ARCHAEOLOGICAL .ASSESSMEfNT ROYAL NEWCASTLE HOSPITALnswaol.library.usyd.edu.au/data/pdfs/13518_ID... · i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i "il-archaeological assessment royal,

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL.ASSESSMEfNT

ROYAL NEWCASTLE HOSPITAL

A REPORT PREPARED FOR THE HUNTER AREA HEALTH SERVICE

\VENDY THORP

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

ROYAl, NEWCASTLE HOSPITAL

A REPORT PREPARED FOR THE HUNTER AREA HEALTH SERVICE

SEPTEMBER 1991

WENDYTHORP

CONSULTANT ARCHAEOLOGIST

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: ROYAL NEWCASTLE HOSPITAL

CONTENTS OF THE REPORT

1.0 Synopsis 11.1 Summary of the Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.2 Recommendations 9

2.0 Preface to the Report .102.1 Location 102.2 Parameters of the Investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102.3 Status of the Site .102.4 Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112.5 Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112.6 Constraints 112.7 Authorship and Acknowledgements .12

3.0 Historical Context 133.1 Phase I: 1818 - 1860 The First Hospital 143.2 Phase IT: 1860 -1875 Establishing A New Hospital 163.3 Phase ITI: 1875 - 1896 Extensions 173.4 Phase IV: 1896 -1914 Stagnation and Reconstruction 183.5 Phase V: 1914 - 1939 The "Third Hospital" - Incorporation and

Consolidation .193.6 Phase VI: 1939 - 1989 The "Fourth Hospital" . . . 203.7 Phase VII: 1989 - 1991 Earthquake and Heritage 21

4.0 The Potential Archaeological Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224.1 Physical Development of the Site .224.2 Potential Additions to the Archaeological Record . . . . . . . . . .244.3 Factors Affecting Survival 234.4 Geo-technical and Comparative Evidence .264.5 The Potential Resource .27

5.0 Assessment of Significance 285.1 Criteria for Assessment 285.2 The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource as

Part of the Hospital Development .305.3 The Significance of the Potential Resource in Newcastle's

Historical Profile ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .315.4 The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource as

a Demonstration of Colonial Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

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The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource forCommunity Awareness 33

Management Strategies .34Statutory Requirements .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34Objectives for Immediate Archaeological Work 34Long Term Archaeological Objectives ................35

Subsidiary Documentation .......................36Endnotes .36Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

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SECTION 1.0SYNOPSIS

1.1 Summary of the Report

Background

This report is concerned with the identification of the archaeological potential thatresides within the site ofRoyal Newcastle Hospital and an assessment of the significanceof that resource. "Archaeological potential" is understood to mean any sites, relics,structures, features, soils and/or deposits that could be used to interpret past use,management and occupation of the hospital site.

The primary focus of the study has been on the former city block that now encompassesthe North Wing and Nickson Building. This area has been utilised by the first hospital,the later nineteenth century hospital and most of the early twentieth centuryimprovements and is likely to be the focus of future development.

The site is not subject to any current statutory listings although a Section 130 Order underthe Heritage Act of NSW was applied to some elements, including the North Wing, inJanuary 1981. The National Trust and the Royal Institute of Architects each have listedseveral buildings. The site has also been the subject of a conservation plan preparedduring 1991 which recommended the need for detailed archaeological work.

No archaeological assessment or field work has been undertaken on the study area todate.

Objectives

The primary objectives which have been identified for this work were to define thepotential archaeological resource which resides within the hospital precincts; to assessthe significance of this resource and to recommend management strategies based on theassessment of significance.

Methodology

To achieve these objectives all detailed surveys of the site, from first settlement to thepresent day, were computer digitised to the same scale as a means of identifying zones

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or sites of potential sensitivity. These digitised plans were used as an aid to assessing theimpact of succeeding phases of development on those preceding them. Other factorswhich may have influenced the survival rates of archaeological material have also beenconsidered in this work.

Criteria have been determinedwhichwere used to assess the significance of the potentialresource and comparative data from surrounding sites has been considered as welL

Historical Context

The first hospital on the site of the present establishment was the product of a large scalebuilding programme carried out during the second settlement of Newcastle. It wasconstructed in 1817. It appears to have started life as a gaol and was subsequentlyconverted for use as an hospitaL It was described in 1818 as being built in stone, with averandah all round it. The site was enclosed by a paling fence. The structure is shown ona number of contemporary surveys.

By 1834 the hospital appears to have acquired what appears to have been either anadditional building or an attached garden. By 1849 it definitely encompassed threeseparate buildings. This arrangement was consistent through to the 1860s when the landwas dedicated for a new hospital. There is no clear or detailed information with respectto the form, construction or use of these new structures. The old buildings survived untilat least 1864 but they appear to have been demolished shortly after that time.

The need for a new hospital had been recognized since 1861 but it was not until 1865that the first new building was opened to the public. The site of the new hospital was inmuch the same location as the old hospital, however, no contemporary surveys of thecomplex are now available. The earliest survey that incorporates elements of the workcomes from 1889, approximately a thirty year lapse of time. Furthermore there is littleevidence for the nature of the building works associated with the new facilities.

Mter initial enthusiasm development of the new establishment lapsed and the buildingswere left to function as best they could. It was not until 1871 that water closets wereinstalled in the grounds and during the same period moves were made to secure the watersupply although this was not successfully achieved until some time later. It continued tobe a severe problem throughout the remainder of the century as did erosion and damagecaused through drifting sand dunes.

During the 1880s agitation for better facilities resulted in the construction of a numberof new buildings and additions and changes were made to the existing facilities. Thehospital grounds were also expanded to encompass an additional twenty-two feet. The1889 survey of the site shows the major facilities to be located, again, in the general areaof the old hospital wings. More buildings were added to the site during the early years ofthe 1890s and these partially overlapped the area of the old hospital although largesections of this facility are likely to have been unaffected by the later work.

The need for more and improved facilities was pressing by 1897. Plans were made for avariety of new works but only repairs to existing buildings and services were carried outas well as, in 1899, a thorough cleansing ofthe entire establishment. In 1898 competitive

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designs were called for the construction ofa new hospital thatwas to embrace the "better"parts of the old work. The competition was won by a Brisbane based architect but thework did not proceed for some years. Repairs, even, were kept to a minimum inexpectation of this long awaited building programme. The first stage was begun in 1901.

Work continued sporadically during the earlyyears of the new century. Money was madeavailable but it was not until 1914 that construction commenced on this project when thefoundation stone was laid of the North Wing.

The improvements that had beenmade to the site during the later years of the nineteenthcentury and the early years of the twentieth century had further encroached on the areaof the earlier hospital although some sections remained untouched by this phase ofactivity. Older buildings were demolished progressively during this time.

During the 1920s a variety ofbuildings and services were added to the site. In some casesthese works required the removal of existing buildings. A similar programme ofimprovements, including additions, demolition and renovations were carried on duringthe 1930s. The onset of the war years, however, slowed this progress although many newworks were planned for when finances and labour again became available.

