Adelaide Destitute Asylum


The Destitute Asylum was a government-funded institution in Adelaide in the colony of South Australia, designed to support those of its citizens who had no means of financial support, especially new arrivals and mothers with children. It was first established around 1839 as a Native School, with boarding facilities, for teaching local Aboriginal children, and functioned for some years in this capacity. As the school was not fully supported and therefore under-utilised, it started being used for young women arriving in the colony on their own, sometimes as orphans, and around 1850 became the Destitute Asylum. By 1855 it was holding both males and females, many of whom had been transferred for convalescence from the Adelaide Hospital.
The Destitute Asylum was housed in several buildings, some of which were altered over time. Part of the old asylum now houses the Migration Museum in Kintore Avenue. The asylum was eventually closed in 1912.

History

Background

In 1839 The South Australian Register called for establishment of a benevolent society which would provide the necessities of life for widows and orphans, abandoned children, and industrious workers who by sickness or injury could not provide for themselves and their families; all assuming they had no family to call on. No consideration was given to destitution as the result of general unemployment.

Native School

Around 1839 a Native School, later designated "Native School Establishment" with boarding facilities was established in the Park Lands near North Terrace in a section designated the Native Location. It was opened in December 1840, supported by Governor George Gawler. By 1841 it had had sufficient success to establish that Aboriginal children were every bit as bright and teachable as white students; however the number attending remained small, largely due to indolence on the part of the colonisers. However this site was dismantled in 1845, on the orders of Governor George Grey, who thought it best to take the children away from their parents, and a new Native School run by the government, which taught only in English, was established near what is now Kintore Avenue. The Native School closed in 1851, with the remaining children were taken to Poonindie Mission at Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.

Emigrants and convalescents

In October 1848 a contingent of 219 Irish orphan girls arrived by the Roman Emperor and were given temporary accommodation in the under-utilised schoolhouse by Matthew Moorhouse, who had the dual responsibilities of Protector of Aborigines and Immigration Officer.
It had been expected that these girls, aged 9 to 14, would relieve the servant shortage in the colony, but most found husbands instead.
Roman Emperor was followed in June 1849 by Posthumous, Florentia, Sir Edward Parry, and Inconstant, all within a few weeks of each other, and additional accommodation for those who did not find a placement immediately was provided at the "Native Location". It was not long before a letter was published in the South Australian Register by one Michael D'Arcy, writing as "Aliquis", alleging that these women were being paid for sex by male colonists.
The South Australian Government instituted the Emigration Board, whose remit was to assist new arrivals who as yet were unable to support themselves. By 1848 it had become the Emigration and Destitute Poor Department, which after dropping the "Emigration" remained the responsible department until around 1910, under the direction of the Destitute Board. They had two programs: "outdoor":distribution of rations to those who would otherwise starve, and "indoor": provision of shelter and medical attention to the homeless.
In 1855 the Asylum had accommodation for 66 inmates, but held 25 males and 46 females, many of whom had been transferred for convalescence from the chronically overcrowded Adelaide Hospital.
In October 1879 ten inmates who were beyond medical help, but whose condition was not contagious and were mentally sound, were transferred to the Home for Incurables in Fullarton, which establishment was later renamed the Julia Farr Centre in honour of its founder.

