Farr House Records

Farr House Records is a collection of records created by the staff and officers of The Orphan Home and Farr House during the period 1906-1983. The records are predominantly from the later part of this time period. This collection includes resident notes, referral and admission records, committee minutes, correspondence, working papers, financial records, weekend books, staff entries book, a day book, shopping and provisioning records, staff records, social workers’ reports, subsidy claims records; reports, building and architectural records.

Access Conditions

Former residents of the children’s Homes of the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide and Church of England, or members of their families, can apply to the Diocesan Archivist to be provided with information and/or copies of records relevant to their time in care. Physical access to the historical records of the children’s Homes or the church’s Social Welfare Bureau is not permitted due to the fragility of the material and the need to protect the privacy of third parties.

Records

Record keeping practices varied significantly from one Home to another and from one time period to another, with respect to the quantity and types of records that were created and preserved. Many of the following records are fragmentary or incomplete, or were created only for specific time periods during the overall duration of the Homes.

Farr House Records include committee minutes, correspondence and working papers; financial records; working records of the home such as weekend books, staff entries book, a day book; shopping and provisioning records; staff records including employment and wages information; social workers’ reports and correspondence; subsidy claims records; reports of the chairman of the board; reports to the review board; referral and admission sheets; correspondence with the Minister of Community Welfare; review board reports; resident notes; building and architectural records. The collection also includes a small group of historical research and study notes.

Records in this collection were listed and indexed as part of the Records Access Documentation Grants in 2017.

Minutes, Matron’s reports, annual reports and various other earlier records of the Home are at the State Library of South Australia.

The collection includes the following records:

• Admissions, 1918-1928 – Includes child’s name, admission and baptism information, parents’ names, visitors, maintenance and discharge information.
  (These records were previously described on the Find & Connect web resource as The Orphan Home Admissions 1918-1928 (1918 – 1928).)
• Referral and admission records, 1965-1982
• Day book, 1969-1970
• Weekend book, undated – Records the weekend movements of girls
• Weekend placement book, 1974-1978
• Weekend outings log book, 1965-1973
• Committee minutes, correspondence and working papers, 1973-1980
• Secretary’s correspondence, 1975-1978
• Matron’s report books, 1921-1952 – Includes monthly reports by the matron on the following subjects: health; visitors; admissions; departures; outings and holidays; gifts; staff; and general remarks and needs.
  (These records were previously described on the Find & Connect web resource as Matron’s reports (1921 – 1952).)
• Social worker’s reports, 1969-1981 – Includes information about admissions and discharges to the Home
• Correspondence book, 1906-1908
• Holiday sponsors information, 1965 & 1978
• Daily log books, 1980-1982
• Matron’s diary – appointment book, 1967
• Diaries, 1970-1977 – Includes girls’ appointments
• Staff log book, 1978-1979
• Staff message book, 1981
• Staff notice book, 1981
• Financial records – Including financial statements, budgets, receipts, and petty cash records
• Child Maintenance records, 1967-1981
• Buildings and architectural records, 1969-1983
• Photographs, mostly undated – These may show buildings, girls and/or staff of the home. They may also show volunteers, visitors or members of the committee.
  (These records were previously described on the Find & Connect web resource as Photographs (1860? – 1982?).)

(Some of these records were previously described on the Find & Connect web resource as Miscellaneous documents (1960s – 1980s).)