In 1945 work again commenced on a building programme that was to continuesporadically for the next few decades. The earliest of these projects was the constructionofthe Nickson Buildingwhich necessitated the removal ofa number ofexisting buildings.Further disruption to the site was caused through the construction of tunnels for steamand power lines. Other additions were made during the remaining years of the 1940s.

The 1950s were also a period of development. The 1960s for the most part, however,were quiet in terms of building activity in comparison to that which had preceded them.However, in 1966, planning commenced for what was claimed to be the biggest singledevelopment in the hospital's history. This subsequently became the McCaffrey Wing.

This workwas again followed by a lull during the early 1970s. The later part of this decadewas characterized by a series of documents which were prepared to plan for the futureneeds of the site. By this time a number of new projects were underway including theClinical Services Building. Later studies, undertaken during the early years of the 1980s,considered the repairs to the existing buildings which would be needed to extend theiruseful lives. A number of buildings were targeted for demolition.

During the later years of the 1980s a series of programmes were designed to repair andrenovate existing facilities. However, the situation was rapidly changed by naturaldisaster in the final days of the 1980s.

Mter the December 1989 earthquake the Nickson Building became the only safeaccommodation within the site. Most buildings were damaged and the hospital wasadvised to demolish a number of structures in the interests of public safety. Theseincluded the York Wing, the link wing and services block. These were demolished in1990.

These demolitions raised a number of concerns over the heritage issues associated with

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this site although heritage awareness had surfaced first during the early 1980s. Inresponse to concerns voiced by a number of interest groups various studies have beeninitiated by the Hunter Area Health Service to clarify the issues relevant to heritagevalues and identify management strategies. This study is one of those investigations.

Physical Development of the Site

From the first development of the site in 1817 the majority of construction has beenfocused in the north-eastern block that now encompasses the North Wing and NicksonBuilding. Analysis has shown that the buildings currently on the site are not likely tooverlie any remnant evidence of the earliest phase of work, up to 1834. However, lateradditions made during this phase are likely to be partially encompassed within the areasof the North Wing and the Nickson Building. One late out-building is likely to be free ofboth later additions.

The buildings constructed during the second phase of hospital development againoccupied much the same space as the earlier hospital and are certain to have had someimpact, at least partially, on any remnant evidence of the earlier buildings. Changes tothe site during the later nineteenth century did not substantially alter this assessment.

The most substantial impact on the potential archaeological resource of the earlierphases ofwork is likely to have occurred during the period c. 1910 and 1920 particularlythrough the construction of, for example, the North Wing. The construction workassociated with the new buildings of the hospital must also have created an impact onthe sites of later nineteenth century hospital as well as those of the first hospital.However, a large portion of the site of the central block of the original hospital stillremained relatively untouched by the cumulative building works of the nineteenth andtwentieth centuries.

Potential Additions to the Archaeological Record

Computer analysis of the available surveys was valuable for defining areas of potentialsensitivity, however, itwas limited by the quality and extent of the documentary evidence.It is clear from comparing the various sources that more was constructed within thehospital, at all periods, than has been recorded on the surviving surveys. For example,there are references to tanks, bath houses, drains, sewers and a variety of smallout-buildings that do not appear on any survey. Rubbish disposal is also likely to haveadded deposits to the site. All these additional and undocumented works could haveaffected the survival rate of earlier works. Certainly they contribute to the formation ofa potentially complex and rich archaeological record.

Factors Affecting Survival

Constant demolition and construction activity within a relatively small area must haveaffected the earlier works to some degree however, the extent of this effect is unclear.There are no contemporary records with respect to the scale of demolition. Experiencefrom other sites would suggest that, particularly for the earlier nineteenth centuryworks,at least portions of the earlier buildings would have been left intact.

The effect of the changing topography on any intact archaeological evidence must also

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be considered as a factor. Ofparticular importance is the effect of sand drift and erosionon the site. Contemporary documentation makes clear the substantial impact on the siteof these two factors. It is unclear, however, whether the level of the site was raised oraltered, if at all, through these incursions. The cumulative effect of erosion and land fillis an unknown.

Geo-technical and Comparative Evidence

Two other sites relatively close to the study area, the convict lumber yard and the JamesFletcher Hospital, have been archaeologically investigated during recent years and theevidence from these sites has been considered as comparative data. The physicalevidence from these two sites was found to be vastly different and extrapolation of thisevidence to the hospital site was found to produce equivocal results.

The Potential Resource

Without the constraints that maybe imposed from geo-technical data and undocumentedarchaeological features it could be concluded that there is likely to be remnant evidenceof the first hospital phase of construction and that this evidence is likely to consist ofsome central portions of the main block, small sections of the southern block and theentire southern out-building. This archaeological material is likely to be located betweenthe south-eastern corner of the North Wing and the north-eastern corner of the NicksonBuilding.

Some evidence of the first phase of hospital construction is likely to be at least partiallydisturbed and possibly entirely removed by the works of the mid and later nineteenthcentury and those of the early twentieth century.

The later nineteenth and early twentieth centurywork is also likely to have considerablyadded to the potential archaeological resource within the hospital site through structuralevidence, relics and deposits. This evidence is likely to be partially located over the earlierhospital phase works as well as along the eastern boundary and centre west portion ofthe site. The North Wing, Nickson Building and Boiler House also encompass areas ofthese phase ofworks.

It is also likely that a variety of archaeological features are located within the site forwhich no specific location or determination of survival rates may be made. These sitesencompass drainage and sewerage works, structures, wells and other deposits andfeatures including the possibility of portable relics in the form of dumped artefacts

It was also considered likely that substantial traces of past landscaping may also belocated as identifiable deposits including paths and garden areas.

Criteria for Assessment of Significance

Traditional criteriafor assessing significance could not be used for this site. Those criteriarequire knowledge of the physical condition of the subject whereas, on this site, it is thepotential physical evidence that has been considered by the investigation. Criteria thatreflect the significance of the resource, if it is found are, therefore, more appropriate.

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At this time statements of significance have been presented which have an underlyinginference that the material to which they refer will be found largely intact. However, ifinvestigation shows this to be not the case then these statements of significance must bereviewed.

The criteria which have been adopted for this work are as follows:

• the importance that additional evidence provided by the archaeological materialcould give to an understanding of the development of this particular site

• the importance of the site as part if the growing urban context

• its significance as rare or unique examples of colonial evolution in technology,philosophies, work practices and the like·

• its importance as a focus for community awareness and symbolism of local heritage.

Statement of Signficance

The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource as Part of the Royal Newcastle Hospital Development

If archaeological evidence of the first phase of the hospital development (c. 1817 - 1864)was located within the site it would be significant because:

• itwould be the only surviving physical evidence of this phase ofhospital developmenteither above or below ground. It would be representative and descriptive of theformative phase of the institution's development.

