The original Barracks at the Insane Asylum, 2009, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Details
The Lunatic Asylum, New Norfolk began in 1827 as the Invalid Barracks for convicts. A good proportion of the invalids were classified as 'lunatics' and as the hospital became more crowded, it increasingly specialised in 'caring' for people with this diagnosis. Over time it catered for all kinds of people, rather than just convicts. The Lunatic Asylum became the Hospital for the Insane in 1859.
1827 - 1859 Lunatic Asylum, New Norfolk
1859 - 1915 Hospital for the Insane, New Norfolk
1915 - 1937 Mental Diseases Hospital, New Norfolk
1937 - 1968 Lachlan Park Hospital
1968 - 2000 Royal Derwent Hospital
Sources used to compile this entry: Willow Court Asylum Complex: Tasmanian Heritage Entry, Heritage Tasmania, Hobart, 2008; Brown, Joan C., 'Poverty is not a crime': the development of social services in Tasmania, 1803-1900, Tasmanian Historical Research Association, Hobart, 1972, 192 pp; Gowlland, RW, Troubled asylum: the history of the Invalid Barracks, New Norfolk Colonial Hospital, New Norfolk Madhouse, New Norfolk Her Majesty's Lunatic Asylum, New Norfolk Mental Diseases Hospital, New Norfolk Lachlan Park, New Norfolk Royal Derwent Hospital, Self publication, New Norfolk, 1996.
Prepared by: Caroline Evans
Created: 7 June 2012, Last modified: 14 March 2014