St Joseph's Home Records

St Joseph’s Home was also known as Meteor Park Orphanage and Neerkol Orphanage. The St Joseph’s Home Records are held by the Sisters of Mercy. They comprise Registers dating from 1885 to 1968, Registers from 1960 to 1979.

Access Conditions

Requests for personal information need to be made in writing. This information can be gained by anyone who is able to identify themselves as having a right to personal information. A computer print-out is available of all information recorded from the books of original entry. Physical access to the records is not available due to their fragility and the need to protect the privacy of others.

Records

The Sisters of Mercy have advised that the following records exist in relation to this home:

Register One, Meteor Park Orphanage
Register One of Meteor Park Orphanage for the years 1885 to 1968. There are 3949 entries in the register and fields of information include:

• Register number
• Name of child
• Place of birth
• Date of birth
• Date of admission
• Reason for admission
• Terms of admission
• Date of discharge
• To whom discharged
• For what purpose discharged
• Name of parents
• Occupation of parents
• Religion of parents
• Address of parents
• Remarks

In many entries, one or several of these columns do not contain any information.

Register Two, St Joseph’s Home, Neerkol
Register Two of St Joseph’s Home, Neerkol for the years 1960 to 1979. This book contains a duplicate of admissions from Register One (1960 to 1968) then subsequent admissions from 1969 to 1979. There are approximately 400 entries in the register and fields of information include:

• Register number
• Name of child
• Date of birth
• Date of admission
• Authority for admission
• Religion
• Date of discharge
• To whom discharged
• Authority for discharge
• Names of parents or guardian
• Living or Dead
• Religion
• Address

In many entries, one or several of these columns do not contain any information.

Record of Children Sent to Service
This contains records dated between September 1891 and December 1919.

Book of Inspector’s Report and Maintenance Account Record
This is an exercise book which includes:

• a hand-written Inspector’s report dated 29.07.1890
• a record of children hired out, including name of employer (1884-1894)
• maintenance account record (1883-1890)

Departmental School Registers
Dates: 1935-1959; 1959-1974; 1974-1975. There is a Class Roll Book (1975-1976). School registers prior to 1935 have not been located.

Holiday Homes’ Book (1971-1980)
This book contains holiday placements for children at St Joseph’s Home.

Sacramental Records (1887-1967)
This is a book which has unofficial handwritten lists of children who received the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation and Penance. (The Sisters of Mercy advise that they are not in possession of the official church records).

Miscellaneous Records

• Names of children who were admitted to the Merara Orphanage, Mackay and came to Meteor Park Orphanage 1885
• Burials at Neerkol (from Court Records) 1886-1978
• Children who have died at Neerkol (from Register) 1886-1941
• List of children admitted to St Joseph’s Home, Neerkol 22.12.1885 to 01.07.1907 and names of children from the hired-out register 29.07.1882 to 27.09.1905
• Two State Government Reports, 1939 and 1940
• Migrant children (General file)
• Australian Bureau of Statistics Returns 1964-1984
• Names and addresses of known ex-residents who were contacted and invited to the Centenary Celebrations at Neerkol 1985
• Personal information folders on some former residents
• Four volumes and a written and pictorial journal entitled A People Who Come – A People Who Go by Mary Relf (1985)
• Some other individual photographs

There are many discrepancies in the records particularly with regard to the children’s names eg. The child’s name is recorded in the Register but they are known by another Christian name or surname; similarly the same discrepancy occurs with date, admission, discharge etc.

There are 210 names in the school register that have been omitted from the admission register. These have been added to the computerfiles and date from 1930 to 1975.

Because records for some periods are inaccurate and inadequate, there are errors and omissions.