• the systematic investigationofsubstantial sections of the building, ifuncovered, couldprovide evidence for the use and management of the facility during this phase. Thisis largely undocumented.

• undocumented elements of this phase, for example, wells, structures or relics, iflocated, would provide evidence that would considerably add to the history ofmanagement and use of this institution.

Ifarchaeologicalevidence ofthe secondperiod ofhospitaldevelopment, essentially the laternineteenth century works, was located within the site it would be significant because:

• it would be the only surviving physical evidence of this phase of development (priorto c, 1910) that survives on the site and, as such, would be representative anddescriptive of the works that formed the basis for the modern hospital

• previously undocumented elements would provide evidence for the history ofmanagement and use during this phase of development.

If archaeological evidence of the third period of hospital development, essentially thetwentieth centuryworks, (c. 1910onwards) was located within the site it would be considered

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less significant because ofthe greater availability ofdocumentation for thisphase as well asthe survival rate ofabove ground examples.

The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource as Part of Newcastle's Historical Profile

If evidence of the first phase of the hospital was identified and recorded it would besignificant:

• for its associational and symbolicvalue of the earliest phase of the city's developmentand the growth of institutions relevant to that original "convict" based impetus fordevelopment.

• because itwould provide, at this time, rare physical evidence ofthatphase of the city'sdevelopment.

Evidence ofthe secondphase ofhospital development would be significant:

• for its symbolism and demonstration of the growth of Newcastle as a major regionalcentre requiring and capable of providing modern medical care for its inhabitants.

The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource as a Demonstration ofColonial Evolution

• Comparisonofsurviving archaeological evidence from all phases would be significantbecause ofthe its ability to demonstrate changing management and medical practicesand technologies employed in the development and use of an hospital. This isparticularly relevant because of the continued occupation of the one site by thehospital for nearly one hundred and seventy five years.

• Intact evidence of the first phase of the hospital would be significant for its historicalvalue and rarity. It is comparable in time to the Rum Hospital of Sydney and similarinstitutions on Norfolk Island.

The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource for Community Awareness

• The events and community involvement surrounding recent historic siteinvestigations, for example the Lumber Yard site, James Fletcher Hospital andCarrington Chambers, has positively identified the very strong community awarenessofurban heritage that exists within Newcastle particularly that relating to the earliest"convict" phase of development. It is likely that the identification of intact evidenceof the first, and probably second phase of hospital development would generate anequally keen community interest.

Management Strategies

Statutory Requirements

The potential archaeological evidence encompassed by the Newcastle Hospital site fallsunder the relics provisions of the NSW Heritage Act (1977, amended 1987). This will

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mean that, prior to any redevelopment of the site or planned archaeologicalinvestigation, anExcavationPermitwith provisions for archaeologicalwork as necessary,will need to be acquired from the Department of Planning.

Objectives for Immediate Archaeological Work

This assessment has shownthat there is the potentialwithin the hospital site for a complexarchaeological resource that dates from 1817 through to and including twentieth centuryelements. This potential resource has a"high level of significance for its associational andsymbolic values as well as for its ability to demonstrate past management practices,medical philosophies, building practices and technologies. In many cases it would be theonly surviving physical evidence for nearly one hundred years of hospital developmentas well as rare evidence of town development. However, this investigation has beenunable to assess the extent, nature and integrity of the resource because of the lack of,particularly, geo-technical and other physical data.

It is ofparticular importance that the first archaeological work on the site should addressthese problems. It should, therefore, be the first priority of subsequent archaeologicalwork to determine the extent, nature and integrity of the potential archaeologicalresource. It is suggested that the best means of achieving this will be throughgeo-technical and archaeological testing.

Long Term Archaeological Requirements

During this assessment it has been a constant difficulty that the potential archaeologicalprofile of the city has not been addressed in the way that zoning plans have been, or arein the process ofbeing, prepared for Sydney, Parramatta and The Rocks. The "isolation"of the various elements in the hospital site in terms of, particularly, their potential rarityhas required that their assessed significance is, perhaps, greater than might necessarilybe the case. Although not a direct concern of the hospital it has been suggested that therelevant authorities be approached to consider the need for this planning document.

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1.2 Recommendations

On the basis of the investigation detailed in this report it is recommended that:

• a series of geo-technical bores be carried out on the hospital site to define thesub-profile. The locations of these bores should be defined with the assistance of anarchaeologist making use of the digitised locations of earlier buildings produced inthis report. This evidence should then be used to determine how archaeologicaltesting could be best carried out, for example, by the removal of overburden etc.

• using the results of the bores, a test trench should be excavated in an area that showsthe greatest coincidence of accumulated material. This work will be for the purposesof assessing the survival rates and integrity of each phase of development. On thebasis of the available evidence the location for this trench appears to be best situatedin the area of the North Wing and former York Wing. These lie over part of the mainblock of the 1817 hospital as well as various nineteenth and twentieth centuryfeatures.

• a smaller test trench might also be carried out on the site of the first hospital phaseout-building.

• the local community be involved as far as practicable in this work.

• a report detailing the preceding work be presented which defines the results of thesite work, reviews the statements of significance presented in this report and detailsmanagement strategies for the archaeological resource uncovered by field testing

• that the appropriate authorities (the Department of Planning and the local council)be approached to consider, as a matter of priority, the commencement of anarchaeological zoning plan for Newcastle.

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SECTION 2.0PREFACE TO THE REPORT

2.1 Location

Royal Newcastle Hospital is located within the City of Newcastle. It is a collection ofbuildings and services located primarily within two city blocks. The larger portion of thehospital is located on Pacific Street and is bound by Hunter and Watt Streets andShortland Esplanade and includes parts of Ocean and King Streets. The smaller blocklies immediately to the north-west of the main hospital area.

2.2 Parameters of the Investigation

This investigation was undertaken to identify and assess the archaeological potential ofthe site. "Archaeological potential" was understood to mean any sites, relics, structures,features, soils and/or deposits that could be used to interpret past use, management andoccupation of the hospital site.

The primary emphasis of this study has been in the area of the North Wing, that is, theformer city block that encompasses the sites of the first hospital, later nineteenth centuryhospital and most of the early twentieth century improvements. Future development isalso likely to be focused in this area.

2.3 Status of the Site

The site is not included on the Register of the National Estate nor is it listed as a wholeby the NSW Heritage Council although Section 130 Orders were applied to the NorthWing, York Wing and Wheeler House inJanuary 1981. The NationalTrust and the RoyalInstitute of Architects each have listed several buildings. The site has also been thesubject of a conservation plan prepared during 1991 (McDonald McPhee Pty Ltd et aI.,"ConselVation Plan for Royal Newcastle Hospital". Hunter Area Health Service, 1991).

No detailed archaeological assessment or field work has been undertaken on the studyarea to date. The conservation plan recommended that:

"Duringsite demolition orsite construction works... azonedarchaeologicalsUlVey be carried out to record the builtpatterns ofdevelopment and any

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archaeological remains which may exist:' (1).

