Caught on Film

Sep 3, 2021
In Features

In the age of streaming services living without a TV sounds unthinkable. Before people could tune in to the nightly news in their own home, radio and newspapers kept us informed.

With the invention of cinema, for the first time people were able to see the things they had previously only read about or heard on the radio.

British Pathé was one organisation that combined information with entertainment, providing an insight into current affairs of the time. Their newsreel archive contains film on a number of Homes and institutions that are included on Find & Connect.

These types of films were often used to promote the work of various charities, and to assist in fundraising activities. They reflect the values of the time, and may use language that is offensive. These films provide a snapshot of how institutional care of children was presented to the wider community, and provide some insights into the lives of the children that experienced care in Australia between 1920 and 1990. They are not a comprehensive or representative view of the children’s experience, despite their appearance in these films.

Iandra Methodist Rural Centre