Whau Lunatic Asylum

Whau Lunatic Asylum (or: Lunatic Asylum at the Whau; later: Auckland Lunatic Asylum, Avondale Lunatic Asylum, Avondale Hospital, Auckland Mental Health Hospital, Oakley Hospital; Carrington Psychiatric Hospital; commonly Carrington/Oakley Hospital) was a psychiatric hospital on the Oakley Farm Estate in Point Chevalier, Auckland, New Zealand. Built in 1865 on the Great North Road, it was one of the largest asylums in the Colony.

Most of the site of the former asylum is currently occupied by the Unitec Institute of Technology, with smaller sections occupied by the Mason Clinic [1] (a forensic psychiatric clinic also serving as a facility for mentally disturbed prisoners) and various private businesses.

"Whau" is the common name for Entelea, a species of tree endemic to New Zealand; the Whau River is located within the Auckland metropolitan area.

In 1851 the original "special asylum" for Auckland received public support, and by 1853 Auckland's first asylum was built on the grounds of Auckland Hospital However, by 1862 this building was overcrowded and consequently support was sought from the provincial government In September 1863, architectural plans by a Mr. Barrett from England were submitted to the Auckland architect James Wrigley who adapted them. Henry White was the builder. John Thomas of Oakley Creek was awarded a brick contract for the building materials, but being unable to complete the contract, it fell on Dr. Pollen to supply the rest of the bricks. Some of the bricks were produced on-site while others were produced at Dr Pollen's Avondale brickyard. While building was complete in 1867 it stopped at the left wing of the main hospital because 20,000 pounds had been spent and this was thought adequate for the community at the time. Patients were moved from the Auckland Hospital site to the "new asylum" on 8 March 1867 After the building was gutted by an 1877 fire, Philip Herapath supervised the reconstruction. From 1869 to 1879, Dr. Thomas Aickin served as medical superintendent. In 1891, Dr. T. R. King, Medical Superintendent, resigned because of ill-health, and was succeeded by Dr. Gray Hassell, who had been an administrator at the Wellington Hospital and Wellington Asylum.

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