This investigation has been undertaken in response to that recommendation at therequest of the Hunter Area Health Board. The intent of the work has been modifiedfrom the original recommendation as outlined in the following section.

2.4 Objectives

The primary objectives which have been identified for this work were to:

• define the potential archaeological resource which resides within the hospitalprecincts

• assess the significance of this resource

• recommend management strategies for this resource based on the assessment ofsignificance

2.5 Methodology

To achieve these objectives the following tasks were considered necessary;

• to locate and scale to the same size all detailed surveys of the site from first settlementto the present day as a means of identifying zones or sites of potential sensitivity

• to use the plans produced by the preceding work as a means of assessing the impactof succeeding phases of development on those preceding and to consider otherfactors which may have influenced the survival rates of archaeological material

• to consider comparative data from surrounding sites

• to determine criteria which could be used to assess the significance of the potentialresource

• to prepare a report which presents the results of this work.

Primary historical evidence was retrieved during the analysis prepared for theconservation plan and this has been utilised for the purposes of this work. The computerdigitisation was carried at a scale of 1:500 and plotted at a scale of 1:1000. The "best-fit"method ofcomputerisationwas considered the most appropriate for accommodating theinformation recorded in the various surveys.

2.6 Constraints

The major constraint which has affected the outcome of this work has been the lack ofgeo-technical and other physical data. The sub-surface profile of the hospital site isunknown and this has precluded a detailed assessment of the potential resource that islikely to reside within the hospital grounds. Reference to information supplied fromnear-by sites has not been able to clarify this issue. This problem has, in turn, affected

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the assessment of significance and influenced the formation of management strategies.

2.7 Authorship and Acknowledgements

This report has been prepared by W. Thorp. Historical detail has been gained from thethematic history prepared for the conservation plan (Thorp, fv. Thematic History RoyalNewcastle Hospital in McDonald McPhee Pty Ltd et al. 1991). The digitised plans ofearlier surveys were prepared by Jill Chapman of Godden Mackay Pty Ltd. The authorhas been grateful for the help and information supplied by Dr D. Bairstow and Mr W.Johnson.

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McDONALD McPHEE PTY UMfTEARCHITECTS AND URBAN PLANNER

THE HOSPITAL SITE

'pACIFIC 'ARK

OCEAN STREET

flETCHER PARK


HUNTER STREET

KING STREET

CHURCH STREET

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Figure 1: The Study Area (from McDonald McPhee et al., 1991 Fig. 2)




SECTION 3.0HISTORICAL CONTEXT

It is not the intention of this discussion to reiterate the history already presented in theConservation Plan. However, the chronological analysis defined in that work is used hereto provide a framework for an analysis of the developing built environment and, moreparticularly, to examine the cumulative creation of an archaeological record associatedwith this development.

The documentation, as it will be seen, provides reasonable definition for the spatialdevelopment of the site, however, it provides little or no evidence for the effect ofsucceeding phases of work on those preceding. In particular, there are serious lapses inthe archival record; for example, there are no plans of the site for approximately a thirtyyear period between 1864 and 1889. These factors complicate an already unclear pictureof the extent and nature of the accumulating archaeological record. These issues arediscussed in the succeeding section.

The historical detail contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, is adapted fromThorp, W. Thematic History ofRoyal Newcastle Hospital in McDonald McPhee Pty Ltdet al., 1991. The phases defined in that work and used in this report are:

Phase I: 1818 - 1860 The First Hospital

Phase ll: 1860 - 1875 Establishing A New Hospital

Phase Ill: 1875 - 1896 Extensions

Phase IV: 1896 - 1914 Stagnation and Reconstruction

Phase V: 1914 - 1939 The 'Third Hospital" - Incorporation and Consolidation

Phase VI: 1939 - 1989 The "Fourth Hospital"

Phase VII: 1989 - 1991 Earthquake and Heritage

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ARCllAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: ROYAL NEWCASTLE HOSPITAL

3.1 Phase I: 1818 - 1860

The First Hospital

The first hospital on the site of the present establishment was a product of the secondsettlement of Newcastle, from 1804 onwards, the first having failed in 1802. A large scalebuilding programme was put into effect soon after the new settlement commenced andthis included the construction town facilities as well as various institutionalestablishments. This programme was carried out between c. 1804 and 1820. The firsthospital was constructed in 1817 on a hill above the town in an area of sand dunes.

The building started life as a gaol and subsequently was converted for use as an hospital.It is shown on contemporary plans and views of 1818 and was described in the same yearas being built in stone, with a verandah all round it. The site was enclosed by a palingfence. In evidence presented to Commissioner Bigge during 1820 some further, butlimited, information was provided that allows some insight into the first establishment.William Evans, the Assistant Colonial Surgeon, claimed that it was too small for theneeds of the settlement; this problem was likely to worsen (2). There were at least tworooms in the main building and these could accommodate between twenty-four andtwnety-nine beds (3). Two small rooms were located under the verandah for the use ofwomen but one had been commandeered for use as a mill house to grind wheat. Theserooms were ten feet long and six feet wide (4).

Sand blowing into the hospital was a constant problem (5) and the only water to be hadwas from a single well established on the beach; other wells had proven to be brackish(6). There may have been a separate privy to the main building (7). The general opinionwas that the building was poorly constructed and would only last for a year or two (8).There may have been other improvements for which no documentation now survives (9).

The 1822 town survey indicates a single building on the site. The most detaileddescription of the building is also drawn from this year. It mentions that:

"...the building consists oftwo roomsfor patients...and oftwo small roomsten feet long andsixfeet wide... The buildingis ofstone and rough cast witha projectingpediment in front supported by wooden columns..." (10)

Other surveys show a similar location and arrangement of this building until 1834. Bythis time the hospital had acquired what appears to have been either an additionalbuilding or an attached garden. By 1849 it definitely encompassed three separatebuildings. This arrangement was consistent through to the 1860s when the land wasdedicated for a new hospital. There is no clear or detailed information with respect tothe form, construction or use of these new structures.

The old building survived until at least 1864 but appears to have been demolished shortlyafter that time although the details and extent of that demolition are now undocumented.During the twentieth century a building supervisor claimed to have seen foundations ofthree old buildings under the northern side of the hospital. These are said to haveconsisted of massive sandstone foundations, crude lime cement and brickwork.

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The location of these early buildings generally appears to fall between the south-eastcorner of the North Wing and the north-eastern corner of the Nickson Building. In thelater stages of the first hospital's development one building appears to have beenconstructed on ground that was later used for the eastern end of the North Wing.

