Hunter Living Histories

 

Warning to Care Leavers and Their Families. This post contains listings of material relating to Children’s Homes in the Hunter Region. Sometimes words or images can cause sadness or distress, or trigger traumatic memories for people, particularly survivors of past abuse, violence or childhood trauma. For some people, these responses can be overwhelming. If you need to talk to someone, support is available. Find & Connect Support Services: Freecall 1800 16 11 09 (Monday–Friday 9am–5pm). Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 anytime for confidential telephone crisis support.

Access to Information for Care Leavers in the Anglican Children’s Homes of the Hunter Region

The University of Newcastle’s Special Collections (Archives) formerly Cultural Collections, holds the archival records of the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle including those of the children’s homes. The Children’s homes records are closed to general public access.

 

What Records of Anglican Children’s Homes Do You Hold?

Dating from circa 1915 to the early 1980s when they were transferred to us in the University Archives. They include:

• Registrar’s Papers,
• St Albans for Boys (Cessnock),
• St Christophers (Taree),
• St Elizabeth’s for Girls (Mayfield & Singleton),
• St Hilda’s Hostel for Girls (Newcastle)

See Listing Below

The Samaritans Foundation

The Samaritans Foundation, Diocese of Newcastle is the successor to the former administrations of the children’s homes.

Requests for information from those files relating to the former homes operated by the Diocese should in the first instance be directed to the Director of the Foundation.

CONTACT

If you are a care leaver wishing to access information from the listing of records above please contact the Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org.au/

36 Warabrook Boulevard, Warabrook NSW 2304
PO Box 366, Hunter Region Mail Centre, NSW 2310

P 02 4960 7100 (Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm)
P 1300 656 336 (local call cost)
E mail@samaritans.org.au
F 02 4960 7160

 

How Can We Access This Information?

Due to Privacy Law restrictions the Children’s Home Records are not open for public access.

We are prevented by law from providing access to personal information to third parties. The Samaritans process such requests from the individuals concerned.

The process that we have followed here is: that upon notification by mail from the Director of the Samaritans we conduct a search into the files regarding the individual and the results sent to the Samaritans to provide to the individual(s) who requested the information.

 

Digitisation to Speed Up the Search Process

Since 2014, when Prime Minister Julia Gillard first announced the Royal Commission, with no funding we began the mammoth of digitising all the relevant files, and indexing everything according to the child; many thousands of pages, the aim of which was to reduce the the search time reducing the average search time from 6 weeks to a matter of hours.

The University of Newcastle Cultural Collections staff and volunteers set about digitising all the Children’s Homes related records as well as indexing ever piece of documentation relating to the child. The aim to speed up the search time taken to locate information for care leavers.

During this period, we sincerely welcomed the assistance that the Find & Connect’s Records Access Documentation (RAD) Grants funding program that provided much needed help in the task.

The Results

By November 2020, just prior to the University Library restructure  more than 60,000 pages of material, had been processed. The Library restructure unfortunately saw our Project Archivist and Archives Officer, (who had done the lion’s share of the work), made redundant and unfortunately brought this project to a halt.

The Children’s Homes files were received here from the early 1980s, in only the most rudimentary order, with no form of indexing, and much of them in fragile condition, making them extraordinarily difficult to use.

The initiative taken to get the Children’s Homes records scanned and indexed, so that the information which was once locked up in them can now be accessed for those parties who need it.

This Index, now nearly complete, contains an estimated 8,000 named entries and is regularly called upon by investigators in need of urgent response to subpoenas and other formal requests from care leavers and their families.

A listing of the files we are still yet to do is also included in this post.

Acknowledgments

These are the professional staff and volunteers who worked on this project from 2014-2020, and that we are sincerely appreciative of their dedicated work:

• Dr Edward Bridle, Project Archivist, and Indexer (Made Redundant in November 2020)
• The late Mr Chris Bourne (Volunteer)
• Susan Paton, Archives Officer (Made Redundant in November 2020)
• The late Mr Gregg Heathcote, Archives Officer
• Mr Joshua Curley (Volunteer and Contract Worker)
• Ms Cherie Lynch (Volunteer)

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE CHILDREN’S HOMES – WHAT WE HOLD

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – REGISTRAR:  Correspondence and Miscellanea:

A5266 (i) Children’s Homes correspondence, 1928 – 1930.

A5266 (ii) Applications for employment in Children’s Homes, 1957 – 1964.

A5266 (iii) Copies of pamphlets and broadcast addresses in connection with the three homes for children, including addresses by C.A. Brown, 2HR November and December, 1938.

A5266 (iv) Children’s Homes monthly reports, 1939 – 1943.

A5266 (v) Printed material relating to subsidies for orphanages, 1926 – 1928.

A5267 (i) N.S.W. Association of Child Caring Agencies, correspondence and general information, including minutes of meetings, 1958 – 1969. [Transferred to A6017].

