Austral/Godden Mackay Archaeological Investigation POW Project 1995 Randwick Destitute Children's Asylum Cemetery-Volume 1, Main Report Prepared for the South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service, Heritage Council of NSW and the NSW Department of Health, December 1997 : The POW Project 1995 Randwick Destitute Children's Asylum Cemetery Archaeological Investigation is presented in the following components: Volume One: Main Report Synopsis Introduction History Statement of Significance Policy Synthesis Research Design Interpretation Guidelines Report Format References Volume Two: Archaeology Volume Three: Physical Anthropology Volume Four: Drawings This document is Volume One being the Main Report -- Austral/Godden Mackay _Contents Page Synopsis ••.•••..••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••..•••••••••••...••.•••••••••••.•....•.•••••••••••......•.••••••••• i 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 Preamble 1 1.2 The Site 1 1.2. 1 Location 1 1.2.2 Physical Setting ~~ :.: 6 1.3 Background to the Excavation : 6 1.4 The Project Brief 8 1.5 Approach 9 1.5. 1 Approval 9 1.5.2 Research Program ' 9 1.5.3 Preparations and Consultation 11 1.5.4 On Site Investigation 11 1.5.5 Post-excavation Analysis 12 1.6 Author Identification and Acknowledgements 13 1.7 Endnotes 15 2.0 Historical Ovel'V'iew ...•••..........••..••••••.•••••••••••....••••••••••••••..•••••••••••..••••••••••••••..••••..•....•••••17 2.1 The Need for the Asylum 17 2.2 Period 1: Paddington 1852-1858 18 2.3Period Two: Randwick and the 1860s : 20 2.4 Diet 21 2.5 Work Within the Asylum 21 2.5.1 Apprenticeship 24 2.6 Period Three: Change and Decline 24 2.6.1 Boarding Out. 24 2.7 The Closing of the Asylum 25 2.8 The Site for the New Asylum 25 2.9 The Asylum Grounds 26 2.9.1 1917- Rubbish in the Grounds 27 2.10 Number of Deaths 27 2.11 The Cemetery 27 2.11.1 Discovery ofthe Cemetery 32 2.12 The Military Hospital 34 2.13 Coast Hospital Auxiliary Randwick 34 2.14 Later Activity 34 2.15 Epigraph ~ 35 2.15.1 Attitudes to Poverty 35 2.15.2 A Moralisation ofPoverty 37 2.15.3 Attitudes in the New Colony 38 2.15.4 The Exclusion ofthe Undeserving Poor : 38 2.15.5 The Care of Children in the Colony 39 2.15.6 Children on the Streets 39 Austral/Godden Mackay 2.15.7 The Philanthrop;sts 41 2.15.8 Fund;ng for the Asylum 41 2.15.9 The InsUtuUon 41 2.15. 10 The Children ;n the Asylum .41 2.15.11 C;rcumstance of the Parents .42 2. 15. 12 Who Were the Children? .42 2.15.13 Children from the Country .44 2.15.14 A Healthy Envkonment 44 2.15.15 Poverty and Pdde 44 2.15.16 The Treatment ofthe Children .44 2.15.17 Other InsUtuUons for Children. .46 2.15.18 The System ofBoard;ng-Out.. .46 2.15.19 Care for the Children ofthe Respectable .48 2. 15.20 Econom;c Factors ;n the Change .48 2.15.21 A Change ofMetaphor 48 2.16 Historical Research 49 2.16.1 The Cemetery 49 2.16.2 Children 50 2.16.3 Cof(;n Matedals 50 2.16.4 The Asylum 51 2.16.5 The Sne After the Closure ofthe Asylum 51 2.16.6 Arch;ves and Ubrades Consulted 52 2.16.7 Research 52 2.17 The Asylum 52 2.18 The Cemetery 53 2.19 The Philosophy Underlying the Asylum 53 2.20 Historical Research 54 2.21 Endnotes 59 3.0 Significance 63 3.1 Preamble 63 3.2 1995 Statement of Significance 63 3.3 1995 Assessment - Contextual Discussion 64 3.3.1 H;stodc Assoc;aUon 64 3.3.2 AestheUc QuaHUes 65 3.3.3 Soc;al S;gn;(;cance 65 3.3.4 Sc;entmc Research PotenUal 66 3.3.5 Other Values 67 3.3.6 Rarny 68 3.3.7 RepresentaUveness 68 3.4 1995 Application of Criteria 69 3.4.1 Preamble 69 3.4.2 EvoluUon and Assoc;aUon (H;stor;c) 69 3.4.3 Creat~ve and Techn;cal AccompHshment (AestheUc) 70 3.4.4 Comrhunny Esteem (Soc;al) 70 3.4.5 Research PotenUal (Sc;entmc) 71 3.4.6 Other 72 Austral/Godden Mackay 3.4.7 Rarity 72 3.4.8 Representativeness 73 3.5 Effect of Archaeological Excavation on Significance 74 3.6 Endnotes 74 4.0 Consel'V'ation Policy•••••••••••••••••••••••••.••••.•••••••••••••.••••••••••••.••••••••..•.•••••..••••••••.••••JI ••••••••••••75 4.1 Preamble ,..:. 75 4.2 Philosophical Statement , 75 4.3 Implementation Policies , 75 4.3.1 Essential Background Research Excavation is Undertaken 75 4.3.2 Excavation -.: 76 4.3.3 Recording and/or data collection during andafter excavation 76 4.3.4 Conservation"and Housing 77 4.3.5 Involvement ofSpecial Interest Groups 78 4.3.6 Media Management and Photographs 78 4.3.7 Development 79 4.3.8 Re-interment ofHuman Remains 79 4.3.9 Interpretation , 79 ,"4.3. 10 Use ofData and Records from the Site 80 4.3.11 Site Management During Excavation. 80 4.3.12 Integration into Precinct Conservation Plan 81 , '--4.3.13 Compliance with Acis , 81 5.0 Archaeology of the Cemetery ••••••••••••••••.•.•••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•....•••••••••••••••••.