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Western Australia - Organisation

Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association [CEMWA] (1947? - 1970)

From
1947?
To
1970
Categories
Catholic, Church Agency and Receiving Agency
Alternative Names
  • Catholic Immigration Society (also known as)
  • Episcopal Migration Association (also known as)

The Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association (CEMWA) in Western Australia was the state-based receiving agency for post-World War II child migrants who were sent to WA under the Catholic child immigration scheme. After 1965, the child migration program to WA ceased and the welfare functions of the CEMWA were taken over by the Catholic Family Welfare Bureau which was established in 1970.

Details

It its likely that it was a 'branch' of the Federal Catholic Migration Committee which was a sub-committee of the Catholic Bishop's Conference.

Barry Coldrey's book does not make it exactly clear whether the CEMWA was established in 1946, before the Bishops' Conference in 1947, or as a consequence of that.

The CEMWA held the records of children who came to WA under the Catholic child migration scheme and correspondence from a child's family in Britain or Malta usually came to the CEMWA. The Secretary of the CEMWA, Miss Sanderson, also liaised with the institutions and the Child Welfare Department about subsidies paid for the children. In later years, the CEMWA also coordinated the subsidies for children who were Wards and who had been placed in Catholic institutions.

In the early 1990s, the records relating to child migration were located by a social worker and brought into the care of the Catholic Migrant Centre.

Timeline

 1947? - 1970 Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association [CEMWA]
       1970 - 1977 Catholic Family Welfare Bureau
             1977 - Centrecare

Related Archival Series

Related Glossary Terms

  • Receiving Agency

    The CEMWA was the main receiving agency for children coming to Australia from Britain and Malta under the Catholic child immigration scheme.

Related Organisations

  • Bindoon (1936 - 1966)

    Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association [CEMWA] coordinated the placement of child migrants to Bindoon.

    Date: 1947? - 1966

  • Castledare (1934 - 1983)

    The Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association was the church agency that 'received' child migrants from Britain and Malta to Castledare.

  • Catholic Archdiocese of Perth (1913 - )

    The Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association was the organisation that coordinated the placement of child migrants from Britain and Malta on behalf of the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth.

  • Catholic Migrant Centre (1992 - 2008)

    The Catholic Migrant Centre's 'Former Child Migrants' program used the CEMWA records as the basis of its family tracing and records access service.

  • Child Welfare Department, State of Western Australia (1927 - 1972)
  • Clontarf (1901 - 1983)

    The Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association [CEMWA] coordinated the placement of child migrants to Clontarf.

    Date: 1947? - 1966

  • Nazareth House (1941 - 1979?)

    The Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association [CEMWA] was the organisation that coordinated the placement of child migrants to Nazareth House.

    Date: 1947? - 1966

  • St Joseph's Girls' Orphanage (1901 - 1971)

    The Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association was responsible for placing British and Maltese child migrants at St Joseph's Orphanage.

    Date: 1947 - 1966

  • St Joseph's Preventorium (1929 - 1976)

    Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association [CEMWA] was responsible for children who were sent as unaccompanied child migrants to St Joseph's Preventorium.

  • St Vincent's Foundling Home (1914 - 1971)

    The Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association [CEMWA] coordinated the placement of child migrants at St Vincent's Foundling Home.

    Date: 1947? - 1966

  • Tardun Farm School (1928 - 2008)

    The Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association [CEMWA] coordinated the placement of chlild migrants to Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association [CEMWA].

    Date: 1947? - 1966

Publications

Books

  • Coldrey, Barry M., The Scheme: the Christian Brothers and Childcare in Western Australia, Argyle-Pacific Pub., O'Connor, W.A., 1993. pp.127, 143, 171. Details

Online Resources

Photos

CEMWA Response to Moss Questionnaire
Title
CEMWA Response to Moss Questionnaire
Type
Document
Date
1951
Source
National Archives of Australia

Details

Minutes of conference of representatives of institutions accommodating migrant children
Title
Minutes of conference of representatives of institutions accommodating migrant children
Type
Document
Date
25 May 1951
Source
National Archives of Australia

Details

Moss Report [Excerpt] - Pocket Money
Title
Moss Report [Excerpt] - Pocket Money
Type
Document
Date
23 February 1955
Source
National Archives of Australia,

Details

Moss Report Implementation [Excerpt] - Case Histories
Title
Moss Report Implementation [Excerpt] - Case Histories
Type
Document
Date
18 March 1955
Source
National Archives of Australia

Details

Moss Report Implementation [Excerpt] - Health Examinations
Title
Moss Report Implementation [Excerpt] - Health Examinations
Type
Document
Date
21 April 1955
Source
National Archives of Australia,

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Coldrey, Barry M., The Scheme: the Christian Brothers and Childcare in Western Australia, Argyle-Pacific Pub., O'Connor, W.A., 1993. pp.127, 143, 171..

Prepared by: Debra Rosser