Governance

The Destitute Board

The South Australian approach to destitute relief was highly centralised, contrary to that of Britain.
Membership of the first Destitute Board changed frequently and consisted almost exclusively of ministers of religion, notably Dean James Farrell, the Catholic Fr Michael Ryan , and Rev. Rev. Robert Haining of the Church of Scotland.
Under a new Act — the Destitute Persons Relief Bill, passed on 29 December 1866 — the Board was dissolved and the first meeting of the new Destitute Board, whose responsibilities now also included the Children's Apprenticeship Board, was held at the Destitute Asylum buildings on 15 February 1867.
Edward Holthouse was Secretary of the Board 1850–1867 and Superintendent of the Asylum, a Civil Service position. On 3 February 1867 T. S. Reed, brother-in-law of Chief Justice Hanson, was appointed Chairman, and senior to Holthouse, whose salary was reduced by £80. When Holthouse protested, he was accused of lack of respect and dismissed.
Emily Clark and Catherine Helen Spence, fearful for the deleterious effect unhealthy and dispirited adults would have on unwanted and orphaned children, sought to remove such children from the Asylum and into respectable homes. Initial trials of their "boarding-out" scheme proved encouraging, and was adopted by Reed, not only as a humanitarian move but for its potential for saving money. By 1873 organisation of the scheme had been put on a firm foundation.
Reed left for England in March 1876 for a year's leave with pay at the end of which time he resigned. Judah Moss Solomon, his replacement, died in August 1880 and Reed, by now back in Adelaide, was reappointed as chairman.
In 1886 the State Children's Council was formed to take over that part of the Destitution Board's responsibilities, then in 1888 a Commission charged with streamlining government recommended abolition of Reed's position. The five board members resigned in protest at not being consulted.
In the meantime their work was done by Superintendent Arthur Lindsay and members of the Destitute Department under control of the Chief Secretary. In January 1889 the post of Chairman was added to his responsibilities and £15 p.a. to his salary. G. W. Hawkes, Henry Kelly, J.P., Joshua Gurr, Charles Clark, J.P., and A. A. Fox, J.P. were appointed to the new Board.
Lindsay retired in 1905 and was succeeded by T. H. Atkinson, his longtime deputy.

Destitute Commission

In 1883 parliament appointed a commission to enquire into the operation of the Destitute Act. Chairman was the Chief Justice,, and members included C. H. Goode; Maurice Salom; W. Haines, W. Bundey ; Henry W. Thompson; C. Proud acted as secretary. Chief subjects examined were the boys' reformatories at Magill and the hulk Fitzjames at Largs Bay; the girls' reformatory and the evils of the barrack system compared with the boarding-out plan. Goode and Thompson subsequently became members of the State Children's Council.

Staff

Day-to-day running of the Asylum was in the hands of several appointed officers:

Superintendent

Initially, the Destitute Asylum had no-one responsible for day-to-day operations.
In 1855 Matthew Moorhouse, Protector of Aborigines, had the position of Comptroller of the Destitute Poor Establishment, and also that of Superintendent of the Female Immigrant Depot added to his responsibilities, but had no direct involvement. He retired 15 months later.
Any problems the staff had were to be resolved by the Secretary of the Destitute Board.
The position of Superintendent of the Destitute Asylum was created in 1863, initially as a non-Board position, and was held by:
  • 1863–1867 Edward Holthouse — when the Board was dissolved; the new Board considered he was uncooperative, and sacked him.
  • 1869–1897 Arthur Lindsay, not to be confused with Arthur Fydell Lindsay. His appointment made him also secretary to the Board, later chairman, a conjugation deplored by Rev. Stephenson, though he considered Lindsay an admirable appointment, sentiments echoed by a Register commentator. After his retirement as superintendent he continued as chairman of the Board until 1904. His daughter Theresa married the explorer David Lindsay.
  • 1897–1904 Thomas Henry Atkinson acted in the position 1890, and again in 1894, then was appointed superintendent and secretary of the board 1897. He was appointed chairman in 1904.
  • 1904–1916 Edward James Tregenza was superintendent and accountant. When the Asylum was transferred to Magill in 1916, Tregenza stayed on at the old site, which became a maternity home and depot for distribution of rations.

    Matron

  • c. 1863 Sarah Bee, wife of T. W. Bee, for a time Relieving Officer
  • 1865–1866 or later Mrs Eliza Olifent
  • 1871–1877 Sarah Maria Hunt, née Calton ; part of lying-in hospital used as girls' reformatory; a most unsatisfactory arrangement; transferred to Magill in 1881.
  • 1879 Mary Hodgkins
  • 1879–1880 Mrs Eliza Dillon midwife, married to John Francis Dillon
  • 1881 Emma Amelia Benneyworth acting matron
  • ??–1885 Mrs. A Gertrude Kenny, a widow
  • 1893, 1895 Ellen Thompson
  • 1900–1905 Florence Elizabeth "Flo" Pearce matron of lying-in branch are there two matrons?
  • 1900–1911 Bessie Uppington married Theo Boothby 1911 and left for England.
  • 1912–1913 Mrs Adams in position for seven years; resigned over Nurse Dunstan affair.
  • 1913–1918 Gertrude Peggram, promoted from head nurse of lying-in ward, and transferred to a similar position at the new Magill Home. Her husband worked as porter at the Mental Hospital, a job that arguably could have gone to a returned soldier.