•••••• 83 5.1 Introduction 83 5.2 The Burial Ground , 83 5:3 The Grave 86 5.4 The Burial Container 89 5.5 The Body 91 5.6 Grave Goods 92 5.7 Osteological Studies 94 5.8 Endnotes 96 6.0 Research Design••••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••••••••••••••••..••••••••••••••••••••••••• 97 6.1 Initial 97 6.1.1 Research Design 97 6.2 Amended Research Design 97 6.3 Response to Research Questions 97 6.3.1 Osteology 98 6.3.2 Social History 98 6.3.3 Prehistory 104 6.3.4 Contemporary Aboriginal Interests 105 6.3.5 Techniques 106 7.0 Interpretation Guidelines •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••..•.••.••••••••••••••••••••••••• 111 7.1 General 111 7.2 Messages : 111 7.3 Information 111 7.3.1 On Site 111 Austral/Gadden Mackay 7.3.2 At the Asylum BUildings 111 7.3.3 Off Site/Other Locations 112 7.4 Design Parameters 112 7.4.1 Concepts 112 7.4.2 Form and Scale 112 7.4.3 Materials 112 7.4.4 Plantings 114 7.5 Access 114 7.6-Media 114 7.7 Relationship With Hospital 114 7.8 Endnotes 114 8.0 Report Format •••••••••••••••.••••.•........••••••••••••.•..••••••.•••..••••••..••...•••••••••••.•••.••••••••••..•••....•• 115 9.0 References...•••••••..•.•••••.••.•.............•••••••......••••••••.•.....••••..••..•••...••••...•••............•••••.••• 117 Austral/Godden Mackay _Synopsis This report presents results from a comprehensive archaeological and physical anthropological investigation of the Randwick Destitute Children's Asylum Cemetery. The Cemetery was known to contain burials of around 175 children from the Asylum which was a benevolent institution that operated on the site between 1858 and 1916. ., - The archaeological/anthropological investigation project was undertaken by a multi-disciplinary team of specialists from Austral Archaeology and Godden Mackay Heritage Consultants. The work was commissioned by the South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service as part of a major redevelopment at the Prince of Wales Hospital. Prior to site excavations detailed research, assessment of significance, consultation with relatives, policy development, and strategic planning were completed. Relevant permits for the archaeological work were obtained, initially from the He'ritage Council of NSW and subsequently from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. The project was overseen by a Management Committee that includes representation from the South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service, the Department of Health, the Heritage Council, the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council and the project team. The on-site excavation occurred over a six month period between August 1995 and March 1996. The remains of sixty-five of the buried children were recovered, along with a range of artefacts relating to the history of the place. The excavation also revealed an Aboriginal hearth and associated artefacts" which have been dated to at least 8000BP. An extensive phase of post-excavation analysis of the site stratigraphy, human remains and artefacts has been completed and the ~esearch potential of the place has been substantially realised. The results of this analysis are presented in"this report. It is intended that the extant remains of the children will be re-interred on site and that the cultural significance of the place will be presented to visitors. l': . POW Project 1995 for SESAHS Volume 1 Page i Austral/Gadden Mackay , : Page Ii POW Project 1995 for SESAHS - Volume 1 Austral/Godden Mackay _ Introduction 1.1 Preamble This report describes and discusses the results of archaeological investigations conducted at the site of the former Destitute Children's Asylum Cemetery at Randwick New South Wales. The archaeological investigations were commissioned by the South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service and were undertaken by a team from Austral Archaeology and" Godden Mackay Heritage Consultants. The Asylum was established in 1852 by the Benevolent Society for the relief of destitute children. Between 1852 and 1858 its premises were located at Ormond House in Paddington, a temporary site that was used prior to the establishment of a more extensive facility at Randwick on a twenty-four hectare block granted by the Government in 1858. The Randwick Asylum operated until 1915 when the Commonwealth Government requisitioned the property for use as a Military Hospital as a result of Australia's involvement in the World War I. The property was subsequently used as a military and repatriation hospital until 1953 when it became the Prince of Wales Hospital. The Asylum cemetery was located in the southern portion of the former Asylum grounds (see Figure 1.1). 1 Asylum"records indicated that at least 174 deceased children were interred here between 1863 and 1891 • During the current program 65 in situ burials were excavated and recorded. A further 216 individual skeletal elements were recovered from dispersed burials.