Glastonbury Community Services Records (1853 - 2015)

Access Conditions

Conditional Access - Former residents of Glastonbury's out-of-home care programs and their families can contact Barwon Child, Youth & Family to gain access to records and information about their time in 'care'. Access is restricted due to the fragility and confidentiality of the records. An application form will need to be completed and proof of identity provided.

Barwon Child, Youth & Family, Archive Search Information for Past Clients, 2015, states:

Barwon Child, Youth & Family is unable to guarantee to have information about all past orphanage clients. Record keeping in times gone by was often scant and some past clients many only have an entry in the
admissions books.

If we do have records about you or a member of your family we will process your request as quickly as possible.

Records

The collection at Glastonbury Community Services dates from 1853. The records relate to the operation of Glastonbury Community Services and its predecessor agencies, and include the records of over 2,000 children in its 'care'. Records in this collection have been digitised and indexed by Barwon Child, Youth & Family as part of the Records Access Documentation Grants in 2017.

More specifically, the collection includes:

• Children's Roll Books (Admission and Discharge Records), 1853-1993 - There are two volumes, both ordered by client number: Geelong Protestant Orphan Asylum Children's Roll dated 30 October 1853-13 February 1958 and Geelong Western District Protestant Orphanage Children's Roll dated 13 February 1958-20 January 1993.
• Refused or Withdrawn Applications for Admission to Geelong Protestant Orphan Asylum, 1853-1900
• House Committee Books, 1870-1913 (missing 1882-1890) - Contain rules for the matron and teacher, rules and regulations for orphanage officers, accounts, children's activities, children's admission and discharge dates, staffing, visitors, medical reports and notes about people wanting child apprentices.
• Applications for Apprentices - Geelong Orphan Asylum, 1888-1908 - Contain 3 volumes of handwritten applications.
• Visitors Book for the Geelong Protestant Orphan Asylum, 1901-1937 - Contains handwritten entries in chronological order of the official visitors to the orphanage and their reports.
• Day Book, 1909-1970 - Contains financial records tracking money paid to and money saved on behalf of residents of the orphanage, including apprenticeship payments and receipts. Children's names are listed beside each transaction.
• Ledger of Apprenticeship Wages, 1924-1959 - Contains financial records of money paid to and saved on behalf of residents of the orphanage, including apprenticeship wages paid to and provided to residents.
• Admission and Discharge Index Cards and Registers - Glastonbury Geelong Protestant Orphanage/Glastonbury Children's Home, 1930-1972 (missing 1950-1955)
• Matrons Report Books, 1934-1942, 1943-1955 & 1972-1975 - Contain dates of admission and discharge of children, health reports, donations, outings, staffing and general activities.
• Child Endowment Records, 1941-1986 - Contains four registers that list children's names in alphabetical order and amount of money provided.
• Applications for Admission, c.1950-c.1979 - Contains handwritten applications for the admission to Geelong Protestant Orphanage or to Glastonbury Children's Home during the 1950s-1970s.
• Superintendent Report Books, 1955-1964 & 1964-1973 - Contains information about children's admission and discharge dates, health reports, outings, staffing, donations. The Superintendent Report from 1968-1972 includes details of farm activities as well as information about the children.
• Superintendent Report Books relating to Glastonbury Children's Home, 1976-1984 - Contain children's names, circumstances and activities that led to the child's admission or discharge, staffing information, donations, visitors to the Home, purchases made, repairs made and information about the general health and wellbeing of the children.
• Doctors Book, 1967-1972 - Contains some medical reports and treatments provided to children, the book is chronologically ordered.
• Glastonbury Geelong Protestant Orphanage Dispensary Book, 1968 - Contains date ordered entries for medications dispensed to patients
• Minutes of House Committee, 1925-1974 (missing 1934-1936) - Contains general information about children's admission and discharge information, staffing, donations, health and wellbeing.
• Agenda for Minutes Book of the Geelong and Western District Protestant Orphanage, 1945-1953 - Contents include Superintendent Reports, Treasurer Reports, Application for Admissions, Collectors Reports and general correspondence
• Annual Reports, 1949-1973 - The annual reports are held within the Minutes of the House Committee.
• Committee of Management Minutes, 1969-1972 - Contains information about farm activities, crops and dairy yields.
• Staff (House Diaries), 1980-1984 - Contains five house diaries outlining the daily activities with the Home and contains references to the first names of children.
• Photograph collection includes pictures of the Herne Hill and Belmont Orphanages. Photos and slides of children in the orphanage
• Glasow Gossip magazine with articles written by the children (1973 - 1980)
• Video, tapes of Orphanage activities, personnel memories and reunions

Other Records

In the 1980s some of the records were transferred to the Geelong Heritage Centre, these include client files and admission records. Barwon retains digitised copies of the client files transferred to the Geelong Heritage Centre. The Geelong Heritage Centre has the original paper files, as well as digital copies.