Archives



Bethesda Mothers’ Hospital

The Bethesda Mothers’ Hospital, in Rockhampton, was run by the Salvation Army. It functioned as a maternity hospital and a rescue home for girls. Before 1938, it was known as the Glenties Mothers’ Hospital. In 1968, it was again renamed Bethesda Hospital and Hostel. An article in Rockhampton’s Morning Bulletin on 2 July 1938 stated…

St Mary’s Home, Toowong

St Mary’s Home, Toowong, was established in 1919. It was a Home for unmarried mothers and their babies operated by the Committee of St Mary’s Church of England Home. St Mary’s Home, Taringa amalgamated with the Brisbane Female Refuge and relocated to Bent Street, Toowong in 1919. It operated under the name St Mary’s Home,…

Holy Cross Retreat

Holy Cross Retreat or Magdalen Asylum, in Wooloowin, was operated by the Sisters of Mercy, Brisbane Congregation. It opened in 1889 as a home for unmarried mothers, disabled girls and infants. It ceased operating as a home for very young children in 1959. From 1974 it no longer cared for children but provided continuing care…

Holy Cross Home

Holy Cross Home, in Wooloowin, was operated by the Sisters of Mercy. The institution was renamed in 1966 – formerly it was known as the Industrial School for Girls, Wooloowin. Holy Cross Home discontinued accepting girls in care and control from 1 April 1973. State Government funding ceased in 1974. The Holy Cross Home was…

Sydney Female Mission Home

The Sydney Female Mission Home was established on 17 November 1873. It was an institution for single pregnant women. It also admitted some single mothers together with their infants. It was a Protestant organisation run by a committee of women, with a non-sectarian admission policy. It was located in premises on Elizabeth Street, Sydney, overlooking…

Hope Haven

Hope Haven was set up by the Central Methodist Mission in George Street, Sydney in 1907 as a half-way house, or rescue home, for ‘friendless girls’. Its residents were homeless, single mothers, addicts and ex-prisoners. Hope Haven was converted to a home for mothers and children in 1913, but still seems to have been performing…

Tresillian Petersham

Tresillian, in Petersham, was the first ‘Infant Welfare Training School’ established in 1921 by the Royal Society for Mothers and Babies. It was located at ‘Tresillian’, a fine house in Shaw Street, Petersham. The house name became the name of the Royal Society for Mothers and Babies mothercraft facilities. Tresillian Petersham cared for up to…

Stead House

Stead House was opened at Marrickville in 1973 by the Salvation Army in ‘Hopeleigh’, which had been part of Bethesda Maternity Hospital. Stead House was opened as Bethesda House but its name was changed to honour the founding matron of the hospital. Stead House was a hostel for working girls and students and a home…

Rescued Sisters’ Home

The Rescued Sisters’ Home was opened at North Broken Hill by the Salvation Army in 1898. It was a rescue and maternity home for women and girls and operated in Chapple Street from 1898 until 1909 and then moved to Williams Street until 1917, when the home closed.

St Gerard’s [Hospital]

St Gerard’s was run by the Sisters of St Joseph at St Anthony’s Croydon. It had formerly been St Anne’s Nursery. St Gerard’s was for married women and babies who needed care, treatment and recuperation after birth, and for single mothers and their babies, including those awaiting adoption. It was closed in 1980 and converted…