A5267 (ii) Child Welfare Department – copies of letters, 1961 – 1969.

A5267 (iii) Children on probation, 1923 – 1931.

A5268 St. Alban’s Home correspondence, 1921 – 1930.

A5269 (i) St. Alban’s Home list of children’s names and miscellanea, 1926 – 1927. Donation cards [n.d.].

A5269 (ii) St. Alban’s Home (Aberdare), foundation stone invitations, acceptances etc., 1962 and opening invitations, 1965.

A5269 (iii) Local appeal and dealings with Architect, 1965 – 1966.

A5269 (iv) St. Christopher’s Home correspondence including lists of names, 1928 – 1931.

A5269 (v) St. Elizabeth’s Home, 1924 – 1930.

A5270 St. George’s Farm Home, 1921 – 1946.

A5277 (iii) Correspondence with I. W. Pender – Children’s Homes, Booragul, St. John’s College etc. 1956 – 1971.

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – REGISTRAR – CHILDRENS HOMES [Restricted Access].

1981 Transfer:

ST. ALBAN’S HOME:

A6011A (i) Board of Social Work agendas, minutes and reports, 1968 – 1974.

A6011 (ii) St. Alban’s Management Committee minutes and agenda, 1969 – 1979. [Includes plans of driveway and entrance, 1974.]

A6011 (iii) Licences to control Children’s Homes of Reverend Milton David Folwell, 1970 – 1975.

A6011A Children’s files from St. Alban’s, St. Christopher’s and St. Elizabeth’s, 1960 – 1980.

A6011B As above, 1960 – 1980.

A6011C As above, 1964 – 1976.

A6011D As above, 1968 – 1976.

A6012 As above, 1968 – 1977.

 

ST. CHRISTOPHER’S HOME, Taree:

A6013 Notifications of reception (copies), 1953?, 1960 – 1967, 1969.

Admissions register, 1967 – 1969.

Holiday host forms, 1974 – 1975.

Holiday register, 1967 – 1970.

A6014 (i) – (xa) Notifications of discharge 1941 – 1950, 1958 – 1959, 1963 – 1966, 1969 – 1970, 1971 – 1979.

A6014 (xi) – (xiv) Illness registers, 1955 – 1970.

A6014 (xv) Notification of death (one entry, August 7th, 1945).

A6014 (xvi) Numerical record of children in residence, March, 1970.

A6014 (xvii) Register “regulation 46”. [Names, dates of birth, admission dates of children, names and addresses of parents, 1958 – 1969.]

A6014 (xviii) Correspondence, 1969.

A6014 (xix) – (xxi) Scrapbooks, 1970 – 1973, 1970 – 1977.

A6014 (xxii) – (xxiv) Three boxes of photographic slides of children and buildings. [c. 1960 – 1977.]

A6015 (i) (ii) Child allowance claims, 1961 – 1974.

A6015 (iii) (iv) Submissions to the Australian Department of Social Security for financial aid, 1976 -.

A6015 (v) St. Christopher’s Home Management Committee file, 1971 -.

A6016 (i) St. Christopher’s Home Management Committee minutes and Matrons’ reports, 1969 – 1977.

A6016 (ii) Matron’s minutes and Matron’s reports, 1971 – 1978.

A6016 (iii) Copies of correspondence from M.D. Fowell to Matron Onslow, 1970 – 1971; Staff employment records, 1969; Recommendations concerning by-laws of management.

A6016 (iv)(iva) 52 photographs of children from all homes and matrons + negatives and buildings (including Morpeth : St. Alban’s album). [c. 1926?, 1960 – 1979]

A6017 (i)(ii) New South Wales Association of Child Caring Agencies correspondence, minutes and general information, 1958 – 1969. [Transferred from A5267 (i)], 1969 – 1976.

A6018 (i) St. Christopher’s Home Ladies’ Auxiliary minutes, 1973 – 1976.

A6018 (ii) St. Christopher’s Home Ladies’ Auxiliary minutes, 1976 – 1979.

A6018 (iia) Photographs and press clippings, 1928.

 

ST. ELIZABETH’S HOME:

A6018 (iii)(iv) Management Committee minutes and matron’s reports, 1969 – 1971, 1969 – 1976.

A6018 (v) (vi) Child allowance claims, 1969 – 1976.

A6018 (via) St. Elizabeth’s Home House Committee minute book, 1961 – 1969.

A6018 (vib) Press clippings and photographs, 1961 – 1968.

A6018 (vic) Confidential file, 1962 – 1966.

 

REGISTRAR:

A6018 (vii) Children’s Homes budget working papers, 1972 – 1975.

A6018 (viii) St. Hilda’s Hostel, Newcastle : reports to Diocesan Council and financial statements, 1974 – 1978.

