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New South Wales - Organisation
Waitara Foundling Home (1898 - 1927)
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Front of Home [Waitara and Our Lady of Mercy], 1950s - 1960s, courtesy of Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney Congregation.
DETAILS
- From
- 1898
- To
- 1927
- Categories
- Babies' Home, Adoption Agency, Orphanage, Children's Home, Lying-in Home, Home, Catholic
- Alternative Names
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- Home for Foundlings
- Waitara Orphanage
- Waitara Home
- Waitara
The Waitara Foundling Home was established in 1898 by the Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney Congregation as a home for babies and for unmarried mothers, who were referred from hospitals throughout the eastern states of Australia. In 1928 the Waitara Foundling Home was renamed Our Lady of Mercy Home.
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The Waitara Foundling Home was first established in an old cottage on Leek's Orchard. In 1902, a two-storey brick home for mothers and babies was built, providing accommodation for mothers and their babies from hospitals and private homes throughout the eastern states of Australia.
In 1921, Waitara Foundling Home was granted 5 shillings per week for every orphan in its care by the NSW Government. This allowance was extended to a range of private institutions that cared for children.
In 1925 a pre-school kindergarten was opened within the Home, for the children in residential care.
Whenever possible, mothers remain with their children until they were weaned.
The Waitara Foundling Home was renamed Our Lady of Mercy Home in 1928 in recognition of the fact that many of the children in the home were not orphaned.
Locations
- 1898 - 1977
- Location - Waitara Foundling Home was situated at Waitara
Timeline
- 1898 - 1927
- Waitara Foundling Home
- 1928 - 1977
- Our Lady of Mercy Home, Waitara
- Collection Title
- Sisters of Mercy (North Sydney) Historical Records (1898? - 2001?)
- Date Range
- 1898 - 2001
- Reference
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- Contact
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Please contact the Archivist, Sisters of Mercy Archives (North Sydney):
Postal address: 29 McLaren Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060
Phone: (02) 9409 6243
Email: jng@monte.nsw.edu.au
Website: https://www.nsmercy.org.au/our-story/archives
DETAILS
- Collection Title
- Records of institutions run by the Sisters of Mercy (North Sydney) (1903? - 1990?)
- Date Range
- 1903 - 1990
- Reference
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- Contact
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Please contact Family Spirit Adoption Services:
Postal address: Suite 301, Level 3, 2-14 Meredith Street, Bankstown NSW, 2220
Phone: (02) 8709 9333
Email: adoptions@familyspirit.org
Website: https://www.familyspirit.org/
DETAILS
Waitara Old Chapel
Front of Home [Waitara and Our Lady of Mercy]
Young mother entering Home [Waitara]
"Looking Back: A foundling home at Waitara"