Sydney Orphanages

[Billyblue]

I've heard of families being separated.  Back then in 'the good old days', authorities didn't seem to care too much about the trauma of separating siblings and what it might do to their future mental health!  In my mind, the 'stolen generation' can also apply to adoptees and orphans   

There used to be a place called Brush Farm at Eastwood, in the 1920s it was (as far as I know) a home for 'mothers and babies' but it might also have been an orphanage.  The archivist at Ryde Council may be of help with more info on that one.  Not sure if it still exists in any form.

Dawn M

[Jaznjjj]

Thank you Dawn, I'll keep that in mind.  In the meantime I have approached the Ashfield people and asked them to check their records.  They are already undertaking an earlier enquiry for me - by coincidence, the birth of the mother of these children in 1876.  If the children were not placed at Ashfield, I'll spread my net further afield.  I do know there was a children's home (Cooinda?) at Enfield/Burwood in the 1920s and there are possibly other Homes in the area.  My mother (now 94) remembers attending public school at Enfield with children from that Home.  If it is of interest, I have a school photograph from Enfield 1935.  It can be supposed that some of the children in that photograph were children in care.  J

[majm]

Dawn's post reminded me of Burnside, Pennant Hills Road, North Parramatta and also of a similar setup on Jasper Road, Baulkham Hills and another on Windsor Road, Baulkham Hills (perhaps run by a Roman Catholic order).   

http://onethousandwordsplus.com/read-19-BurnishedBurnsideLifeStories



JM

[majm]

 

https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/nsw/NE00189 

St Michael's on Windsor Road, Baulkham Hills.

JM

[Jaznjjj]

I remember Burnside homes.  When I was a teenager I belonged to a Red Cross Younger Set and we visited one of the homes there - probably late 1960s  I also remember going there in a school sport team (Arthur Phillip High) to play in some kind of sporting competition - that would have been early 1960s.  The younger set also visited a home at Berrima.  I had a distant cousin who was placed in Westmead Boys Home until rescued by my grandmother - that would have been 1940s.  I and my husband at the time (early 1970s) also visited the Home at Werrington a number of times to interact with the children.     J