A6018 (ix) Diocesan budgets (including Children’s Homes), 1960 – 1974.

A6018 (x) Home Missions Auxiliary general information file, 1963 – 1976.

A6018 (xi) Newcastle Civil Rehabilitation Committee file, 1969 – 1975.

A6020 (iii) St. Alban’s Boys Home, Cessnock – history, press clipping and Order of Service for laying Foundation Stone, 1962 – 1965, 1962 – 1967; A report on child care, Diocese of Newcastle, May, 1976.

A6020 (iv) Reception, death and discharge notification books, 1952 – 1957, 1960 – 1962, 1961 – 1962; numbers of children in residence, 1970 – 1977.

St. Alban’s Boys Home form of service for opening and dedication, February, 1965.

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – CHILDRENS HOMES – ST ALBAN’S HOME CESSNOCK [Rec’d August 1996]
[THESE FILES ARE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL]

A7810(i) Folder containing personal files of individual A. children no longer in foster programme; B. Short term fostered/St Alban’s placements; C. Summary of Short term fostered/St Alban’s placements. [1960s-1980s] [CONFIDENTIAL]

A7810(ii) Folder containing personal files of individual children no longer in St Alban’s care [1960s-1980s] [CONFIDENTIAL]

A7811(i) Assorted papers, financial statements, minutes, and reports relating to Children’s homes incl. Form of Service for the Opening and Dedication of St Alban’s Home for Boys, Cessnock on the 7th February 1965; Proposal for St Alban’s Gateway by Ian W. Pender (Jan 1978) and booklet of the Blessing and Opening of St Alban’s Family Group Home, Greta Street Aberdare on 29th November 1981. Feb 1965 – Nov 1981.

A7811(ii) Certificates awarded to St Alban’s Cessnock. 1972-1976.

A7811(iii) Registers. Child Welfare Act, 1939 (Regulation 46) Numerical Information Respecting Children for premises at Section Street Mayfield. July 1952 – Dec 1964.

A7811(iv) St Alban’s Home for Boys, Cessnock. Register of Services held in Chapel. 7th February 1965 – 2nd December 1980.

A7811(v) Diocese of Newcastle. S. Alban’s Home for Boys Morpeth. Admission and Discharge Register. 1929 – 1950. [CONFIDENTIAL]

A7811(vi) Diocese of Newcastle. Homes for Children. Admission and Discharge Register. 1951 – 1974. [CONFIDENTIAL]

A7811(vii) Printing Block. Cross.

A7812(i) Alphabetical Card Index of Admissions and Discharges, 1956-1970. [CONFIDENTIAL]

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – BISHOP HOUSDEN: Correspondence:

A6814 Children’s Homes, 1966 – 1972.
Council for Christian Education in Schools. Christian Education Department, 1966 – 1972.
Diocesan Churchman, 1958 – 1965.

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – BISHOP’S REGISTRY – ALFRED CHARLES HOLLAND – BISHOP OF NEWCASTLE 1978-1992: Correspondence files. [Accessioned by J. Stevenson – June, 2001.]

Confidential:

A8377 (i)-(vii) Chaplaincies: University, 1981-1985, Prison, 1979-1986, Hospital / Media, 1984 ; Church Army, 1981-1987 ; Children’s Homes: St. Alban’s Community Centre, 1981-1984 ; St. Elizabeth’s Group Homes, 1980-1991 ; Community of St. Clare, Stroud, 1978-1986 ; Communities: General, Community of St. Clare, Stroud and St. Francis, 1978-1987 ; Crockford’s Clerical Directory, 1985.

A8434 (v) St. Hilda’s Hostel, 1978-1981.

A8434 (vii) St. Elizabeth’s Home, Singleton, 1976-1979.

A8434 (x) Children’s Homes, 1973-1978.

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – REGISTRAR’S RECORDS: CORRESPONDENCE:

B6964 Children’s Courts, 1960 – 1969.

 

Children’s Homes – Closed Access:

B7183 Children’s Homes Appeal, 1938 – 1939.

B7184 Children’s Homes Appeal, 1939 – 1941.

B7185 Children’s Homes Applications, 1920 – 1930.

B7186 Children’s Homes Applications, 1931 – 1934.

B7187 Children’s Homes Applications – A-L, 1935 – 1947.

B7188 Children’s Homes Applications – A-L, 1946 – 1960.

B7189 Children’s Homes Applications – M-Z, 1929 – 1947.

B7190 Children’s Homes Applications – M-Z, 1940 – 1960.

B7191 Children’s Homes, 1931 – 1934.

B7192 Children’s Homes, 1934 – 1935.

B7193 Children’s Homes, 1936 – 1938.

B7194 Children’s Homes, 1939 – 1946.

B7195 Children’s Homes, 1946 – 1952.

B7196 Children’s Homes, 1952 – 1956.

