Images for ‘Madness and Marvels’ (2)

The Fremantle Lunatic Asylum

Clicking on an image will take you to the page where I found it.

Fremantle Lunatic Asylum

Fremantle Lunatic Asylum (now the Fremantle Arts Centre) c1870. Construction of the limestone building by convict labour began in 1861 and was completed in 1864. Dr Barnett became the Superintendent in 1872.

The Fremantle Arts Centre ‘Our History’ page has a floor plan of the current building with details of how it was used in the past.

(Image from State Library of WA)

The asylum, with the extensions added in the 1880s and 1890s, is in the upper right corner of this photo from the 1940s. Note the wall around the ten acre site. The former Skinner Street Cemetery is behind the asylum. Dr Barnett’s house, Park Bungalow, would have been just off to the bottom right corner of the photo.

(Image from Freotopia, taken from a Fremantle City Library brochure)

The Fremantle Arts Centre, opened in 1973 after extensive renovation. To a visitor enjoying its shady gardens, polished wooden floorboards and immaculate galleries, it’s difficult to imagine what it must have been like when it was still used an asylum.

(Image by Balou on Wikipedia)

This is the second in a series of posts showing some of the images I collected while researching and writing Madness and Marvels. The good news is that I’ve finished setting up the print version of the book. It should appear on Amazon and Ingram in a week or two. The ebook is already available on most ebook sites, including Hoopla.

Images for ‘Madness and Marvels’ (1)

C. Y. O’Connor and Dr Henry Calvert Barnett

I thought it would be good to share some of the photos and images that I collected while researching and writing ‘Madness and Marvels:‘. Rather than putting them all on one page, I’ll spread them over several posts. Clicking on an image will take you to the webpage where I found it.

C. Y. O'Connor c 1890
C. Y. O’Connor c 1890
C. Y. O'Connor c 1897
C. Y. O’Connor c1897
Sketch of Dr Henry Barnett in 1888 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/24930948
Dr Henry Barnett 1888 (sketch)
Dr Henry Barnett 1897 from https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-30465831/image?WID=720
Dr Henry Barnett 1897
James Goatcher 'Park Bungalow' https://parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/artcollect.nsf/WebPP/190FCB12726A086E48256D260022DE49?opendocument

Park Bungalow, in Quarry Street, Fremantle, was an important link between C. Y. O’Connor and Henry Barnett. Doctor Barnett built it as a family home in the 1880’s, and rented it to the O’Connor family in 1891 when he went on leave. The O’Connors rented it again from 1896 until 1900. It was considered one of the finest houses in Fremantle.

The house, on two levels, included a library, music room, breakfast room, numerous bedrooms, sevants’ quarters and a wine cellar. It also had stables, a significant consideration for O’Connor, who loved riding. It was set back from the road and overlooked both the harbour and the asylum.

This painting (by artist James Goatcher) is part of the Parliament House art collection. It was likely completed in the 1940’s, long after both men’s deaths. But given Dr Barnett’s love of flowers, the house and garden probably looked much the same in his day. Sadly, the house had fallen into ruin by the 1960s and was demolished.