Brighton, Vic. 5 July 1919. The opening of "Anzac Hostel-a home, not an institute" (original ...

Brighton, Vic. 5 July 1919. The opening of "Anzac Hostel-a home, not an institute" (original caption). Three policemen stand in the foreground in front of the hostel which is draped in flags while guests mingle to the left. His Excellency the Governor, the Honourable Sir Arthur Lyulph Stanley KCMG, officially opened Anzac Hostel as a home for the care of totally and permanently incapacitated ex-servicemen. In November 1918 the government purchased "Kamesburgh", a property originally built in 1873-1874 for the price of 17000 pounds. It used funds donated by the Baillieu brothers; William Lawrence (1859-1936), Edward Lloyd (1867-1939), Arthur Stanley (1872-1943), Richard Percy Clive (1874-1941), Norman Horace (1878-1955) and Captain Maurice Howard Lawrence (1883-1961), all prominent Melbourne businessmen and philanthropists. The brothers had donated the very generous sum of 25000 pounds to a charitable fund for wounded soldiers. "Kamesburgh" was purchased with part of this money to establish Anzac Hostel. After essential building modifications the Red Cross, along with the nursing staff, undertook the cleaning of the building and preparations for receiving patients. At the time Anzac Hostel opened it had a capacity of twenty-five beds and employed seven nurses under the charge of Matron Catherine Munro. Anzac Hostel was officially closed on 30 June 1995 and the house in now used as a school. A new Anzac Hostel was built on the old property's grounds and was opened on 27 July 1998. (Donor Repatriation Commission) (see also P0158/43/39)