B7197 Children’s Homes, 1956 – 1961.

B7198 Children’s Homes, 1959 – 1963.

B7199 Children’s Homes, 1963 – 1964.

B7200 Children’s Homes, 1964 – 1966.

B7201 Children’s Homes, 1966 – 1969.

B7202 Children’s Homes, 1969 – 1973.

 

 

B7203 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1919 – 1924.

B7204 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1930 – 1935.

B7205 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1936 – 1938.

B7206 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1939 – 1942.

B7207 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1942 – 1946.

B7208 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1945 – 1951.

B7209 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1951 – 1955.

B7210 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1948 – 1959.

B7211 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1959 – 1962.

B7212 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1962 – 1964.

B7213 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1964 – 1965.

B7214 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1966 – 1968.

B7215 St. Alban’s Boys Home, 1968 – 1973.

 

B7216 St. Christopher’s Home, 1931 – 1936.

B7217 St. Christopher’s Home, 1937 – 1942.

B7218 St. Christopher’s Home, 1942 – 1948.

B7219 St. Christopher’s Home, 1949 – 1954.

B7220 St. Christopher’s Home, 1954 – 1957.

B7221 St. Christopher’s Home, 1958 – 1959.

B7222 St. Christopher’s Home, 1960 – 1961.

B7223 St. Christopher’s Home, 1961 – 1963.

B7224 St. Christopher’s Home, 1964 – 1965.

B7225 St. Christopher’s Home, 1966 – 1968.

B7226 St. Christopher’s Home, 1969 – 1971.

 

B7227 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1930 – 1938.

B7228 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1939 -1944.

B7229 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1944 – 1947.

B7230 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1948 – 1951.

B7231 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1951 – 1954.

B7232 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1955 – 1959.

B7233 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1960 – 1961.

B7234 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1962 – 1963.

B7235 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1963 – 1964.

B7236 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1964 – 1965.

B7237 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1965 – 1966.

B7238 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1967 – 1968.

B7239 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1969 – 1971.

B7240 St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, 1970 – 1973.

 

B7241 St. Hilda’s Hostel for Girls, 1931 – 1939.

B7242 St. Hilda’s Hostel for Girls, 1940 – 1950.

B7243 St. Hilda’s Hostel for Girls correspondence, statements, and Accounts, 1950 – 1962.

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – CHILDREN’S HOMES – (RESTRICTED ACCESS):

B7628 Children’s Homes Record Book, 1944 – 1959.

B7629 Children’s Homes Contributions Book, 1938 – 1939.

B7630 Children’s Homes Fees Book, 1928 – 1931.

B7631 St. Alban’s Home Minute Book, 1919 – 1923.

B7632 St. Alban’s Home Cash Book, 1919 – 1923.

B7633 St. Alban’s Home Cash Book, 1923 – 1927.

B7634 St. Alban’s Home Cash Book, 1927 – 1930.

B7635 St. Alban’s Home Press Cuttings and Day Book, 1929 – 1937.

B7636 St. Christopher’s Home Cash Book, 1928 – 1930.

B7637 Girls’ Home (?St. Elizabeth’s) Cash Book, 1927 – 1930.

B7638 Girls’ Hostel Committee Minute Book, 1918 – 1924.

B7638a St. Hilda’s Hostel Cash Book, 1945-1946, including correspondence, 1921 – 1922.

B7638b St. Hilda’s Hostel Cash Book, 1928 – 1930.

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – ST. ELIZABETH’S HOME FOR GIRLS, MAYFIELD AND SINGLETON:

B9578 Record Book [birth dates 1913 – 1930], 1926 – 1936.

B9579 Record Book [birth dates 1925 – 1951], 1936 – 1957.

B9580 Record Book [birth dates 1945 – 1964], 1957 – February, 1970.

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – REGISTRAR – CHILDREN’S HOMES:

B9651 Register of Children’s Names, Morpeth Home for Children, Bishopscourt, Morpeth, 1920 -1935.

B9652 Children’s Homes Admission Register, 1971 – 1979.

B9653 Punishment Register (blank), 1970.

B9654 St. Alban’s Boys’ Home, Cessnock, Visitors’ Book, 1920 – 1981.

B9655 Altar Service Book, [c.1915 -1918].

B9656 Altar Service Book as proposed in 1928.

B9657 Altar Service Book as proposed in 1928.

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – DIOCESAN PHOTOGRAPHS:

A5351 (iv) Sheep at ? Brenda Station, [n.d.].

Boats and boatshed ? Brisbane Water, n.d.).

St. Alban’s Boys’ Home?  or Farm home. [See also A5279.]

Morpeth Pilgrimage [1947].

Postcard with photograph of a painting The place of meeting, [n.d.].

St. Elizabeth’s Homes Staff and girls, 1942.

At the caves, [n.d.].

