An Archaeology of Institutional Refuge The Material Culture of the Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney 1848 –1886 PENNY CROOK AND TIM MURRAY Volume 12 of the Archaeology of the Modern City Series A HISTORIC HOUSES TRUST OF NEW SOUTH WALES PUBLICATION Published by the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia www.hht.net.au Published in Sydney 2006 © Archaeology of the Modern City Project Partners, 2006 ISBN 1 876991 15 1 The views expressed in this book may not be representative of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales or the other project partners and remain the responsibility of the authors. The Archaeology of the Modern City project incorporates two research ventures: ‘Exploring the Archaeology of the Modern City: Sydney 1788–1900’ and ‘Managing the Archaeology of Central Sydney and Melbourne 1788–1900’. Both projects are funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage Scheme and conducted by Project Partners: La Trobe University, the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales, Godden Mackay Logan Pty Ltd, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, the NSW Heritage Office, Heritage Victoria and the Sydney City Council. C ONTENTS Synopsis........................................................................................................................................9 Introduction...............................................................................................................................11 Background: Exploring the Archaeology of the Modern City........................................................................11 About this book..................................................................................................................................................... 11 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Limitations............................................................................................................................................................... 13 Terminology ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 PART A RESEARCH CONTEXT................................................................................ 15 The Hyde Park Barracks: a Brief History................................................................................17 Excavations at the Barracks 1979–1984 ..................................................................................21 Research directions...................................................................................................................22 Cataloguing ............................................................................................................................................................. 22 Sampling Paper and Textiles................................................................................................................................. 22 Sherd and Minimum Vessel Counts.................................................................................................................... 23 Mapping ................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Historical Resources ............................................................................................................................................. 24 A Note on the Parliamentary Inquiries........................................................................................................ 24 PART B THE ASSEMBLAGE..................................................................................... 25 The Underfloor Assemblage ....................................................................................................27 Architectural Context: The subfloor cavities.................................................................................................... 27 Dating the Underfloor Assemblage .................................................................................................................... 28 Processes of Deposition: Accidental loss, Rats and Concealment................................................................ 32 Recovery of the underfloor assemblage ............................................................................................................ 33 Characterisation of the underfloor assemblage................................................................................................ 35 The Stairwell Landing on Level 3 ........................................................................................................................ 38 PART C THE HYDE PARK BARRACKS DESTITUTE ASYLUM AND IMMIGRATION DEPOT, 1848–1886................................................................................... 41 Background: Charity and Immigration in 19th-century NSW..............................................43 The Workings of an Institution................................................................................................45 Room Use............................................................................................................................................................... 46 The Matron............................................................................................................................................................. 48 The Inmates: the ‘Poor friendless old creatures’.............................................................................................. 50 Asylum Work......................................................................................................................................................... 52 Control.................................................................................................................................................................... 54 Sanitation................................................................................................................................................................. 56 Medicine.................................................................................................................................................................. 57 Communal Meals ................................................................................................................................................... 61 Visitors, Special Occasions and Daily Recreation............................................................................................. 63 Religious Instruction and Devotion .................................................................................................................... 65 Advice to the Dejected: Religious Tracts at the Hyde Park Barracks .................................................... 66 Rosaries and Devotional Medals ................................................................................................................... 70 Sectarian division.............................................................................................................................................. 71 Sewing, Craft and Fancy Work............................................................................................................................ 72 Fancy Work...................................................................................................................................................... 75 Hat-making........................................................................................................................................................ 76 Thrifty Women: Mending and Makeshift Tooling....................................................................................... 78 Printed Matter: Literature, Reading and Other Activities............................................................................... 80 Official and Administrative Records ................................................................................................................... 84 Private Lives ..............................................................................................................................86 The Applewhaite–Hicks Family ........................................................................................................................... 86 Lucy Hicks......................................................................................................................................................... 91 Marked: Individuals and Institutions.................................................................................................................... 92 Anonymous Ephemera.......................................................................................................................................... 93 Children at the Hyde Park Barracks................................................................................................................... 95 Smoking................................................................................................................................................................... 97 PART D DISCUSSION ........................................................................................... 103 The Archaeology of 19th-century Institutions.....................................................................105