Truby King Recreation Reserve — Seacliff, New Zealand
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Dunbar Loop
S 45° 40.543 E 170° 37.448
59G E 470726 N 4941912
A history of the Seacliff Lunatic Asylum and Sir Truby King's involvement
Waymark Code: WM7V2B
Location: New Zealand
Date Posted: 12/05/2009
Views: 3
Truby King Recreation Reserve
A Brief History
Designed by R.A. Lawson to the Scotch Baronial style, the Seacliff Lunatic Asylum was 750 feet long and 228 feet wide (229 x 70 metres). Straddling the bank on the Reserve boundary, it was three stories high at the front and two stories high at the back. Bricks were made on site. Gravel for cement was taken from the Shag River, Oamaru stone was used for the gables and Welsh slates for the roof.
Despite increasing public and official concerns over the stability of the site, the construction went ahead. As early as 1883 continual movement of the foundations in the northern wing was noted and in 1887 a major slip led to it demolition. It was then replaced with a wooden building. It was also on the northern end of the complex that a tragic fire swept through on of the later additions in 1942 – a two storey women’s ward in which 37 patients died. The cause of the fire was never established. By 1945 unsafe parts of the main building, such as ornamental hanging turrets and heavy stone gables, were removed, culminating in its complete demolition in 1959.
Upon his appointment, Sir Truby King wasted no time in reforming the general running of the hospital. He had new dietary ideas, rejected the use of drugs and psychotherapy, believing a regime of work plus a healthy diet stimulated the mind and kept the body healthy. The patients, primarily the males, responded to this regime and were put to work establishing and maintaining the beautiful gardens, the remnants of this which make up the current Reserve and the 900 acres (365 hectares) of surrounding farm.
In 1907, with his wife Bella, Sir Truby formed the Plunket Society as a result of his observations of a high death rate among artificially fed babies. His holistic approach to mental and bodily health left a legacy of lasting impact.
References:
Unfortunate Folk: essays on mental health treatment, 1863 – 1992
Ed. Barbara Brookes and Jane Thomson
Pub. University of Otago Press 2001
Seacliff, a History of the District to 1970
Pub. 1971 Frank Tod
Acknowledgements:
Funding by the Community Trust of Otago and the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board
Erected by the Truby King Reserve Committee