend Asylum.

Trevor

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