Archives



Department of Juvenile Justice, State Government of New South Wales

The Department of Juvenile Justice was created in 1990 by the New South Wales Government. It is responsible for juvenile justice centres, which had previously been known as juvenile detention centres. In 2012 these were: Acmena (Grafton); Broken Hill Shelter (Broken Hill); Cobham (Werrington/St Mary’s); Emu Plains (Emu Plains); Frank Baxter (Mt Penang); Juniperina (Lidcombe);…

Department of Justice and Public Instruction

The Department of Justice and Public Instruction oversaw industrial schools and reformatory schools, in addition to ordinary public schools. It was replaced by the Department of Public Instruction in 1881. During the early years of the settlement of the Colony of New South Wales, the Governors provided support to schools. By the 1820s the Churches…

Queen Victoria Hospital for Women and Babies

The Queen Victoria Hospital for Women and Babies in Annandale was founded by George Lewis in 1895 and run by Matron Attenborough from 1896 until 1924. It catered to both married and single mothers. Many children of single mothers were adopted from the Hospital. In 1930 it temporarily moved to Herbert Street, Dulwich Hill before…

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…

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…

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…

United Protestant Association of New South Wales Ltd

The United Protestant Association of New South Wales Ltd (UPA) is a Christian welfare organisation established in 1938. By 1953, the UPA had established 13 children’s homes throughout New South Wales. Each Home came under the jurisdiction and guidance of a District Executive, who reported to a State Council. More than 3,000 children, including British…

Commonwealth Street Mission

The Commonwealth Street Mission was established by the Sydney Rescue Work Society in approximately 1910. It provided food, shelter and clothing for homeless and destitute men and women. It closed around the 1970s.