157. Benevolent Asylum SH 566, c. 1877, by Charles Percy Pickering, 1825-1908, courtesy of State Library of New South Wales.
Details
Benevolent asylums were private institutions set up in the nineteenth century to house 'destitute' men, women and children, expectant mothers (lying-in) as well as 'deserted wives', 'waifs', 'neglected children' and 'orphans'. In New South Wales benevolent asylums were funded by the government.
The Benevolent Society of New South Wales set up its first asylum in 1821, on the corner of Pitt and Devonshire Streets in Sydney (at the current site of Central Station). It also used Liverpool Hospital, Ormond House in Paddington, and Hyde Park Barracks. In 1901 the Devonshire Street building was demolished to make way for Central Station and the Benevolent Society established the Royal Hospital for Women in Paddington in 1905, which was government funded from 1913 but operated by the Society until 1987. The Society also set up Renwick Homes for Children, Scarba House and the Thomas Street Asylum.
Prepared by: Naomi Parry
Created: 26 October 2011, Last modified: 19 August 2013
Last updated: 4 August 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/nsw/biogs/NE00965b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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