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Figure 2: Detail of1823·1826 Town Survey (SADNSWAD Map 4385)


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Figure 4: Detail of1849 Town Survey (SAONSWAO Map 4596)



3.2 Phase TI: 1860 - 1875

Establishing A New Hospital

The need for a new hospital had been recognized since 1861 but it was not until 1865that the first new building was opened to the public and, even at that time, constructionwas not complete. The new buildings appear to have been located in much the samelocation as the old hospital, however, no contemporary documentation of the newcomplex is now available. The earliest survey that incorporates elements of the workcomes from 1889, approximately a thirty year lapse of time. Furthermore there is littleevidence for the nature of the building works associated with the new facilities in termsof demolition, construction activity and the like.

Mter the initial enthusiasm development of the new establishment lapsed and thebuildings were left to function as best they could. It was not until 1871 that water closetswere installed in the grounds and during the same period moves were made to securethe water supply. This, however, was not successfully achieved at the time. Prior to thatwater had come from a well sunk on the site. This well, presumably, was established eitherduring the later years of the first hospital (the well on the beach supplying the site duringits early years) or early in this second phase of work. There is no indication fromcontemporary documentation of its location.

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3.3 Phase ill: 1875 -1896

Extensions

During 1875 a tank was finally sunk in front of the hospital to create a secure water supplyalthough the lack of water available to the hospital continued to be a severe problemthroughout most of the rest of the century as did erosion and damage caused throughdrifting sand dunes. The latter, in particular, at times overwhelmed sections of thehospital buildings.

During the 1880s agitation for better facilities resulted in the construction of a numberof new buildings including an infectious diseases ward (subsequently converted for useas a kitchen) and the new Hannell Wing, the latter a two storey Gothic Revival structure.During the later 1880s a number ofnew facilities were provided including a new mortuaryand drying shed and additions and changes were made to the existing facilities. Thehospital grounds were also expanded to encompass an additional twenty-two feet. The1889 survey of the site shows the major facilities to be located, again, in the general areaof the old hospital wings.

Later, in 1891, a newwing ofinfectious diseaseswards was constructed along the northernboundary of the hospital and a private ward was built at the same time. These works weremade possible by the construction of a new dining room behind the buildings.

This new work was, once more, largely in the area of the earlier buildings, partiallyoverlapping them although large sections of the first hospital site are unlikely to havebeen alienated by the later work.

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Figure 6: Detail of1889 SUlvey (NSW Lands Department 80687)


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3.4 Phase IV: 1896· 1914

Stagnation and Reconstruction

The need for more and improved facilities was pressing by 1897. Plans were made for avariety of works but only repairs to existing buildings and services were carried out aswell as, in 1899, a thorough cleansing of the entire facility. In 1898 competitive designswere called for the construction of a new hospital that was to embrace the "better" partsof the old establishment. The competition was won by a Brisbane based architect but thework did not proceed for some years. Repairs, even, were kept to a minimum inexpectation of this long awaited building programme. The first stage of this workcommenced in 1901 when a new nurses' home was built in the south-western corner ofthe site and an operating theatre was attached to the Hannell Wing.

Work continued sporadically during the early years of the new century; a new laundry in1906, a kitchen in 1908 and a new morgue. Money for new projects was allocated in thesame year but it was not until 1914 that construction commenced after various protestsand one commission of enquirywas appointed to investigate the matter. Eleven schemeshad been considered for the new work and one, that incorporated significant elementsof the old establishment, was finally accepted by the committee.

The area of the work that had been utilised during the later years of the nineteenthcentury and the early years of the twentieth century had further encroached on the siteof the earlier hospital. Some portions of that site, however, remained untouched by thisphase of activity. During this period, as well, the old isolation wards on the northernperimeter appear to have been removed from the site, in c. 1910.

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3.5 Phase V: 1914 . 1939

The "Third Hospital" . Incorporation and Consolidation

The foundation stone of the North Wing was laid in 1914 and it was finally completed in1917.The older buildings were progressively demolished during this time. A similar delayin commencement and completion was experienced during the construction of the YorkWing which was begun in 1925 and finally completed in 1927.

During the 1920s a variety of buildings and services were added to the site including newnurses' accommodation, a kitchen, new isolation wards and a boiler house. In some casesthese works required the removal of existing buildings.

A similar programme of improvements, including additions, demolition and renovationswere carried on during the 1930s, in some cases with assistance from unemploymentrelief funds. These works included a new administration blocks, Residents MedicalOfficers' quarters, a new mortuary and workshops. The onset of the war years, however,slowed this progress although many new works were planned for when finances andlabour again became available.

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3.6 Phase VI: 1939 . 1989

The "Fourth Hospital"

During the war years plans were prepared for a number of projects but none came tofruition. However, in 1945, work again commenced on a building programme that wasto continue over the next few decades. The earliest of these works was the constructionof the Nickson Building which necessitated the removal of the existing Ward 12, linenroom, kitchen block and the old RMO's quarters. The former nurses' quarters were alsodemolished at this time. Further disruption to the site was caused through theconstruction of tunnels for steam and power lines. During the remaining years of the1940s other projects included the extensions to the outpatients' building and theresumption of adjoining properties to allow for the future expansion of the hospital.

The 1950s were also a period of development for the establishment including thecompletion of the Nickson Wing, the construction of a new laundry, a new nurses' homeand the purchase of a block of flats close to the hospital. The 1960s, for the most part,however, were quiet in terms of building activity in comparison to that which hadpreceded them. However, in 1966, planning commenced for what was claimed to be thebiggest single development in the hospital's development. This subsequentlybecame theMcCaffrey Wing.

Thisworkwas again followed by a lull during the early 1970s. The later part of this decadewas characterized by a series of documents which were prepared to plan for the futureneeds of the site. A ten year development programme was envisaged by this work. Bythis time a number of new projects were underway including the Clinical ServicesBuilding. Later studies, undertaken during the early years of the 1980s, considered therepairs which would be needed to extend the useful lives of the existing buildings. Anumber were targeted for demolition including the RMOs' quarters and the south wallof the York Wing.

Little follow up occurred in response to the findings of this work; for example, it was notuntil 1985 that repairs were made to the boiler house chimney. During the later years ofthe 1980s a series ofprogrammes were designed to repair and renovate existing facilitiesincluding, in 1988, a one million dollar repair programme for the McCaffrey Wing and,in 1989, a five million dollar programme for various structures. However, the situationwas rapidly altered by natural disaster during the final days of the 1980s.

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3.7 Phase VU: 1989 - 1991

Earthquake and Heritage

Mter the December 1989 earthquake the Nickson Building became the only safeaccommodation within the site. Most buildings were damaged and the hospital wasadvised to demolish a number of structures in the interests of public safety. Theseincluded the York Wing, the link wing and services block. These were demolished in1990.

These demolitions caused concerns to be voiced over the heritage issues associated withthis site although heritage awareness of certain items had first surfaced during the early1980s. For example, in 1981, the North Wing, the York Wing and Wheeler House werelisted as heritage items under the NSW Heritage Act (1979). The hospital itselfhad takenpride in its own history and development causing various monographs to be publishedand celebrations to be held commemorating key events. However, patient and staff careand accommodation had, necessarily, taken precedence over other interests. The effectof the earthquake was to bring hospital pragmatism into conflict with environmentalconsiderations.

