Benevolent Asylum (c. 1850 - )

From

c. 1850

Benevolent asylums were institutions set up in the nineteenth century to house destitute men, women and children, as well as deserted wives, waifs'and orphans. During the gold rush era in Victoria, many benevolent asylums were established, both in Melbourne and regional towns including Bendigo and Ballarat. Before the establishment of institutions specifically for children, many children who would later be classed as neglected or juvenile offenders were accommodated in benevolent asylums.