 

ST. PETER’S CHURCH OF ENGLAND, EAST MAITLAND:

A5342 (iii) Printed material including:
The Church of England Committee for Homes & Hostels for Children, Seventh Annual report…1925. (cum multis aliis)

NON-DIOCESAN RECORDS

PENDER, IAN WALTER – ARCHITECT – CLIENT FILES:
(Conduit: Mrs. Winsome Pender. ) [Date Received: May, 2000] [Accessioned 19th November, 2002.]

A8491 (vi) Home for Little Children, Morpeth. Reports, 1951.

A8491 (vii) St. Elizabeth’s Home for Girls, Singleton, sewing room; Additions. Plans, Specifications, 1951, 1971.

A8491 (xii) St. Hilda’s Hostel for Girls, Darby Street, Newcastle. Painting, Document, 1952.

A8493 (i) St. Christopher’s Home for Little Children, Taree. Home, Erection, Specification, Document ; Alterations and Additions, Plan, Specification, Document, 1954, 1970.

A8493 (xiv) St. Albans Home for Boys, Greta Street, Aberdare. Additions, Plan, Specification, Document; Additions, Specification, 1973, 1981.

 

UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE – DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES – OPEN FOUNDATION COURSE – K.M. HENRY: AUSTRALIAN HISTORY – 1989 PROGRAMMES

A6967 (vi) Audio Tape. Researcher: McLeod, Jan; Person interviewed: Marlene Kennedy; Subject: Saint Elizabeth’s Girls Home, Singleton

 

JAMES (JIM) W. DOWNIE PAPERS
Conduit: Mr Jim Downie; Date Donated: November 2006

A6610 A collection of Australian badges for commemorative and community fund raising initiatives mostly in the Newcastle and Hunter Regions 1940s-1950s, including (Sheet A6610b):

Newcastle Sub-Normal School; Newcastle District Crippled Children; The Kindergarten Union of N.S.W.; Newcastle District Physically Handicapped Association Rehabilitation Centre; APEX Aid for Spastics; Newcastle Sub-Normal Children’s Welfare Association; Monte Pio Girl’s Home; ADDS Newcastle; Newcastle and Northern District – The Totally Permanently Disabled Soldiers’ Association Women’s Auxiliary; Church of England Old Folks’ Home; Subscriber 4 Liberty Loan; Newcastle R.S.P.C.A (Assorted Dogs and Cats featured); Church of England Homes for Children (Assorted featured children); Murray Dwyer Boys Orphanage (Assorted versions).

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE CHILDREN’S HOMES RECORDS FOR SCANNING
[This list only includes items not yet scanned as at 16 May, 2019 and not completed by November 2020 at time of University of Newcastle Restructure that unfortunately resulted in key staff made redundant]

 

CHRISTOPHER’S HOME, Taree:

A6014 (xxii) – (xxiv) Three boxes of photographic slides of children and buildings, c. 1960 – 1977.

 

ST ALBAN’S HOME CESSNOCK

A7810(i) Folder containing personal files of individual A. children no longer in foster programme; B. Short term fostered/St Alban’s placements; C. Summary of Short term fostered/St Alban’s placements. 1960s-1980s

A7810(ii) Folder containing personal files of individual children no longer in St Alban’s care [1960s-1980s] [CONFIDENTIAL]

A7811(v) Diocese of Newcastle. S. Alban’s Home for Boys Morpeth. Admission and Discharge Register. 1929 – 1950. (Done by 2020)

A7811(vi) Diocese of Newcastle. Homes for Children. Admission and Discharge Register. 1951 – 1974. (Done by 2020)

 

DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE – CHILDREN’S HOMES – (RESTRICTED ACCESS):

B7628 Children’s Homes Record Book,  1944 – 1959. (Done by 2020)

B7629 Children’s Homes Contributions Book,  1938 – 1939.

B7630 Children’s Homes Fees Book,  1928 – 1931.

B7631 St. Alban’s Home Minute Book,  1919 – 1923.

B7635 St. Alban’s Home Press Cuttings and Day Book,  1929 – 1937.

 

ELIZABETH’S HOME FOR GIRLS, MAYFIELD AND SINGLETON:

B9578 Record Book [birth dates 1913 – 1930],  1926 – 1936.

B9579 Record Book [birth dates 1925 – 1951],  1936 – 1957.

B9580 Record Book [birth dates 1945 – 1964],  1957 – February, 1970.

 

REGISTRAR – CHILDREN’S HOMES:

B9651 Register of Children’s Names, Morpeth Home for Children, Bishopscourt, Morpeth, 1920 -1935. (Done by 2020)

B9652 Children’s Homes Admission Register,  1971 – 1979. (Done by 2020)

 

Thanks to Dr Edward Bridle for compiling these listings of Children’s Home Records.