In response to concerns voiced by a number of interest groups various studies have beeninitiated by the Hunter Area Health Service to clarify the issues relevant to the heritagevalues of this site and identify management strategies for them. This study is one of thoseinvestigations.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: ~OYAL NEWCASTLE HOSPITAL

SECTION 4.0THE POTENTIAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE

4.1 Physical Development of the Site

From the first development of the site in 1817 the majority of construction has beenfocused in the north-eastern block that now encompasses the North Wing and NicksonBuilding. The accompanying plans show the relationship of the first hospital to thebuildings currently on site. This is a "best-fit" application of the computerised plottingand encompasses the widest possible area that could house remnants of this first buildingas far as they are known to have existed.

The 1822 and 1823-26 plans demonstrate that the buildings currently on the site are notlikely to overlie any remnant evidence of this earliest phase of work, however, by 1834,another building had been added to the site and the North Wing may be seen to partiallyoverlie this area. By 1849 another building had been added to the hospital complex andthis was adjacent to, but free of, the Nickson Building.

The 1860 site survey appears to represent a similar arrangement of buildings althoughthe scale is markedly different and, probably, more accurate than the earlier surveys. The1864 survey shows a similar configurationwith what appears to be an additional buildinglinked by, possibly, a wall to the southernmost of tItese group of three buildings. Theseare still outside the area of any of the current buildings.

The most detailed survey following the 1864 plan was prepared in 1889 and by that timethe hospital facilities had completely changed; the old buildings had been demolishedand new structures erected in their place. The accompanying plan shows the relationshipof this phase of work to the current site. The buildings again occupied much the samespace as the earlier hospital and are certain to have had some impact, at least partially,on any remnant evidence of the earlier buildings. One wing of the new hospital was builtdirectly over the northernmostblock ofthe old hospital and the central and mainbuildingwas constructed at least partially over the main block of the former hospital. However,there appears to have been little impact by this phase of work on the southernmostbuilding and the later out-building.

The 1896 survey demonstrates that more facilities had been added to the site between1889 and 1896but none appear to have been any more destructive to the potential earlierresource than that which had appeared in 1889. By 1908, however, the sites of more of

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the former central block and all of the southern block had been encroached uponalthough the out-building to the latter remained in an area that had not, at that time,been utilised by the hospital. The survey of 1910 illustrates a similar situation althoughsome demolition appears to have occurred in the area of the former main block andsouthern block.

The most substantial impact on the potential archaeological resource of the earlierphases of work is likely to have occurred during the period c. 1910 and 1920 particularlythrough the construction of, for example, the North Wing. The survey plans of this periodclearly demonstrate that the construction work associated with the new buildings of thehospital was likely to be creating an impact on the sites of the later nineteenth centuryhospital as well as those of the first hospital. However, a large portion of the site of thecentral block of the original hospital still remained relatively untouched by thecumulative building works of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

It is clear that the archaeological resource that may reside within the hospital groundshas the potential to be complex, multi-phased and cumulatively developed over thepreceding works.

The final two plans show the maximum area that could be encompassed by theconstruction activity of the first hospital in relation to the current buildings on site as faras the primary documentation provides evidence for that establishment. This area hasthen been overlain on a composite plan that shows the area alienated by the laternineteenth and early twentieth century works. It demonstrates that large portions ofthose earlier buildings are likely to have been affected by the later building worksalthough sections of the central block, southern block and the entire out-building to thesouthern block are likely to have been relatively unaffected by these later works. This ofcourse is in an "ideal" situation where one phase of works was constructed immediatelyover the earlier phase. It does not take into account other factors which may have eitheradded to or affected the earlier works and their survival rates. These issues are discussedin the following sections.

Page 23

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Figure 11: 1823-26 Survey Computer Digitised to Show Relationship ofHospital Building andSurrounding Town Allotments to Buildings Currently On Site.


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Figure 13: 1849 Survey Computer Digitised to Show Relationship ofHospital Buildings and TownAllotments to Buildings Currently On Site

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: ROYAL nEWCASTLE hOSPITAL

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Figure 14: 1860 Survey Computer Digitised to Show Relationship of Hospital Buildings andTown Allotments to Buildings Currently On Site

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Hospital Development to Buildings Currently On Site

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Figure 20: Computer Compilation ofall First Phase Hospital Surveys Showing Maximum Area ofArchaeological Potential

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT : ROYAL NEWCASTLE HOSPITAL

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Figure 21: First Hospital Phase Composite Plus 1889 and 1924 Surveys In Relation to BuildingsCurrently On Site


1III1III·IIIIIIII1IIII


4.2 Potential Additions to the Archaeological Record

The preceding computer analysis is valuable for defining areas of potential sensitivity,however, it is limited by the quality and extent of the documentary evidence. The lack ofsite surveys for a thirty year period between 1864 and 1889 is particularly difficult. It isclear from comparing the graphic evidence (maps, plans and sk;etches) with writtenrecords that more was constructed within the hospital, at all periods, than has beenrecorded on the surviving surveys.

For ex~mple, it is clear from later evidence that a well had been sunk somewhere on thesite during either the later years of the first phase or during the second phase ofdevelopment, however, the location of that well has never been recorded. Furthermore,later bores were sunk for which locations are also unrecorded. There are references totanks, bath houses, drains, sewers and a variety of small out-buildings that do not appearon any survey. It is possible that the original hospital had ancillary buildings, for exampleprivies, for which no evidence now survives.

Disposal ofrubbish is also an element that is impossible to address because of the natureof the archival record. It is known that town waste was dumped adjacent to the hospital,causing a fearful stench, but the dumps, particularly for the first hospital, are unknown.If these are on the site and are located they could form a considerable archaeologicaldeposit.

All these additional and undocumented works could have affected the survival rate ofearlier works. Certainly they contribute to the formation of a potentially complex andrich archaeological record. However, there are no means by which an assessment of theirsurvival rate is possible.

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4.3 Factors Mfecting Survival

Clearly the constant demolition and construction activity within a relatively small areamust have affected the earlier works to some degree however, the extent of this effect isunclear. There are no contemporary records with respect to the scale of demolition; forexample, whether all earlier foundations were grubbed up before constructioncommenced on the next phase. Experience from other sites would suggest that,particularly for the earlier nineteenth century works, this would be an unlikely scenario.In this case one account states that foundations that appear to be commensurate withthose of the early hospital were observed near the North Wing in 1949. This suggests thatsubstantial portions of those buildings were left intact after demolition and, secondly,that later works did not substantially affect them or at least those portions.

