Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea Perth Archives

Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea Perth Archives is a collection of registers, records, photographs, artefacts and memorabilia relating to Benevolent Institution for Aboriginal Children, St Joseph’s Girls’ Orphanage, St Vincent’s Foundling Home Subiaco, Subiaco Boys’ Orphanage and St Joseph’s Catholic Orphanage for Girls and Catherine McAuley Centre.

Access Conditions

Access to records is restricted to protect the privacy of individuals, but you are very welcome to enquire. The Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea encourages you to either contact them directly for access to personal records, or use one of the available Support Services.

Records

Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea Perth Archives’ collection relates to Homes run by the Sisters of Mercy in Western Australia including Benevolent Institution for Aboriginal Children, St Joseph’s Girls’ Orphanage, St Vincent’s Foundling Home Subiaco, Subiaco Boys’ Orphanage and St Joseph’s Catholic Orphanage for Girls and Catherine McAuley Centre. There is also information about the primary school, St Joseph’s Victoria Square, where some of the girls from the orphanage went to school.

The types of items held include photographs, memorabilia, artefacts, and records. The records include:

• Judgement Book 1847-? (lists Indigenous children’s behavior that was tallied to give out school prizes)
• Receipt and Expenditure Registers 1847-? (lists expenditure for convent, school and orphanages including Benevolent Fund. Includes travel supplies for Indigenous girls
• Admission registers for the years 1868-1928
• Case records from c.1960-1991
• Maintenance registers for 1901-1948 and 1958-1972
• Committal warrants from 1868-1951
• Baptism Certificates 1868-1972 (those for the 1950s are missing)
• Social security payments records 1960s (those for the 1970s are missing)
• Ailments register 1915

This collection is a combination of collections previously held by MercyCare Ltd, Mercy Heritage Centre, Perth and the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea in Perth. The collection is now held by the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea in Petersham, NSW.