These are records created by Thornbury Lodge and held by Museums of History NSW (State Archives). The records contain information about children that spent time at Thornbury Lodge, and include admission and discharge registers, medical registers, child welfare cards, report books, and visitor books. The majority of these records date from the 1970s, however there are records that date back to 1957.
Access conditions
Access to these records is currently restricted. In New South Wales, records relating to individuals, such as case files and correspondence are closed to public access for 100 years. Records such as registers and indexes are closed to public access for 80 years.
Care Leavers wishing to access records about themselves will need to complete a Care Leaver Records Access Application Form (downloadable from the Care Leaver Records Access Unit website or available at a Community Services Centre). Completed application forms with proof of identity can be sent to the Care Leaver Records Access Unit, or lodged with a Community Services Centre. For further information please contact the Care Leaver Records Access Unit.
Records
The following information about these records has been published in the State Archives catalogue:
- Children’s Register, 1971-1979. Reference Number: NRS-20509.
These registers record information about children in residence at Thornbury Lodge. They include information such as name of residents, birth date, age, date of arrival, religion, and comments. They also include summaries of residents on leave or in hospital, as well as statistical information about the number of children at Thornbury Lodge per week.
- Admission and Discharge register, weekly movement, 1970-1974. Reference Number: NRS-20511.
These registers record information about children moving into or out of Thornbury Lodge. The admissions pages include information such as date of admission, name of child, date of birth, religion, reason for committal, name of court where the child’s hearing was held, if they were transferred from another institution, if they were returning after absconding, and if they were returning from leave/hospital/shelter/remand. The discharge pages include information such as date of discharge, name of child, if transferred to other institutions/shelters/hospital/court or if absconded or on leave, to whom they were discharged, their discharge address, if discharged from Personal Care, and period of retention.
The registers also include weekly statistics about the number of children housed at Thornbury Lodge, broken down into total residents, new committals, transfers from other institutions, discharges, remand cases, number of absconders, numbers on leave, numbers going to or from shelters/hospitals, and numbers attending court.
- Advice of admission of a child to an Institution and claim for additional child endowment, 1973-1979. Reference Number: NRS-20515
These records contain information relating to children admitted to Thornbury Lodge, enabling the institution to claim endowment payments for the child. The information on these forms includes name of the institution, child’s name, date of birth, date of admission, probable length of stay, full name or address of person last receiving endowment payments for the child, and signature of the authorized officer. These records are carbon copies of forms kept by the Director of Social Security and the Child Endowment Office.
- Advice of discharge of child from Institution, 1972-1979. Reference Number NRS-20517.
These records contain information relating to children discharged from Thornbury Lodge, instructing the child endowment office to stop making payments to the institution for that child. The information on these forms includes name of the institution, child’s name, date of birth, date of discharge, full name or address of person or institution to whom the child was discharged, and signature of the authorized officer. These records are carbon copies of forms kept by the Director of Social Security and the Child Endowment Office.
- Medical Register, 1957-1979. Reference Number: NRS-20512.
This register records medical complaints of children residing at Thornbury Lodge, and the treatments administered to them. Information in this register includes date, name of child, medical complaint, and treatment or medication administered, including any further instructions regarding treatment to be followed.
- Notification Slips, 1958-1972. Reference Number: NRS-20563.
This series contains notification slips created by the Dependent Children’s Branch for state wards admitted to Thornbury Lodge. The slips identify the children and their foster parents. Information on the slips includes corresponding ‘B’ file number [the main files kept by the Child Welfare Department on each child in its care], child’s name, date of birth, name and address of foster parents, date, and district number. Some of these slips have Bidura written on them, suggesting those children were transferred between Bidura and Thornbury Lodge.
- Child Welfare Cards, 1962-1967. Reference Number: NRS-20559.
This series of cards records Children’s Court information for children admitted to Thornbury Lodge. Information on the cards includes the name of the children’s court, date, name of the child, “offence” or reason for court hearing, decision of the court, and signature of the court officer. The cards all indicate under decision that the child is to be sent to a “place of safety”. Thornbury Lodge is the nominated institution on most of the cards, but Bidura is written on some, suggesting those children were transferred between Bidura and Thornbury Lodge. The children’s courts recorded on these cards include Ashfield, Bankstown, Liverpool, the Metropolitan Children’s Court, Minda, and Parramatta.
- Report Books, 1971-1979. Reference Number: NRS-20531.
This series contains reports written by the officer in charge on day or night shifts at Thornbury Lodge. Each report includes the number of admissions, discharges, and children at the home during the shift. It also sometimes includes notes about individual children, particularly those receiving medical treatment.
- Visitors Book, 1978-1979. Reference Number: NRS-20510.
This book records visits to Thornbury Lodge. It includes name of child being visited, address of the visitor, date of the visit, other notes such as the purpose of the visit, and signature of the visitor.
- Miscellaneous papers, 1965-1979. Reference Number: NRS-20578.
This series mainly contains correspondence relating to minor matters, such as maintenance and repairs of the building, however some correspondence relates to residents of Thornbury Lodge. The majority of the papers date from 1973 and 1974.
