St George's Training Farm Home for Boys was opened at Oakhampton, near Maitland and Morpeth, in the Hunter Valley in 1927. It was run by the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle and took boys aged 13 and over who had been in Morpeth Home for Children (St Alban's). St George's Training Farm was closed in 1930.
According to the Singleton Argus, boys were resident at St George's Training Farm in May 1927;
The seven boys now in residence are a fine type of youth, and are adapting themselves splendidly to their new life.
The training farm was officially opened on 1 June 1927 by Mr Bill Capper of West Maitland. The purpose of the farm was to continue the 'training' of boys at St Albans Home, Morpeth. St George's was for boys aged 13 and over.
The farm was a 22 acre site, purchased by the Church of England for £4800, of which Arthur Yates of Sydney had donated £500. It was superintended by Rev BD Simpson who had, prior to entering the ministry, been a farmer.
In 1927 the farm grew sorghum and lucerne and had a poultry farm and dairy.
According to Connecting Kin, the Home experienced financial difficulties from its inception, and was closed in 1930. The boys were relocated, and the farm rented out before being sold in 1939.
Sources used to compile this entry: 'Boys' Training Farm', Singleton Argus, 26 May 1927, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article81091749; 'Training Farm for Boys. Opened at Oakhampton.', The Sydney Morning Herald, 2 June 1927, http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16389622; Thinee, Kristy and Bradford, Tracy, Connecting Kin: Guide to Records, A guide to help people separated from their families search for their records [completed in 1998], New South Wales Department of Community Services, Sydney, New South Wales, 1998, https://clan.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/connectkin_guide.pdf.
Prepared by: Naomi Parry
Created: 3 March 2011, Last modified: 28 November 2014
Last updated: 4 August 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/nsw/biogs/NE00082b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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