St. Christopher’s Home for Little Children, Records is a collection of records dating from 1920 to 1979 and held by the University of Newcastle Library’s Cultural Collections. St. Christopher’s Home for Little Children, Records is part of the Diocese of Newcastle Children’s Homes collection. The collection consists of correspondence files, registers of admission, illness, and holidays, notifications of discharge, meeting minutes, matron’s reports, child allowance claims, and photographs.
Access Conditions
Access to these records is governed by the Samaritans Foundation (which was previously known as the Newcastle Anglican Board of Social Work). People wishing to access these records need to contact the Samaritan Foundation to obtain permission. Proof of identity may be required. Access is provided in accordance with privacy laws – former residents of the children’s Homes are able to access their personal records and information relating directly to them. The Samaritan Foundation can provide support and counselling if required.
Records
St. Christopher’s Home for Little Children, Records collection has records about the admission of individual children and contains administrative records such as correspondence and minutes that also have information about individual children and families.
Records in this collection have been indexed and documented by University of Newcastle as part of the Records Access Documentation Grants in 2019.
The collection includes the following records:
- Notifications of Reception, 1960-1967, 1969 – Contains the basic details of children admitted to St Christopher’s Home. Information recorded includes: child’s name, date and place of birth, child’s religion, information about parents and/or guardians, details of arrangements for the child’s upkeep.
- Admission Register, 1967-1969 – Contains the basic details of children admitted to St Christopher’s Home. Each child has their own page. Information recorded includes: child’s name, date and place of birth and baptism, information about parents and/or guardians, admission reason, medical information including illnesses and inoculations and date of discharge.
- Admission Register “regulation 46”, 1968-1969 – Records the basic details of children admitted to St Christopher’s Home. Information recorded includes: child’s name, date of birth, information about parents and/or guardians, admission date and date of discharge.
- Notifications of discharge, 1941-1950, 1958-1959, 1963-1966, 1969-1970, 1971-1979 – Contains child’s name and date of discharge, information about parents or other people to whom the child was released.
- Holiday Register, 1967-1970 – Contains handwritten lists of children with the names and addresses of their holiday placements.
- Holiday Host Forms, 1974-1975 – Records the details of persons who applied to have children placed with them, along with details of two referees, one of whom had to be a clergyman.
- Illness Registers, 1955-1970 – Records the basic details of illnesses amongst children at St Christopher’s Home. Information recorded includes: child’s name, date and place of examination by doctor, nature of illness, doctor’s remarks and doctor’s signature.
- Child allowance claims, 1967-1979 – These files record claims for the payment of Child Allowance for children resident in the Home. They contain lists of children with details of the amounts claimed for each child and the periods which the claims covered.
- Notification of death (one entry, August 7th, 1945).
- Numerical record of children in residence (no names given), March, 1970.
- Diocesan Registrar’s records – correspondence files, 1920-1973 – These files include: applications received for the admission of children into the homes between 1920-1960; correspondence relating to the Diocesan Children’s Homes in general from 1931-1973; correspondence directly relating to St Christopher’s Home from 1928-1971. These contain copies of letters received by the Registrar or by the Home’s management and forwarded to the Registrar, along with copies of the Registrar’s replies. Subjects covered include the admission and progress of children, correspondence with parents or guardians, the administration and maintenance of the Homes, reports submitted to the State authorities as required by legislation or regulations, holiday placings of children, activities at the Homes such as group outings, donations to the Homes, and fundraising drives.