 

Inspiration: Find & Connect & Serving the Care Leavers & Families

On Wednesday 22 May 2019 I attended a workshop at the University of Melbourne convened by the Find & Connect team.

The Find & Connect site was established to bring together historical resources relating to institutional ‘care’ in Australia, so that care leavers could get help locating information and locate records relating to their childhoods in care, as well as connect with support groups and services in their state/territory.

The aim of the workshop being to bring all successful applicants of Find & Connect’s Records Access Documentation (RAD) Grants funding program for a round table discussion, and provide status updates on progress of the projects.

We greatly appreciate the support the Find & Connect team were able to provide us, during the course of this project from 2014-202o.

Importance of records to people who were in out of home care.

• Greg Baker, the Care Leaver Perspective

Greg Baker, a Care Leaver representative spoke about the importance of access to records for people who were in out of home care.

He described records as:

“the fabric of our personal lives” and that

“they help us to make sense of our worlds”.

He drove home how crucial this was through a photograph of his childhood football team, (see page 5 of his powerpoint slides below) and pointed out that besides himself and one other person, the rest had all taken their lives.

He said that he had harbored the guilt of believing that it was his bad behaviour as a child that was responsible for both he and his brother being placed into institutional care. He only discovered decades later, that his mum had placed both her sons in care, as she had to work in Sydney, and that once she became unable to do so, the Institution made both he and his brother wards of the State in order to continue the payments. Unfortunately nobody sought to inform the children. Access to records helped him understand what had happened to him, and his brother, and helped put the pieces of his childhood together.

He also brought a file of photocopied materials, that he said had taken two years to put together. I responded that the reason it took that long was because someone (an professional archivist) would have had to go through every file searching for any mention of him, and copying as they went. That it had taken so long was a good thing, as it meant that they presumably did a thorough job; if it had taken two weeks, I would have been suspicious that they may have missed something. He responded by saying “why do you have access to this stuff, and I don’t?” Good question. The reason being the nature of the records themselves. In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, we can’t supply personal information relating to individuals to third parties, and when you have records that are all mixed up with personal information mixed with routine and mundane, it is impossible to have someone sit there looking for information on themselves without accessing the personal information of others. Hence the need for a professional intermediary to the conduct the searches.

In our Hunter Region example, these Anglican Diocese Children’s Homes files have always been closed to public access, and generally the only access has been mediated through the Samaritans (the successor organisation to the Children’s Homes) who organise searches through the records to be made, through the custodians at the University of Newcastle Archives (Cultural Collections), and at the request of the former child residents (care leavers), who approach them. These searches have generally been very time consuming, and since 2014 we have been digitising and indexing all our records relating to Children’s Homes with little to no funding, in order to speed up the process as best as we can.

Greg Baker – Accessing records, what they mean to me and the importance of them. (Slides of Powerpoint Presentation)

Greg Baker’s Speech Notes to Presentation

• Frank Golding – Setting the Records Straight for the Rights of the Child

To gain further insight into the importance of access to records for care leavers, please watch and listen to this presentation from Frank Golding. Recorded on 20th October 2016 at Session 10: Towards a National Summit. Setting the Records Straight for the Rights of the Child from the Australian Society of Archivists 2016 Forging Links Conference, Parramatta.

The Archivist’s Perspectives

• Addressing the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recordkeeping recommendations – summary and update

Alison McNulty from the Public Record Office Victoria outlined PROV’s recommendations to the Royal Commission. Good recordkeeping = good evidence. proper recordkeeping will establish what happened and the context in which it happened in. As part of assessing risk, they asked the question: what records would need to be created in high risk scenarios? If an incident came into a court of law, what records would be needed to prove the incident, and what other records do we need to create in order to prove beyond a reasonable doubt? It was also interesting to see that they marked their closed for public access period from the last file created, whereas we would err on a more precise delineation of the records from point of creation.

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Recordkeeping recommendations and PROV Actions
RCIIRCSA-PROV-20190521 (Powerpoint Display)

• Access to Records by Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants: Access Principles for Records Holders, Best Practice Guidelines in providing access to records.

Barbara Reed from Recordkeeping innovation said that there had been a real change in attitudes over the years. Past attitudes to adoption records was that they needed to be destroyed, as something that was needed to be left behind. All from from the point of view of the institution and the mothers. Now the attention has turned to the children, the care leavers.

And after a number of Royal Commissions what is it that care leavers want?

Give Us Access To The Records!

Care leavers want to know their identity;

Who am I? Why and how was I put into care? Where is my family? Where were they? What were they doing?

Family is really important.

So the defining principles are to secure maximum access to records containing all the information about them and their childhoods; identify the context; the ability to annotate the record with their point of view or side of the story; and finally express access to their records.

