General News
4 September, 2025
Aradale History found in a forgotten suitcase
J Ward’s Research Centre has received an extraordinary donation, with a suitcase once belonging to former Aradale nurse, Arthur Sawter, recently uncovered and handed to the centre by his granddaughter, Anne Porter.
Amelia Stromm, a member of the Friends of J Ward, said the discovery was a remarkable addition to the collection.
“She bought it to us and it’s just incredible that we've been given these beautiful shirts and collars and even a jacket, the original dry cleaning tag is still attached,” Ms Stromm said.
Alongside the clothing, the suitcase also contained two books and a personal journal.
Among them were two mental health training manuals, including Modern Mental Treatment: A Handbook for Nurses, written by Dr Eric Cunningham Dax.
“So that was actually written all about electroconvulsive therapy and other different therapies that were used in the 1960s. So that’s really useful for us and for those who contact the discovery centre to get an idea of what kind of treatment their loved ones might have had,” Ms Stromm said.
The donated items also included a notebook filled with Mr Sawter’s handwritten notes from his training.
“We've also got this little notebook here where A. Sawter wrote a whole heap of notes about the different conditions that he’d been taught about and what the rules were in terms of dealing with patients that were in seclusion or that were restrained. It’s really interesting stuff,” she said.
Ms Stromm said donations such as this are vital in helping the centre preserve and share the history of J Ward and Aradale.
“We’re here to help people reconnect with the past and keep the past alive in a respectful way,” she said.
Ms Stromm encouraged anyone with items relating to the J-ward or Aradale’s long history to get in touch.
“If anyone has got any more items they’d like to donate, please reach out to us,” she said.
Donations can be arranged via email at info@jward.org.au or by contacting secretary Marie Murphy on 0400 977 575.
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