St Joseph’s Home, Croydon, run by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, was established in 1925. It was intended for the care of boys and girls (including siblings) aged three to seven years who were defined as orphans, neglected and destitute. St Joseph’s Home amalgamated with St Anthony’s Croydon at the end of 1979 and the remaining children were moved into foster care in St Joseph’s Cottages.
St Joseph’s Home, Croydon, run by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, was established in 1926, in a fine house on Liverpool Road called ‘Roslyn House’.
The house was a donation from Mr and Mrs Stuart Patterson, who bought it from Maurice J Savage and presented it to the Sisters of St Joseph in 1925. Initially, it accommodated 150 children. A new wing was added in 1927, a dormitory was added in 1945, and the building was renovated and further expanded between 1951 and 1953. In the years 1959-1963 the Home took in 356 children.
Children in St Joseph’s were generally from single parent families, or households stricken by illness or disadvantage. Many children returned to their families, but some remained in the Home throughout their early childhood.
St Joseph’s was founded specifically to keep siblings from the same family together, so took boys and girls. Ordinarily boys who reached the age of seven were sent on to Westmead Boys Home, while girls were sent to Lane Cove. However, siblings could be retained, finishing their schooling locally.
This page was written by Naomi Parry, last updated 29 July 2024. Sources used to create this entry:
Title: A Mini Pictorial Tour of St Josephs Home for Children: 34 Liverpool Road, Croydon
Type: Image
Date: c. 1979
From
1925
To
1981
Alternative Names
St Joseph's Home, Croydon
1925 - 1979
St Joseph's Home was situated at 34 Liverpool Road, Croydon, New South Wales (Building Still standing)
Subsequent