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New South Wales - Archival Collection

Commonwealth Records relating to Child and Youth Migration (c. 1911 - 1983?)

From
c. 1911
To
1983?

Commonwealth records relating to Child and Youth Migration are held by the National Archives of Australia. Within this collection, records related to individual child and youth migrants are essentially those concerned with their entry into Australia, such as evidence of their entry (passenger lists) and their applications for immigration and citizenship. (Records about the day-to-day care of child migrants were kept by State governments and/or the institutions where child migrants were sent.) The Commonwealth records also include correspondence and policy files, which can provide an insight into the operations of the various schemes and homes.

Details

Access Conditions

Access conditions vary.

Records

According to 'Child Migrants: Accessing records held by Commonwealth and State Archives, March 2010', the records relating to child and youth migration created by the Commonwealth government comprise:

  • Child migration policy files which cover issues such as the various schemes, agreements with governments and private organisations, inquiries and financial arrangements.
  • Immigration case files (usually known as migrant selection documents) for most individual child migrants.
  • Ship's passenger lists and ship's nominal rolls.
  • Naturalisation files.
  • Photographs.

Publications

Online Resources

Sources used to compile this entry: Child Migrants: Accessing records held by Commonwealth and State Archives, Council of Australasian Archives and Records Authorities [CAARA], http://www.caara.org.au/index.php/publications/child-migrants-accessing-records-held-by-commonwealth-and-state-archives; Coldrey, Barry, 'See Chapter 3 'Guide to the Records'', Good British stock: child and youth migration to Australia, This is a research guide published by the National Archives of Australia. It contains detailed historical information about Australia's immigration policy and child and youth migration to Australia. It also has information about relevant archival records in Australia and overseas relating to child and youth migration., National Archives of Australia, 1999, https://www.naa.gov.au/help-your-research/research-guides/good-british-stock-child-and-youth-migration-australia.

Prepared by: Cate O'Neill