The Children’s Homes Files collection is a collection of records about Western Australian Salvation Army-run Homes, now held by the Salvation Army Historical Records Department. The files include documents, photographs, newspaper articles and correspondence relating to children’s Homes run by the Salvation Army in WA. There are no personal records held in this series but there are photographs and photocopied images of children.
Access Conditions
Access to these files can be requested through the Salvation Army Historical Records Department. Most of these files are open and do not contain personal information about children.
Records
These records were held by the Salvation Army Heritage Museum in Western Australia. When the Museum closed in 2022, they were transferred to the Salvation Army Historical Records Department.
The collection contains the following files. While the full range of years covered by the records is listed, there may be gaps and missing years within these ranges. The names listed below are the titles used on the files:
- Collie Estate Child Homes closed (1900-2005)
- Cornelie Court social homes closed (1898-2002): Includes pamphlets and excerpts of annual reports about Cornelie Home, Graceville Centre and the Home for Neglected Girls
- Cottesloe Girls Closed Social Work (1898-1998): Includes historical information about the Collie Boys’ Home; Crossroads west; Graceville; Hillcrest; the Hollywood Children’s Village; the Salvation Army Boys’ Home (Nedlands, West Subiaco); the Salvation Army Industrial School for Boys, Collie; the Salvation Army Industrial School for Girls, Collie; the Seaforth Salvation Army Boys’ Home, Gosnells; and Withnell House. Includes A Brief History of Cottesloe Home for Girls, 1918-1970, written by the Archivist of The Salvation Army Historical Society WA. Other records include information about wartime evacuations, excerpts from The War Cry magazine about activities at various Homes, and a copy of an inspection report from 1959.
- Cottesloe Girls’ Home (1898-2002)
- Cottesloe Photos (1919-2005): This file contains photographs of children, staff, buildings and events, primarily of Cottesloe, but other Western Australian Salvation Army Homes are included.
- Cottesloe Reunion (1920s-1960s)
- Graceville Photo Album, 1978: Contains information and images relating to the activities of the Salvation Army’s Graceville Centre in Highgate (Perth). The album includes images of residents, identified by name.
- Graceville Photos (1950s-2007): Contains photographs and information relating to the Salvation Army’s Graceville Centre in Perth (Highgate). It also holds historical information relevant to the Salvation Army’s Home of Rescue (East Perth) and Cornelie Home which preceded Graceville on the Lincoln Street site. Some documents are also included, providing overview of the Graceville Centre, admission numbers for some years, and programs at Graceville.
- Graceville social work (1925-2010): This file contains information and images mostly relating to the Graceville Centre in Perth (Highgate) but also to the Salvation Army’s: Rescue Home (East Perth); Cornelie Home (on the Graceville site); Collie Boys’ Homes and Boys’ and Girls’ Industrial Schools; Hillcrest (and The Open Door, or Hopetoun); Seaforth Boys’ Home (Gosnells); and the Boys’ Home in Nedlands (West Subiaco).
- Hillcrest Photos (1921-2008): Contains information and images relating primarily to the Salvation Army’s Hillcrest Maternity Hospital in North Fremantle and The Open Door (Hopetoun) Maternity Home that preceded it. This includes images of babies and children. The file also contains a services pamphlet from the 1960s which also mentions Salvation Army’s Girls’ Home, Cottesloe; the Salvation Army Boys’ Home, Nedlands; Withnell House; and Graceville.
- Hollywood Children’s Village (1960s-1990s): This file contains photocopied information and images relating principally to the Salvation Army’s Hollywood Children’s Village, but also to Crossroads West which was the ongoing service after Hollywood closed. It includes information relating to the closure of the Home and the closing ceremony, and photographs from the event “Back to Hollywood Children’s Village Day” held before the closure of the last remaining residential unit on the site. Photographs include images of children, staff and facilities for Buckingham Cottage (images from 1977-1983); Salvation Army Boys’ Home, Nedlands; Mirrabooka House; Withnell House (Cottesloe Cottage); and Hollywood Children’s Village generally.
- Hopetoun closed social work (1903-1924)
- Kalgoorlie Photos (1913-1943): Contains information and images relating to the activities of the Salvation Army Corps in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, and includes some information and images relating to the Salvation Army Girls’ Home (‘The Fold’), Kalgoorlie (Lamington).
- Nedlands Boys Home closed social work (1906-1990s): Contains information and images relating to the Salvation Army’s Nedlands (West Subiaco) Boys’ Home and the Hollywood Children’s Village.
- Nedlands History (1909-1990s)
- Seaforth Boys Home closed social work (1921-2012)
- Seaforth photos (1920s-1950s)
- Summer Street Rescue Home closed social work (1897-2009)
- West Subiaco Boys’ Home closed social work (1918-2000s)
- Withnell House child home closed (1952-2009): This file contains information relating to the Salvation Army’s Withnell House in Mt Lawley and photographs of boys, staff and facilities there. The file also has information relevant to Hollywood Children’s Village in Nedlands.