In return they have received redacted documents, in some cases, hundreds and hundreds of pages of blacked out text. How can a story be told with all the relative characters expunged? It would be like trying to understand the story of Othello, of all the information relating to other characters was redacted from the play. How would you understand the story then? We are but characters in our own plays, and so why not explain why the text was redacted? Or perhaps redraft the principles of the redacting to include others that were part of the shared story? Let out as much as you can.

Introduction to Principles, Guidelines and Report Find and Connect May 2019 (Powerpoint Display)

Gionni Di Gravio
University Archivist

This post was originally prepared in 2019, and updated in 2024.

POSTSCRIPT – LOUD SKY EXHIBITION (VIRTUAL TOUR) 2023

The LOUD SKY Exhibition was curated by Dr Kathleen McPhillips and Rod Pattendon, and team at the Lock-Up and held 1 April – 21 May, 2023 at The Lock-Up gallery, Hunter Street, Newcastle, NSW.

The Exhibition was developed closely with members of the Clergy Abused Network (CAN) and presents the experiences of survival in the aftermath of trauma through contemporary art; for those immediately affected, family members, and the wider community within the context of the Hunter, a region profoundly impacted by institutional child abuse.

LOUD SKY Exhibition – Virtual Tour

 

 

POSTSCRIPT CASE STUDY – DEALING WITH PERPETRATORS IN HISTORICAL RECORDS

University Revokes Priest’s Awards

On 12 September 2018 – Geoffrey Nash sent us a link to a Newcastle Herald story (that was once at the following link):

https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5639989/university-revokes-late-priests-awards-after-abuse-claims-substantiated/?cs=12

I’ve attached a PDF copy from a News Database “Uni Revokes Priest Awards” – 12 September 2018 as I can’t access the original article from the Newcastle Herald’s public site (this is one of the problems of “dead links”).

Updated link: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/5639989/university-revokes-late-priests-awards-after-abuse-claims-substantiated/

Request to the Senior Governance Officer

That same day, (after discussing it with Geoffrey) I wrote to the Senior Governance Officer of the University, chasing up the decision (as reported) that the University made on August 31 to revoke an honorary degree granted to Fr Peter Brock from the University’s side. I said to him:

“I wish to draft some words as a statement to accompany all our image descriptions and archival documents online relating to him, in light of the decision that reflects:

• the action that University has taken,
• when it was taken, council resolution etc
• and a statement of recognition and understanding for the victims of clergy abuse

I have been trying to locate the online Council minutes, but there doesn’t appear to be anything online since 2017.”

I also said that I had spoken to Geoffrey Nash who was representing the victims and survivor groups in the local area:

“I have already discussed this course of action with regards to archival images and online documents relating to perpetrators of sexual abuse with Geoffrey Nash, who is one of our contacts with regards to these matters, with local victim and care leaver support groups.

It was advised not to eliminate all traces of the historic archival record with regards to such individuals, but to instead provide statements to accompany them that provide updates on significant actions that recognise what has come to light since. In this fashion we are not sanitising history, but providing a continuation to the story.”

Response from Senior Governance Officer and University Secretary

12 September 2018 The Senior Governance Officer, after speaking with the University Secretary responded:

” The relevant minutes are confidential and I understand the University has said that it will not be making any further comment. Consequently, any statements attributable to the University that are to be added to the material you mention would need to come from the information that is already in the public domain/ or be separately authorised.

On behalf of the University Secretary, and consistent with the facts already in the Newcastle Herald, I can advise that the Council:
· Determined the matter at its meeting on 31 August 2018
· Resolved to revoke the honorary Master of Arts degree awarded to Fr Brock in 1987 and also the 1989 Newton-John Alumni Award that was awarded to Fr Brock in 1990.”

Communication to Library Manager and President, Australian Society of Archivists

I also informed my Library Manager of our course of action and also contacted the President & Deputy President of the Australian Society of Archivists to check that what we were doing was in line with best practice from their perspective. (The Australian Society of Archivists represents archives and records institutions both public and private across Australia, and prepared advice that helped frame the recommendations of the Royal Commission.)

The Response from ASA

They responded with the experiences of Find & Connect in Melbourne:

“Well first, great to hear the university took action.
Secondly, I think your approach is the best and also the advice I have always heard. I haven’t seen any FAQs on the topic before, it could be a beneficial topic to write on your experiences so that others have some guidance. I haven’t heard of the records being destroyed, other than honour boards having names scratched off, blanked out, etc, but that is a different situation. I would consider adding a note so that the same statement goes out to anyone who requests the records in person.

In terms of Find & Connect, we created an Image Policy last year and now remove any images of known child abusers from the site. But we are specifically designed with Care Leavers as the primary audience and have received complaints in the past about having images of known perpetrators on the site and we don’t want it to be a traumatic experience for people when they come to Find & Connect to try and access their records.”

