Records of the Babies Home, Walkerville (Adelaide, S.Aust)

Records of the Babies’ Home, Walkerville, comprises minute books, inventory book, certificate of title, committee and membership lists, child endowment schedule of admissions and discharges, nursery times, plan of proposed Mothercraft Training Centre, financial records, list of children’s clothes and Annual Report for 1945.

Access Conditions

For access to many Anglican records held at the State Library of South Australia, you will need permission from the Diocesan Archivist at the Anglican Archives. This is called ‘mediated access’. Records which require mediated access are clearly identified in the State Library catalogue and/or findings aids and State Library staff will also be able to advise you if this is necessary.

Mediated access is required when records contain personal information about individuals whose privacy needs to be protected.

For access to Anglican records a written application to the Diocesean Archivist is required. You will also need to provide proof of your identity. If you are requesting access to records about someone else, permission from that person or other evidence of eligibility to access that information must be provided. If you need a copy of the records ensure that you include this in your request.

Records

Minutes of Management Committee (1920 – 1940)

The Minutes of the Management Committee of the Babies Home at Walkerville consist of three hardback notebooks of handwritten minutes dating from 1920-1940. The minutes cover many subjects including the admission and discharge of children. Names of children are often listed.

The three notebooks of handwritten minutes include the following types of information:

• Applications for admission with names listed
• Matron’s reports on general health of children and running of home
• Visitor’s reports
• Discharges and removal of children by parents, including names
• Children’s visits to hospital
• News clippings
• Annual reports
• Occasional photographs

Archival Reference Number: SRG 94/134/1

Child Endowment Claim Forms (1941 – 1944)

Child Endowment Claim forms for the Babies Home at Walkerville are held in two manila folders containing two types of claim forms. Claim forms provide information about the admission and discharge of children. Names of children are included.

The contents of the folders are as follows:
Folder 1: Forms list children for whom the Babies Home was claiming a subsidy. Information includes: (1) Admission date, (2) Surname, (3) Christian name, (4) Date of birth, (5) Father’s full name, (6) Mother’s maiden surname, (7) Mother’s Christian name, (8) Additional information.

Folder 2: Copies of Form 51, Schedule of Admissions and Discharges. Information includes: (1) Surname of child, (2) Christian name, (3) Mother’s name, (4) Father’s name, (5) Address, (6) Date and place of birth of child, (7) Source from whom child was received into institution, (8) Date of discharge, (9) Destination to which child was discharged.

Archival Reference Number: SRG 94/134/5