Records of McBride Maternity Hospital, formerly Adelaide Maternity Home is a collection of records that date from 1893 to 1982 created by staff at the Adelaide Maternity Hospital, McBride Maternity Hospital and McBride Hospital. The records are held at the State Records of South Australia and include admission and discharge registers, clinical registers, patient information, case books and day books for mothers and infants.
Access Conditions
These records are closed to public access due to the Adoption Act 1988.
To access these records you must complete a Freedom of Information (FOI) request form and submit it to the Department for Child Protection. You can contact the FOI team for assistance with your application. There is no fee to apply.
If you do not want to approach the Department yourself, someone else (like a worker from a support service) can apply on your behalf.
Records
Records of McBride Maternity Hospital, formerly Adelaide Maternity Home, is a collection of records including admission and discharge registers, patient information, day books for mothers and infants, clinical registers and maternity allowance forms.
The collection includes the following records:
- Record of inmates – Adelaide Maternity Home, 1893-c.1897
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13677
These records provide admission and discharge information for women admitted to the Adelaide Maternity Home. Entries include name, age, date admitted and summary notes that often describe how the woman came to the Home and her circumstances after leaving the Home. Some entries also include the date of birth of the child and a brief account of the outcome for the child.
- Admission registers – Adelaide Maternity Home, later McBride Maternity Hospital, 1893-1898, 1900-1909, 1912-1922 & 1925-c.1928 (incomplete)
State Records of South Australia Series ID GRS/13689
These bound volumes provide admission and discharge information for women admitted to the Adelaide Maternity Home and the McBride Maternity Hospital and information about the child born. Entries include name, date of admission, age, where born, occupation, details of any previous admission to prison or other social Homes, address of parents or relatives, details regarding financial support while in the Home, date left, where gone to, name of child, date of child’s birth, name and address of father of child, details regarding the child’s financial support, whether the child was born healthy, and, if the child was adopted, the name and address of adopting parents. Not all information is recorded for each entry.
- Patient information – Adelaide Maternity Home, 1893-July 1984 & May 1898-c.1900
State Records of South Australia Series ID GRS/13690
This volume includes personal information about women seeking entry to the Adelaide Maternity Home prior to their admission. Entries include the date, place from, name, age, name and address of living relatives, place of birth, details of any previous admission to prison or other social Homes, and name and address of father of child. Not all information is recorded for each entry. Some entries include remarks which record date of admission to the Maternity Home, date of baby’s birth and notes regarding the woman’s situation after leaving the Home.
- Admission register – McBride Maternity Hospital, c.1912-c.1919
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13691
The register provides admission information for women admitted to the McBride Maternity Home. The register contains the following headings: register number, name, nationality, age, where received from, married or single, condition physically, date of admission into home, date of discharge from gaol, after doing sentence of, nature of offence, number and duration of previous convictions, how long leading immoral life, condition spiritually, whether ever in our homes before, capabilities, how disposed of, date, correspondence from Inspector or Employer, and remarks. Not all information is recorded for each entry and the final entries record only number, name and suburb received from.
- Maternity allowance forms – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1919-c.1944
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13673
These include duplicate copies of the Maternity Allowance Certificate of Registration of Birth forms. Information recorded on the forms includes mother’s name, date and place of mother’s birth, child’s name, date of birth and place of birth, whether born alive or stillborn, whether child born alive lived for at least twelve hours, name and address of doctor or midwife, and signature and address of person giving information to Registrar of Births (generally the mother).
- Discharge (‘After Care’) register – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1923-1925
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13676
Information was recorded in this register upon a woman’s discharge from the Hospital. Information recorded includes name, date of birth, date of entrance, address of parents or relatives, religion, where received from, by whom sent, address, date left institution, nature of work, wages, name of employer or friend, address. Some entries also include remarks about the women’s situation after leaving the hospital. Not all information is recorded for each entry.
- Admission register – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1923-1944
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13675
The register provides admission information for women admitted to the McBride Maternity Home. Entries in the register include name and usual residence of woman confined, date of confinement, name of doctor or midwife who attended during confinement, with whom the child left the Home (with mother and her address, name and address of licensed foster mother, adoptive mother or near relative, or cause of death if deceased), date when woman left and date when child left.
- Clinical registers – McBride Maternity Hospital, later McBride Hospital, 1923-c.1976
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13688
The clinical registers record summary clinical information for women who attended the McBride Maternity Hospital and McBride Hospital. From 1923 to 1959, information recorded includes name, address, date and time, delivered by, assistant, sutures, infant’s weight, gender and health, present at case, nursed by, and clinical history. Most entries only include a first name for unmarried women. From 1960, information recorded includes date and time of admission, full name, address, gender, weight and date and time of delivery of infant, position, obstetrician and nurse, remarks, and date and time of discharge. Later entries also include the patient’s age. A small number of entries prior to 1974 are for mothers or babies receiving postnatal care services.