Statement to Accompany Relevant Archival Records

14 September 2021 After checking with the Care Leaver representatives, Geoffrey provided the “okay” for the drafted statement which I relayed to the Librarian looking after the databases:

Geoffrey Nash informed me yesterday that the victim and survivor representatives have approved the following statement to accompany all substantial archival images and records directly relating to Fr Peter Brock on our online public digital platforms:

“On the 31 August 2018, the Council of the University of Newcastle (Australia) resolved to revoke the honorary Master of Arts degree awarded to Father Peter Brock in 1987 and also the 1989 Newton-John Alumni Award that was awarded to Father Brock in 1990, in response to a complaint following the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle acknowledgment in September 2017 that Father Brock was the subject of substantiated abuse claims. The church report found he “engaged in a range and pattern of behaviours” and that “That range and pattern of behaviour constituted sexual misconduct as defined by the NSW Ombudsman Act 1974,”Father Brock’s name has been removed from a list of Newton-John award recipients since 1977 who have achieved excellence in arts, creative sectors and culture. Through this action, The University of Newcastle recognises the distress caused to victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, and their families, and seeks to acknowledge and respect their wishes.”

There is no official University statement online and available at present. The only public source available is the Newcastle Herald article published September 12, 2018 by Joanne McCarthy: https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5639989/university-revokes-late-priests-awards-after-abuse-claims-substantiated/

Here is the new link: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/5639989/university-revokes-late-priests-awards-after-abuse-claims-substantiated/

(Unfortunately it lies behind a paywall).

All achieved within 2 days.

Examples of the statement, and how it appears on a variety of descriptions of images of Fr Peter Brock can be seen here. Here is one of Fr Peter Brock with Choir (Living Histories Platform): https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/47000

And another from our Flick site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/4407301879

Conclusions

With regards to handling potential child abuse perpetrators in the University’s Archives, the key is to have relationships with Clergy Abused Network survivor groups.

Here is what we did a number of years ago with regards to one such former University Awardee and his archives both online and inhouse referring to him, or concerning him.

After discussions we argued that we didn’t want these perpetrators  “disappeared” or else we would learn nothing from the history or the modus operandi  of such people committing such crimes.

The community needs to know that they were once heroes as well, and in some cases did a lot of good as well. Unfortunately they had a monstrous side, and we need to add to the story as it unfolds. They agreed with this course of action.

The victim and survivor representatives subsequently approved the statement to accompany all substantial archival images and records directly relating to (in this case the late Fr Peter Brock) on our online public digital platforms.

It is something everyone working with records and archives are going to be confronted with at some point, as these perpetrators continue to be brought to justice, and institutions and organisations deal with past identities in their midst.

Working out relationships between the historical records,  the survivors, their families and wider communities and how they deal with the historical legacy of the convicted perpetrators is going to be crucial to making sure this behaviour doesn’t continue to destroy lives into the future.

 

POSTSCRIPT – Supposedly Missing St Albans Boys’ Home Records (2016)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-10/st-albans-boys-home-records-held-university/7500152

https://lwf.synercon.co/the-injustice-of-shoddy-recordkeeping/

POSTSCRIPT – The Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) Response to Royal Commission (2015)

https://www.archivists.org.au/documents/item/582

Final Observations

1. Commitment to Evidential Record Keeping.

It is important that institutions openly embrace and integrate the idea of evidential record keeping as core business so that:

• Records must be made
• Records must be accurate
• Records must be authentic
• Records must have integrity
• Records must be maintained and useable
• Records must be protected by law
• Records must be guaranteed freely access to care leavers, their families and those advocating on their behalf.

2. Commitment to Archival and Record Keeping Professional Practice

Institutions that seek to foster a professional approach to evidential record keeping practices should therefore:

• Foster a culture where evidential record keeping is CORE business
• Enable staff have access to appropriate and accredited archival training and educational tertiary courses. It is preferable, where applicable, to employ staff who are archives and record keeping professionals. For smaller institutions and volunteer organisations, there may be affordable training packages available through the Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) that can assist in meeting the need of providing the basic skills and introduction to the principles required of archives and record keeping professional practice.
• Abide by effective legislative and regulatory frameworks (by our Governments) to ensure that their institutions recognise evidential record keeping as part of CORE business practice
• That, where possible such archival and record keeping practices are transparent and accessible to children and parents, so that the child can be a part of the record keeping process and play a role in its creation; to include diaries, art and creative practice in documenting their lives.

Archival Professional Practice is a set of checks and balances that guard us against our human frailties and failings. It is essential that when undertaking important services in which we have the physical, mental and spiritual care of others in our hands, that we have accredited professionals supported and resourced to undertake their professional practice within their institutions, that an appropriate recordkeeping regime is in place to ensure everything is being done properly, and finally, that the records of ongoing value are safeguarded, so that if something emerges down the track, we have some recourse to return and examine what went wrong from the original evidence.

Gionni Di Gravio, OAM
26 September 2024