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New South Wales - Organisation

Burnside Presbyterian Homes for Children (1955 - 1978)

  • Burnside Orphanage, Parramatta

    Burnside Orphanage, Parramatta, August 1920, courtesy of State Library of New South Wales.
    Details

From
1955
To
1978
Categories
Children's Home, Cottage Care, Foster Care, Home, Orphanage, Presbyterian, Protestant, Receiving Agency and Uniting Church
Alternative Names
  • Burnside
  • Burnside Homes

The Burnside Presbyterian Homes for Children was formally known as Burnside Presbyterian Orphan Homes. The name change occurred in 1955. Originally a complex of cottage homes, Burnside began to provide foster care and other sorts of care in the 1960s and 1970s. It changed its name to Burnside Homes for Children when the Uniting Church Board of Social Responsibility assumed control of it in 1978.

Details

By 1955 the Burnside site included its own school with a gymnasium and swimming pool, a hall, a hospital, playing fields, and a farm, dairy and vegetable garden. There was also staff accommodation. Although closely linked to the Presbyterian Church, Burnside was independent of the Church hierarchy. The Burnside Homes were established and maintained entirely by private donations.

The way children were cared for by Burnside changed considerably over the years reflecting changes in child care theories. In the 1960s the capacity of the homes, originally designed for 30 children, was reduced to house 12-15 children. At that time Burnside began to establish group homes in the suburbs, designed to care for around six children at a time. In the 1970s Burnside commenced a comprehensive and successful system of foster care that was still running - and expanded - in 2013.

In 1972, Burnside also became responsible for St Andrew's Boys' Home at Leppington.

In 1977, the Uniting Church in Australia was formed, made up of the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches of Australia. It was decided that the Burnside Homes should pass to the Uniting Church Board of Social Responsibility. This occurred in 1978 and the organisation became known as Burnside Homes for Children.

Location

1955 - 1978
Location - Burnside Presbyterian Homes for Children was situated at Pennant Hills Road, North Parramatta. Location: North Parramatta

Timeline

 1911 - 1955 Burnside Presbyterian Orphan Homes
       1955 - 1978 Burnside Presbyterian Homes for Children
             1978 - 1986 Burnside Homes for Children
                   1986 - 2000 Burnside
                         2000 - Uniting Burnside

Provided 'Care' At

Related Archival Collections

Related Events

Related Glossary Terms

Publications

Books

  • Keen, Susan, Burnside: 75 years of caring, Burnside Homes for Children, 1986. Details
  • Shayler, Kate, The Long Way Home: The Story of a Homes Kid, Random House, Milsons Point, N.S.W., 2001. Details
  • Shayler, Kate, Burnished: Burnside Life Stories, MoshPit Publishing, Hazelbrook, NSW, 2011, 280 pp. Details

Online Resources

Photos

Burnside Orphanage, Parramatta
Title
Burnside Orphanage, Parramatta
Type
Image
Date
August 1920
Source
State Library of New South Wales

Details

Troup
Title
Troup
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Ross
Title
Ross
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Robertson
Title
Robertson
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Reid
Title
Reid
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Lincluden
Title
Lincluden
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Ivanhoe
Title
Ivanhoe
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Eskdale
Title
Eskdale
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Dunkeld
Title
Dunkeld
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Cumbrae
Title
Cumbrae
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Burnside Primary School
Title
Burnside Primary School
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Blairgowrie
Title
Blairgowrie
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Blackwood
Title
Blackwood
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Airlie
Title
Airlie
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

War Memorial
Title
War Memorial
Type
Document
Date
c. 2013

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Keen, Susan, Burnside: 75 years of caring, Burnside Homes for Children, 1986; 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