Better angels of our nature in a statue

Angels descending, bring from above, echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Those words were written by an American missionary and poet in the 1800s.

Perhaps this was the sentiment felt by good souls when they erected a statue of an angel at the Newcastle Asylum - now known as James Fletcher Hospital - more than 120 years ago.

The statue has, for many decades, been at the Stockton Centre. Newcastle Herald journalist Ian Kirkwood reported the closure of the centre on Monday, following a policy to move people with disability from institutions to group homes.

It's unclear when the statue made the trip from Newcastle to Stockton.

Dr Ann Hardy, a historian at University of Newcastle library, beautifully imagined that the angel was "flown across the harbour to protect those who were transferred there in 1910, many of them women and children from the Newcastle mental hospital".

Dr Hardy has written a blog about the angel on the Hunter Living Histories website.

She told Topics that the angel "represents Newcastle so well".

She sees the angel as a reflection of a community that cares about its people. She also considers it a link between the two mental health sites and a symbol of the government care provided to the intellectually disabled since "the first institution established at Newcastle in 1871".

Dr Hardy came across a postcard of the statue when it was at the Newcastle Asylum site.

"That postcard was interesting. It was almost like a souvenir, promoting the site," she said.

"It shows the asylum was quite a pleasant public place."

On the postcard, the asylum was named The Fountain Hospital, which appears to be a reference to the fountain in the picture.

Dr Hardy said she hadn't seen any other references to this name.

"It was never called The Fountain Hospital," she said.

But she said the postcard reflected the fact that asylums back then were tourist attractions and community-friendly places with picturesque settings.

She wonders whether the community or a church donated the statue to "look over the patients". It could have been a place of reflection for families having to leave intellectually disabled children or relatives at the asylum.

"Lots of children were admitted there in the 1800s," she said.

"It would have been quite heartbreaking to admit them and leave and go home."

A lot of the asylum's patients were buried at the nearby Christ Church Cathedral, so the angel may have come from that church.

"Most people were Christian back then. Maybe there was a fundraiser."

Now that the Stockton Centre has closed, what will become of the angel?

Dr Hardy believes its heritage qualities should be considered.

"A statue could easily be relocated back to the James Fletcher site, which commemorates 150 years next year.

"Maybe the angel can fly back across the harbour."