- Register of admissions and discharges (mothers) – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1926-1934 & 1954-c.1964 (incomplete)
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13682
These records provide admission and discharge information for women admitted to the McBride Maternity Home. Entries for admissions in the first volume include number, name, date and remarks and entries for discharges include number, name, date and address. In the second volume, entries for both admissions and discharges give date and name only.
- Register of admissions and discharges (babies) – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1926-c.1961
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13683
The register provides admission and discharge information for babies born at the McBride Maternity Home. The information recorded in the register varies over time. From 1926 to June 1944 entries for admissions include mother’s name, date, baby’s name and date registered, and entries for discharges include mother’s name, date, baby’s gender and address. From July 1944, entries for both admissions and discharges include mother’s name, date, baby’s gender and remarks. Remarks regarding discharges may note deaths or, for unmarried women, whether the infant left with the mother, was adopted and surname of adoptive mother, or was fostered or placed in care. From May 1959, entries no longer include remarks.
- Admission forms – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1927-c.1930
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13692
The forms and corresponding envelopes provide admission information for unmarried women admitted to the McBride Maternity Hospital. The front of the envelopes record number, name of woman, date of entrance and date of departure. The forms include details such as date of application, name, address, age, occupation, name and address of parents, approximate date of confinement, and name and address of father of expected child. Other papers held in the envelopes vary slightly over time and may include remarks about the woman’s stay in the Home, date of departure from the Home, and child’s name and date of birth.
- Day book (mothers) – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1928-c.1944
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13685
The day books are a register of unmarried or separated women admitted to the McBride Maternity Hospital. Information recorded includes number, date of admission, name, where from, age, payment, date of confinement, date of discharge, future address, professed salvation (column stopped being used later) and remarks.
- Day book (infants) – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1928-c.1944
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13686
The day books are a register of the children born at McBride Maternity Hospital to unmarried or separated mothers. Information recorded includes number, name, date of birth, where born, period of breastfeeding, date discharged, health of infant, date and cause of death (if deceased), whether affiliated, whether the infant is with mother, fostered or adopted, and future address. Not all information is recorded for each entry.
- Case books – Downstairs Labour Ward, McBride Maternity Hospital, 1938-1960
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13680
These records include clinical notes relating to births in the Downstairs Labour Ward, McBride Maternity Hospital. Entries include woman’s first name, name of doctor and/or nurses present, date and time of delivery, baby’s gender and weight, and clinical notes related to the birth.
- Case books – Labour Ward, McBride Maternity Hospital, 1941-c.1975 (incomplete due to damage)
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13681
These records include clinical notes relating to births in the Labour Ward, McBride Maternity Hospital. Entries from unmarried mothers are only included from 1961 and include name, doctor and/or nurses present, date and time of delivery, baby’s gender and weight and clinical notes relating to the birth.
- Patient particulars – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1941-c.1978 (incomplete)
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13674
These records contain patient information that was recorded in exercise books. The information recorded changes over time. From 1941 until 1952, information includes mother’s name, maiden name, age, birthplace, father’s name, age and birthplace, occupation, date and place of marriage, number of previous children, date and time of birth, baby’s gender, mother’s address and doctor/and or nurse attending the birth. Some entries also include baby’s name. From 1953 the information recorded is briefer and includes mother’s name, address, date and time of birth, baby’s gender and doctor and nurse/s attending the birth. Date and time of admission are also recorded from 1961. Address and full name are often not included in entries for unmarried mothers who stayed at the Hospital during their pregnancy. Entries from 1974 onwards record name, age, date of birth, name of contact person, address, date and time of admission, illness or condition and name of doctor.
- Admission register – McBride Maternity Hospital, 1961-1964
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13678
The register is a ruled exercise book containing handwritten entries recording information about the admission of unmarried women to McBride Maternity Hospital. Entries include date of admission, date of discharge, name, address, date and place of birth, religion, occupation, expected delivery date, actual delivery date and details about the baby’s father. Some entries note whether the baby left with the mother or was adopted. The rear of the book contains a summary register of adopted infants. It records surname of child, gender, surname of adoptive mother and address.
- Register of admissions and discharges – McBride Maternity Hospital, later McBride Hospital, 1972-1976
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13687
The register records summary information about the admission and discharge of patients. Information recorded includes number, name, address, date of admission for patient and/or baby, date of discharge for patient and/or baby, health insurance and remarks relating to the reason for admission. The majority of admissions were for confinements, but admissions prior to 1974 also include mothers or babies admitted for postnatal care services.
- Admission register, alphabetical series – Maternity Hostel, McBride Hospital, 1978-1982
State Records of South Australia Series ID: GRS/13679
These records contain information about women admitted to the maternity hostel located at McBride Hospital. Entries in the register record name, address, date of admission, date of discharge, birth date, estimated date of delivery, next of kin and notes that may include information how the woman came to the hostel, clinical information and details about the situation of the woman and/or baby after leaving the hostel.
Stapled to each entry is an admission application form that records personal details such as name, address, birth date, nationality, next of kin, expected date of delivery, normal occupation and education, as well as details about social history, medical history and financial arrangements. Some entries also have clinical information from public hospitals or correspondence attached.
