In 1909, Cheltenham was hit by two whirlwinds - one on January 27 and the other on November 19. I have written about the January whirlwind, here, and this post shows the impact of the November whirlwind on the partially constructed Benevolent Asylum and provides a short history of the building at Cheltenham.
On November 27, The Advocate reported on the whirlwind-Much damage was done by the storm on Friday of last week. The new Benevolent Asylum in course of erection in the Cheltenham district was struck by a gale, and damage to the extent of £500 was done. At Brighton a yacht worth £50 was sunk and broke up. The wind attained a velocity of 50 miles an hour. (1)
The Leader newspaper had the following photographs of the damage - under the heading -
THE WHIRLWIND AT CHELTENHAM - NEW BENEVOLENT ASYLUM UNROOFED.
1. Wing of Building From Which Roof Was Carried Away.
Photographer: Fraser and Vallance. The Leader, November 27, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197072796
2. Ruins Caused by Debris Falling Through Roof of Buildings, 100 Yards Away. 3. Damage to Roof on Which Debris Fell.
Photographer: Fraser and Vallance. The Leader, November 27, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197072796
4. Rafters of Roof That Was Carried Away.
Photographer: Fraser and Vallance. The Leader, November 27, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197072796
Short History of the Benevolent Asylum at Cheltenham
In November 1849 the Victoria Benevolent Society was established with the aim to relieve the aged, infirm, disabled, or destitute, poor of all creeds and nations; and to minister to them the comforts of religion. (2) To this end a Benevolent Asylum was erected in the area bounded by Abbotsford, Elm, Curzon and Miller Streets in West and North Melbourne. (3) It opened on November 27, 1851 and in its first year of operation it afforded shelter to 107 infirm and destitute individuals unable to earn a subsistence. This Society support their asylum chiefly by means of voluntary subscriptions, aided by a grant from the Government, added to which, they receive a portion of the fines daily imposed upon the drunkards at our city and district police-courts (4)
The Benevolent Asylum in North Melbourne, 1870s.
State Library of Victoria image H11782
The Society continued to provide services at its original site in what was a very grand looking building, however by the start of the new Century the building was inadequate and had long ago excited the disapproval of the Board of Public Health on account of their sanitary shortcomings, while the chief of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade has condemned it as an unsafe fire risk. (5)
As well in 1902, the Benevolent Society received a bequest from Mr James Hingston of around £26,000, and he stipulated that it was "to be applied towards the purpose of rebuilding that institution on a ground-floor plan only, the present many-floored and stair-cased building being, in his experience as a committee-man of that charity, very troublesome to its old and rheumatic residents and patients." (6)
For these reasons, and as it was not possible to rebuild a one floor facility on the small inner Melbourne site, a new site off Warrigal Road in Cheltenham was acquired in 1904 (7)
The site of the Benevolent Asylum, situated on 180 acres at Cheltenham, in 1913.
Moorabbin Road is now known as Warrigal Road
Sketch map of Country around Oakleigh, including Mordialloc, Dandenong and Ringwood
Public Records Office of Victoria VPRS 8168
The foundation stone of the new building was was laid on March 31, 1909, The Argus reported -
A special tram that left Flinders-street yesterday afternoon at 20 minutes to 2 o'clock was crowded with visitors to Cheltenham to witness the laying of the foundation stone of the new Melbourne Benevolent Asylum. The ceremony was performed by His Excellency the Governor (Sir Thomas Gibson- Carmichael) The new asylum grounds are situated about two miles from Cheltenham railway station. They cover 180 acres of which 15 to 20 acres will be used for building purposes and the rest for farming. It is expected that the asylum when completed will accommodate 1,000 persons it is intended to shift the inmates of the present building at North Melbourne went to Cheltenham and it is further proposed to do the same with those living at the Immigrants Home on the St Kilda road. The total cost of the new asylum is estimated at £100,000. Of this £20,000 has been found by the state and £30,000 has been received from the Hingston estate. A large sum will also be obtained by the sale of the present grounds at North Melbourne but it is expected that in appeal will have to be made to the Government for a further contribution. (8)
The new building was designed by Architect Charles Abraham D'Ebro and the builders were C.Wadey & Co. Charles D'Ebro was born in London in 1850 and after he arrived in Melbourne, via Adelaide, he went into partnership with the late Mr. J. H. Grainger. Later he was a senior partner in the firm of D'Ebro, Mackenzie, and Meldrum. He became well known as an architect and engineer, and many large buildings and residences in Victoria were designed by him. Amongst them were the Masonic Hall, in Collins street; the M.C.C. pavilion, the offices of Dalgety and Co., in Bourke street and some of the same firm's wool stores; the Premier Permanent Buildings, in Collins street; Georges' Pty. Ltd., State Government House (built for Mr. John Wagner and formerly known as "Stonnington"), "Moora Kyne," at Toorak (built for Sir John Grice, and now the home of Mr. Bowes Kelly), and "Carngham," near Skipton (built for Mr. George Russell). He died by suicide on June 23, 1920, having been in ill health for some time, and had suffered periods of despondency. (9)
The Governor returned to Cheltenham in 1911 for the official opening on April 11th. This is the beginning of The Argus report on the event -
A great pile of red brick buildings, covering 10 acres of ground away out on the healthy heath land near Cheltenham, is the new home of the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum. The old quarters at North
Melbourne have been vacated and all the inmates officers furniture and equipment of the institution have been transferred to Cheltenham. The North Melbourne building is to be sold in sections for demolition and removed, then Victoria street is to be continued through the block, and the land
sold in residential sites. Although the asylum has been in occupation of its new home for some time, the premises were, not officially opened until yesterday. (10)
The New Benevolent Asylum at Cheltenham.
Left: The arrivals by Ambulance. Right: Old inmates in their new home.
Photographer: Fraser and Vallance. Punch, April 6, 1911 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175611695
The New Benevolent Asylum at Cheltenham.
General view of the new buildings
Photographer: Fraser and Vallance. Punch, April 6, 1911 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175611695
Historian Graham Whitehead writes - The asylum was renamed the Kingston Centre in 21 October 1970 and the focus on its service dramatically changed. No longer was its prime attaetion given to catering for the long-term stay of the disabled, blind, infirm and elderly patients. It's more recent history had seen services focussed on rehabilitation. You can read Graham's article - The Melbourne Benevolent Asylum Comes to Cheltenham - on the Kingston Local History website, here https://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/articles/302
Footnotes
(1) The Advocate, November 27, 1909, see here.
(2) The Argus, November 17, 1849, see here.
(4) The Argus, January 21, 1853, see here.
(5) The Argus, September 16, 1907, see here.
(7) The Argus, May 6, 1904, see here; Brighton Southern Cross, August 13, 1904, see here; Brighton Southern Cross, November 19, 1904, see here; Brighton Southern Cross, November 26, 1904, see here.
(8) The Argus, April 1, 1909, see here.
(9) The Argus, June 24, 1920, see here.
(10) The Argus, April 12, 1911, see here.
