THE BENEVOLENT ASYLUM
RAILWAY SQUARE, PITT STREET, NEAR VEHICLE ROADWAY TO STATION
Erected By Governor Macquarie In 1820 With Accommodation For 60 Aged & Infirmed Persons. Demolished In 1901 To Make Way For Central Station.
On 27th July 1822 Governor Macquarie Listed 67 Public Buildings Undertaken For Sydney During His Administration Frkm 1810 - 1821 including "An Asylum For 100 Infirm, Blind & Lame, Poor Persons.... Situated At The Southern Wxtremity Of The Town In An Airy Situation."
A Society Had Been Promoted In 1813, But Because Of Its Meagre Resources It Was Felt That A Move Should Be Made To Provide Indoor As Well As Outdoor Relief. A Meeting, The Governor Presiding Was Held On The 6th May 1818 At a Which It Was Resolved
"That An Association Should Be Formed For The Relief Of The Poor, aged & Inform & For Other Benevolant Purposes."
A Subscription List Was At Once Opened, And
"Macquarie Headed it With A Donation Of Twelve Guineas. Thirty Five Others Present Added Their Names, The Total Amount Promised Being £178.10.0
The New Society "Pledged To Work For The establishment Of An Asylum For The Poor & For The Infirm, In Which They Might Receive Not Only Food, Shelter & Personal Attention, But Also Medical Treatment , Religious Instruction & Consolation."
Honorary Medical Asvisers To The Asylum Were Dr William Redfern, Who’d Been Transported To Sydney Cove In 1801 For Being in Overt Sympathy With Sailors Of The Royal Navy During The Mutiny Of The Nore In 1797, & DrWilliam Bland, Who’d Been Transported For His Part In A Duel That’d Been Fatal For His Adversary.
In 1819 Governor Macquarie Undertook To Erect On Crown Land...
"A Suitable, Plain Building, Near The New Turnpike House, For The Accommodation Of 50 To 60 Persons. It Was Erected On The Site Now Occupied By Central Station"
The Benevolant Society Came About In 1813 & Is Still Going Strong Today. & Out Of All The Charities From My Own Personal Experience This Has Been The One & Only That’s Even Offered Assistance To My Family... & Ever Since, Every Year They Have Left A Hamper On Our Doorstep At Christmas, Which I Think Has Been The Best Gesture Out Of All of The Charities, Without Having To Get Involved In The Drama Of It All. They Know My Parents And I Are Struggling And I Have To Say It Was a Really Nice.
But This Is About The Benevolent Asylum For The Insane Which Was Pulled Down Sometime From 1904 When It Was Decided Sydney Needed A Railway Station To Become Central Railway Station
sydneybenevolentasylum.com.au
