barnet

The Government Architect, James Barnet, pauses his grand schemes, work on the Sydney GPO, court houses, post offices etc. to concentrate on a hot water system for the imbecile asylum in Newcastle !! I think the building is still there as part of the James Fletcher Hospital, much altered - journals.sfu.ca/hneh/index.php/hneh/article/viewFile/55/46 & www.theherald.com.au/story/456679/james-fletcher-hospital... Possibly the extension was to one of these distant buildings on Watt Street seen in this c.1882 photo -

Good newspaper article describing the place in vivid detail, and an insight into victorian attitudes to such places - SMH 27/8/1887 p.8 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13661080

A Ralph Snowball photo of the asylum, also dated 1888 (22/11/1888) And research on the place - governmenthousebarracks1804.wordpress.com/

"There were all types of faces and all types of children, but planted on the face of each was the hopeless seal of insanity -insanity of a quiet and idiotic character, though there were some few exceptions. In one or two cases the girls looked intelligent for a few moments, and then their faces again settled to a dull, stolid level of expressionless imbecility." They didn't pull any punches in them days. Newcastle. Asylum for Imbeciles and Idiots. trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13661080

c.1883 - www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/nsw/Macquarie/Macquarie.htm#...

Thanks for the link - this text is especially relevant: "The construction of the current Macquarie Lighthouse was begun in 1881 and the light was first exhibited in 1883...With the commencement of the new light, the lantern was removed from the old tower but the structure itself was not demolished for several years."

It's so desolate............nobody would ever want to live here.....:-)

OK so how does the little map in the top right hand corner know exactly where this is, without the geotagged tag ?

Mich We might have dragged this onto the map without geotagging it...I've added the tags now. AB

Fantastic!

Read ALL about it - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13160156

From the above link (SMH 23/1/1868 p.4) -

" The arch was designed by the Colonial Architect [James Barnet, since 1865], and the erection carried out under his superintendence." . . .

" The large triumphal arch ,,, is a massive and elegant structure, designed after the Arch of Drusus, at Rome. It consists of one grand central opening by a depth of thirty feet, twenty-five feet wide, with wing openings eleven feet wide, capped with three gold-painted domes on pediments, with crown pediments. The central dome rising seventy-nine feet and the wing domes forty feet each, with telescope flagstaffs, thirty-five and twenty-five feet higher. The circular dome is pierced with twelve circular openings, each of which contains a letter of the name "Alfred" prepared for illumination. The interior of the central dome and wings to be lighted with three massive chandeliers. The ceiling of the wings consist of paper centreflowers with spandrils and cornices. The ceiling of the central dome rises on ribs enlivened with tropical foliage on a ground of sunset tint, a rose colour from a neat cornice picked out in colour. Painted on the interior of the central dome are figures of Fame bearing wreaths of laurel on a ground of azure, dressings of flags artistically arranged, the groups of Neptune and Minerva on the central key-stones, and the busts of Captain Cook and Lord Nelson on the central niches. Over the central dome floated the Royal Standard, and over the wing domes the blue and white ensigns. ... "

A description of the illuminations at night from the same newspaper (under 'Circular Quay') -
trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13160161

" The illuminations of the triumphal arch under which the Prince received the address from the Corporation of Sydney on landing, was one of the most splendid features of the illuminated city. From base to dome it was one blaze of light. It was surmounted by stars in gas jets, seven feet by four in dimension. Beneath the stars, but above the dome were wreaths of fire, and the name of the Prince was beautifully lighted up, and was clearly visible a long distance. The two smaller domes were also encircled by wreaths of lighted gas jets. The cornices of the arch were defined by lines of fire, and the words "Welcome Prince Alfred" were clearly defined in variegated lamps. An immense chandelier was suspended from the centre of the large arch, and a small one from each of the wings. On the parapet were pots of fire, which burned with a steady light throughout the early part of the night. The gorgeous spectacle which this arch presented was the theme of universal admiration. "

beachcomber australia That's what I call adding value! Wonderful descriptions - and you've corrected the OCR typos to boot! Impressed.