Even more difficult to assess is the effect of the changing topography on any intactarchaeological evidence. Of particular importance is the effect of sand drift and erosionon the site. The hospital was and is constructed on an area that was originally composedof sand dunes and there is considerable evidence detailing the extent and the problemscaused by drifting sand throughout the nineteenth century. Whole buildings wereoverwhelmed and damage was caused to fences and other facilities through sand drift.What is unclear, however, is whether the level of the site was raised or altered, if at all,through these incursions.

Allied to this problem is the question of erosion, a problem also documented throughoutthe nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Some land reclamation programmes wereinitiated to rectify this situation, including the garbage dumping mentioned previously,but the cumulative effect is an unknown.

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4.4 Geo-technical and Comparative Evidence

Two other sites relatively close to the study area have been archaeologically investigatedduring recentyears and the evidence from these sites has been considered as comparativedata, particularly with respect to the problems discussed in the preceding section.

The convict lumber yard site, adjacent to the Customs House at the bottom of WattStreet, has been archaeologically excavated within the last few years and the results ofthis work are particularly relevant. Initial investigations on this site revealed a two metreaccumulation of sand over what were found to be remarkably intact structural and otherevidence of this very early industrial site.

The integrity ofthis siteprovides good evidencefor the practice ofonlypartial demolitionon early nineteenth century sites and this, combined with the twentieth century accountof"early" masonry and brickwork, strongly argues for the survival ofelements of the earlyhospital within the current hospital grounds.

The accumulation of sand might also suggest a similar situation within the hospital sitealthough this, in fact~ may be eroded material coming from the crest of the hill to rest onthe lumber yard site. There is insufficient evidence available for this analysis.

The second site which has been investigated close to the hospital is that of the JamesFletcher Hospital. This site is closer to the ridge and, therefore, more comparable to thehospital than the lumber yard site at the base of the slope. Bores were taken here as partof the site investigation. They revealed up to two metres of fill, including coalwash, overthe eroding remnant A or B horizons of the natural soil profile. Few traces of earlyoccupation were located on this site.

The situation for the hospital using this comparative evidence is clearly equivocal. It ispossible that remnants, and substantial remnants, of the early hospital were left intact atits demolition and it is equally possible that substantial elements of this resource werenot impacted on for most of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This isparticularly the case closer to the North Wing. It is also possible, although even less clear,that substantial remnants ofthe various later nineteenth century improvements are likelyto have survived above and around these earlier hospital traces.

The major constraint to assessing the degree to which survival is likely to have occurredis the lack ofgeo-technical data for the hospital. The sub-profile for the site is completelyunknown and until this evidence can be obtained an archaeological assessment can be,at best, an indication of the likely resource encompassed within the site.

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4.5 The Potential Resource

In summary it can be concluded from the available evidence and without the constraintsthat may be imposed from geotechnical data and undocumented archaeological featuresthat:

• there is likely to be remnant evidence of the first hospital phase of construction

• this evidence is likely to consist of some central portions of the main block, smallsections of the southern block and the entire southern out-building this evidence islikely to be located between the south-eastern corner of the North Wing and thenorth-eastern corner of the Nickson Building

• some evidence ofthe first phase ofhospital construction is likely to be at feast partiallydisturbed and possibly entirely removed by the works of the mid and later nineteenthcentury and those of the early twentieth century

• this later nineteenth and early twentieth century work is also likely to haveconsiderably added to the potential archaeological resource within the hospital sitethrough structural evidence, relics and deposits

• this later nineteenth and twentieth century resource is likely to be partially locatedover the earlier hospital phase works as well as along the eastern boundary and centrewest portion of the site. The North Wing, Nickson Building and Boiler House alsoencompass areas of this phase of works

• it is likely that a variety ofarchaeological features are located within the site for whichno specific location or determination of survival rates may be made. These sitesencompass drainage and sewerage works, structures, wells and other deposits andfeatures including the possibility of portable relics in the form of dumped artefacts

• that substantial traces ofpast landscaping may also be located as identifiable depositsincluding paths and garden areas.

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SECTION 5.0ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

5.1 Criteria for Assessment

Traditional criteria for assessing significance, such as those defined in J. S. Kerr'sConservation Plan, could not be used for this site. Those criteria require knowledge ofthe physical condition of the subject whereas, on this site, it is the potential physicalevidence that has been considered by the investigation. Criteria that reflect thesignificance of the resource, if it is found are, therefore, more appropriate. Themanagement strategies are intended to identify and define the physical resource and,therefore, arrive at an absolute statement of significance. This absolute definition willinfluence the future of any remnant archaeological evidence on the site.

It is clear that any remnant evidence of the first phase of the hospital and also the secondphase of development will be of high significance. This is because of the rarity value, itsrepresentation of the only surviving physical evidence of those phases as well as theinherent symbolism, particularly for the "penal period" of Newcastle's development.

However, iffor example, only disconnected and small elements of that first hospital werelocated its significance, other than as a symbol, must necessarily be questioned and thisin turn must affect questions of future retention and preservation.

These multiple "strands" of significance which enmesh each phase of development onthis site will only be resolved when the extent of the physical evidence is identified and,in the long term, when the greater archaeological resource that resides within Newcastlehas been established.

The significance of the potential archaeological resource has been considered on anumber of levels;

• the importance that additional evidence provided by the archaeological materialcould give to an understanding of the development of this particular site

• the importance of the site as part of the growing urban context

• its significance as rare or unique examples of colonial evolution in technology,philosophies, work practices and the like

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• its importance as a focus for community awareness and symbolism of local heritage.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: ROYAL NEWCASTLE HOSPITALI

11IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

5.2 The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource as Part ofthe Royal Newcastle Hospital Development

Ifarchaeological evidence of the first phase of the hospital development (c. 1817 - 1864)was located within the site it would be significant because:

• itwould be the only surviving physical evidence of this phase ofhospital developmenteither above or below ground. It would be representative and descriptive of theformative phase of the institution's development.

• the systematic investigationofsubstantial sections ofthe building, ifuncovered, couldprovide evidence for the use and management of the facility during this phase. Thisis largely undocumented.

• undocumented elements of this phase, for example, wells, structures or relics, iflocated, would provide evidence that would considerably add to the history ofmanagement and use of this institution.

Ifarchaeological evidence of the second period ofhospital development, essentially thelater nineteenth century works, was located within the site it would be significantbecause:

• it would be the only surviving physical evidence of this phase of development (priorto c. 1910) that survives on the site and, as such, would be representative anddescriptive of the works that formed the basis for the modern hospital

• previously undocumented elements would provide evidence for the history ofmanagement and use during this phase of development.

If archaeological evidence of the third period of hospital development, essentially thetwentieth century works, (c. 1910 onwards) was located within the site it would beconsidered less significant because of the greater availability of documentation for thisphase as well as the survival rate of above ground examples.

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5.3 The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource as Part ofNewcastle's Historical Profile

If evidence of the first phase of the hospital was identified and recorded it would besignificant:

• for its associational and symbolic value of the earliest phase of the city's developmentand the grovrth of institutions relevant to that original "convict" based impetus fordevelopment.

