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Mater Misericordiae Hospital

The Mater Misericordiae Hospital for Women and Children was a maternity hospital established at Crows Nest by the Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney Congregation, in 1906. In 1910 the Mater moved to North Sydney. It cared for mothers who were unmarried, and destitute before and after the birth of their babies. Babies for adoption were…

Royal Hospital for Women

The Royal Hospital for Women is a maternity hospital that was established at Paddington in 1901 by the Benevolent Society. It was designated the Royal Hospital for Women in 1904 and a new building opened in 1905. The Royal Hospital for Women organised many of the adoptions of babies in New South Wales. Since 1992…

Crown Street Women’s Hospital

Crown Street Women’s Hospital was established in Hay Street in 1893 and moved to Surry Hills in 1897. It was a public women’s and maternity hospital. In addition to being a general women’s hospital, Crown Street accommodated many single mothers, including state wards and Aboriginal wards, and its staff arranged a high proportion of New…

Thornbury Lodge

Thornbury Lodge was a children’s and infants’ home established at Baulkham Hills in 1958 or 1959, by the Child Welfare Department. It was a receiving home, and was set up to increase facilities for children in transit from foster homes to hospitals, institutions or other placements as Bidura had become too crowded. Thornbury Lodge housed…

St Heliers

St Heliers was established at Muswellbrook by the Child Welfare Department in 1945. It was a rural training home, organised on the cottage system, on 700 acres. Some children were transferred from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and placed in this Home. It was initially for boys aged 14 to 18 years who were thought…

Seventh Day Adventist Adoption Agency

Seventh Day Adventist Adoption Agency provided adoption services in New South Wales until 1993. Its records are held by the Department of Community Services’ Adoption Information Service. The files relating to adoptions arranged by the Seventh Day Adventist Adoption Agency, which ceased operating in 1993, were transferred to the Department of Community Services’ Adoption Information…

Methodist Adoption Agency

The Methodist Adoption Agency provided adoption services until the 1970s. When it ceased to be an adoption agency, its records were transferred to the Department of Community Services.

Museums of History NSW

Museums of History (formerly the State Archives and Records Authority of New South Wales) was established in 1961 by the Archives Act, No 46 of 1960 and is responsible for collecting, managing and preserving New South Wales Government records. In 1999 the State Records Act 1998 came into effect, replacing the Archives Act 1960. Prior…

Masonic Orphan Schools

Masonic Orphan Schools was founded in 1922 at Baulkham Hills (in Sydney’s north west) for the care and education of the children of deceased Freemasons. In 1924 its name was changed to William Thompson Memorial School. In 2012 Find and Connect staff were advised by the United Grand Lodge of the Masons NSW/ACT that all…

William Thompson Masonic School

The William Thompson Masonic School was founded in 1922 at Baulkham Hills (in Sydney’s north west) for the care and education of the children of deceased Freemasons. It had previously been Masonic Orphan Schools. Different sources give different dates when the school was closed. The site was sold to the Hills Shire Council in December…