The East Perth Girls' Home was opened in 1931 by the Aborigines Department as a hostel for young women to stay and receive training in domestic service. Over time, pregnant women were sent there to await the birth of babies and it was a reception centre for 'half-caste' boys and girls before they were placed elsewhere. In 1952 it was re-named Bennett House.
The East Perth Half-Caste Girls' Home was opened in 1931 by the Aborigines Department as a hostel for young women to stay and receive training in domestic service. Over time, pregnant women were sent there to await the birth of babies and it was a reception centre for 'half-caste' boys and girls before they were placed elsewhere. Children and young people were under the guardianship of the head of the government departments responsible for Aboriginal welfare.
On 17 September 1952, the purpose of what had become known as the East Perth Girls' Home became a 'home for transient and outpatient native women and children' and it was re-named 'Bennett House'.
Sources used to compile this entry: Longworth, Alison, Was it worthwhile?, An historical analysis of five women missionaries and their encounters with the Nyungar people of south-west Australia, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 2005, http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/163/2/02Whole.pdf. pp.298-299.; State Solicitor's Office of Western Australia, 'p.42', Guide to Institutions Attended by Aboriginal People in Western Australia, Government of Western Australia, 2005, http://web.archive.org/web/20140126131607/http://www.dpc.wa.gov.au/lantu/MediaPublications/Documents/Guide-to-Institutions-attended-by-Aboriginal-people-in-WA-2005.pdf; 'Western Australia Protectors Reports 1899-1959', in To Remove and Protect: Aboriginal Lives Under Control [website], Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, National Library of Australia, http://aiatsis.gov.au/collections/collections-online/digitised-collections/remove-and-protect/western-australia. Annual Report of the Commissioner of Native Affairs 1953 p.24; Annual Report of the Commissioner of Native Welfare 1959 p.8..
Prepared by: Debra Rosser
Created: 15 December 2013, Last modified: 12 November 2018
Last updated: 17 October 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE01288b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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