• it would provide, at this time, rare physical evidence of that phase of the city'sdevelopment.

Evidence of the second phase of hospital development would be significant:

• for its symbolism and demonstration of the growth of Newcastle as a major regionalcentre requiring, and capable of, providing modern medical care for its inhabitants.

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5.4 The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource as aDemonstration of Colonial Evolution

• Comparison ofsurviving archaeological evidence from allphases would be significantbecause of the ability to demonstrate changing management and medical practicesand technologies employed in the development and use of an hospital. This isparticularly relevant because of the continued occupation of the one site by thehospital for nearly one hundred and seventy five years.

• Intact evidence of the first phase of the hospital would be significant for its historicalvalue and rarity. It is comparable in time to the Rum Hospital of Sydney and similarinstitutions on Norfolk Island.

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5.5 The Significance of the Potential Archaeological Resource forCommunity Awareness

The events and community involvement surrounding recent historic site investigations,for example the Lumber Yard site, James Fletcher Hospital and Carrington Chambers,has positively identified the very strong community awareness of urban heritage thatexists within Newcastle. This is particularly true for material that relates to the earliest"convict" phase of development. It is likely that the identification of intact evidence ofthe first, and probably second, phase of hospital development would generate an equallykeen community interest.

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SECTION 6.0MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

6.1 Statutory Requirements

The potential archaeological evidence encompassed by the Newcastle Hospital site fallsunder the relics provisions of the NSW Heritage Act (1977, amended 1987). A relic isdefined as;

"any deposit) object or material evidence relating to the settlement of thearea that comprises New South Wales) not being Abonginal settlement;and which is fifty or more years old. 11

The Heritage Act, as amended, states that a person shall not remove a relic protected bya conservation instrument without approval from the Heritage 'Councif. Further, no-onemay disturb or excavate any land in New South Wales (excepti,q~rn:ilJonwealth ownedland) to discover, expose or move a relic without an Excavation P~rfrrit issuetl by theHeritage Council of New South Wales.. ~~.~

7 '

This will mean that, prior to any redevelopment of the site or planned archaeologicalinvestigation, an Excavation Permitwith provisions for archaeologicalwork as necessary,will need to be acquire.~romthe Department of Planning.

6.2 Objectives for Immediate Archaeological Work

This assessmenthas shownthat there is the potentialwithin the hospital site for a complexarchaeological resource that dates from 1817 through to and including twentieth centuryelements. This potential resource has a high level of significance for its associational andsymbolic values as well as for its ability to demonstrate past management practices,medical philosophies and technologies. In many cases it would be the only survivingphysical evidence for nearly one hundred years of hospital development as well as rareevidence of town development. However, this investigation has been unable to assessthe precise extent, nature and integrity of the resource because of the lack of, particularly,geo-technical and other physical data.

The sub-profile of the hospital site is unknown and reference to comparable adjacentsites has not clarified the issue. It is not knownwhether portions of the site lie under largequantities of fill and/or sand and. whether this material may have acted to preserve

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elements of the site, for example as sand did with the lumber yard site, or act to erodeor damage pre-existing material. Furthermore the effects of subsequent buildingprogrammes are unclear with respect to the damage caused to earlier structures whichhave lain within the ambit of the new works.

It is ofparticular importance that the first archaeological work on the site should addressthese problems. Resolution of them will directly affect the type and scale of work thatmay need to be carried out in the future. It will either add to or detract from thesignificance of the various elements and, finally, it will determine the necessity orotherwise of preservation, recording and/or removal strategies for individual elements.

It should, therefore, be the first priority of subsequent archaeological work to determinethe extent, nature and integrity of the potential archaeological resource. It is suggestedthat the best means of achieving this will be through geo-technical and archaeologicaltesting.

It is recommended that a series of bores be carried out on the site to define thesub-profile. This evidence should then be used to determine how archaeological testingcould be best carried out, for example, by the removal of overburden etc. It isrecommended that a test trench be excavated in an area that shows the greatestcoincidence of accumulated material for the purposes of assessing the survival rates andintegrity of each phase ofworks. This appears to be best situated in the area of the northwing and former York wing that lies over part of the main block of the 1817 wing as wellas various nineteenth and twentieth centuryfeatures. A smaller test might also be carriedout on the site of the first hospital phase out-building. It is strongly recommended thatthe local community be involved as far as practicable in this work.

At the conclusion of this work detailed recommendations may be presented with respectto the future management of the resource. The significance of the various elements maybe clarified and the effect of the community response may be judged.

6.3 Long Term Archaeological Requirements

During this assessment it has been a constant difficulty that the potential archaeologicalprofile of the city has not been addressed in the way that zoning plans have been, or arein the process of, being prepared for Sydney, Parramatta and The Rocks. The "isolation"of the various elements in the hospital site in terms of, particularly, their potential rarityhas required that their assessed significance is, perhaps, greater than might be the case.For example, it is at this time unknown if the Lumber Yard and the potential resourcewithin the hospital represent the only surviving remnants of "convict" Newcastle. If so,their significance would be immense, however, if other comparable sites were locatedwithin the city the significance of the hospital site might be lessened.

Clearly, it is not a direct concern of the hospital but it is certainly a recommendation ofthis report that the appropriate authorities (the Department of Planning and the localcouncil) consider, as a matter ofpriority, the commencement of an archaeological zoningplan for Newcastle.

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SECTION 7.0SUBSIDIARY DOCUMENTATION

7.1 Endnotes

1. McDonald McPhee Pty Ltd et al., Conservation Plan for Royal Newcastle Hospital.,Recommendation 15

2. Quoted in Turner,. (Ed) Newcastle as a Convict Settlement.,99

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid., 100

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid., 107. The evidence refers to inmates wrapping themselves in bedding in thehospital to make the trip to the privy.

8. Evidence of John AlIen 1820., Ibid., 149

9. Evidence of Governor Macquarie., Ibid., 220. He refers to the building beingconsiderably added to an improved by Wallis although the time frame is unclear.

10. Sydney Gazette quoted in Ibid., 4

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7.2 Bibliography

Mcdonald McPhee Pty Ltd, Thorp, W. and Burton, C.Conservation Plan for Royal Newcastle HospitalHunter Area Health Service. 1991.

Public Works Department Geotechnical CentreBore Logs for James Fletcher HospitalPublic Works Department 1989.

Thorp, W.Thematic History Royal Newcastle HospitalMSS included in McDonald McPhee Pty Ltd Conservation Plan for Royal NewcastleHospitalHunter Area Health Service. 1991.

Turner, J. Dr (Ed)Newcastle as a Convict Settlement: The Evidence Before J. T. Bigge in 1819 - 1821Newcastle Public Library. 1973.

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Documents

ARCHAEOLOGICAL .ASSESSMEfNT ROYAL NEWCASTLE HOSPITALnswaol.library.usyd.edu.au/data/pdfs/13518_ID... · i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i "il-archaeological assessment royal,