Some people may find content on this website distressing. Read more
South Australia - Organisation

St Joseph's Refuge (1868 - c. 2001)

  • St Joseph's Refuge, Fullarton

    St Joseph's Refuge, Fullarton, 1901, courtesy of Trustees of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
    Details

From
1868
To
c. 2001
Categories
Catholic, Female Rescue Home and Home
Alternative Names
  • The Fullarton Refuge (Also known as)
  • St Joseph's Centre, Fullarton (Also known as)

St Joseph's Refuge was established in Adelaide by the Catholic Church in 1868. Run by the Sisters of St Joseph, it provided refuge for unmarried mothers and children to the age of three years. Older children went to St Joseph's Orphanage, Largs Bay. The refuge moved to Mitcham, Norwood and then Fullarton in 1901. In 2001 the refuge changed its name to Louise Place.

Details

St Joseph's Refuge was the second institution established by the Catholic Church in South Australia, after the St Vincent de Paul Orphanage. Its foundation was inspired by reports from the Sisters of St Joseph about the number of Catholic women they had encountered during their pastoral visits to the Adelaide Gaol. Many of the incarcerated women had no support and a significant number were unmarried mothers. The Sisters aimed to provide a refuge for these young women and their children.

A number of women who urgently needed help were accommodated in temporary homes until the plan was further developed. In October 1867 Archdeacon Patrick Russell called a meeting of leading members of the Adelaide Catholic community to discuss the situation. As a result of this gathering the Church rented premises on Franklin Street, Adelaide and a Catholic Female Refuge was opened in May 1868.

Run by the Sisters of St Joseph, the Refuge initially took in 24 women, 11 of whom the sisters had removed from the Gaol. Women resident in the institution helped to support it financially by doing laundry work. The Refuge cared for women of all denominations free of charge for as long as they required shelter.

From Franklin Street, the Refuge moved to a larger rented house at Mitcham with enough rooms to accommodate 20 women. In 1872 it moved again to even larger premises near the St Ignatius Church in Queen Street, Norwood.

Due to the success of the laundry work the Refuge saved a small sum of money. This combined with a charitable bequest allowed the church to purchase an 11-acre property, formerly a Jam Factory, at Fullarton. New buildings were erected including a lying-in home, a children's cottage and a modern laundry. Income from the laundry provided funding for the running of the Refuge for many years.

The new building at Fullarton was officially opened on 22 September 1901. By 1911 it was home to 86 women, 36 children and 18 Sisters. At the turn of the century the Refuge's emphasis changed from sheltering former prisoners from the Adelaide Gaol to caring for unmarried mothers and their children.

The identity of each woman admitted to the Refuge was carefully protected. On arriving each was given a name other than her true Christian name and during her stay she was only known by that pseudonym. Her real identity was recorded in a locked register which still survives. While embracing the Catholic faith was not a pre-requisite of residence, all women were expected to work. Mothers were allowed to remain until their children reached three years of age. At that time, if women wished to remain at the Refuge, their children were transferred to St Joseph's Orphanage at Largs Bay. By the early 1930s it was reported that some 6000 children and adults had passed through the Refuge since its establishment.

In 1963 control of the Refuge was transferred from the Sisters of St Joseph to the Daughters of Charity. In the 1970s the Refuge not only catered for unmarried mothers, but also for other women requiring residential care, including deserted wives and their children and girls in need of protective care.

In 1992 the running of St Joseph's was taken over by the St Vincent's Trust Endowment Society.

In 2001 St Joseph's Refuge changed its name to Louise Place.

Location

1868 - 1870
Location - St Joseph's Refuge was situated at Franklin Street, Adelaide. Location: Adelaide
1870 - 1872
Location - St Joseph's Refuge was situated at Mitcham. Location: Mitcham
1872 - 1901
Location - St Joseph's Refuge was situated at Queen Street, Norwood. Location: Norwood
1901 - 1992
Address - St Joseph's Refuge was situated at 82 Wattle Street, Fullarton. Location: Fullarton
1992 - c. 2001
Address - St Joseph's Refuge was situated at 5 Randolph Avenue, Fullarton. Location: Fullarton

Timeline

 1868 - c. 2001 St Joseph's Refuge
       c. 2001 - Louise Place

Related Archival Series

Related Glossary Terms

Related Organisations

Publications

Books

  • Foale, Marie Therese, Think of the Ravens: The Sisters of St Joseph in Social Welfare, Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart Inc, Kent Town, 2001. Details

Online Resources

Photos

St Joseph's Refuge, Norwood
Title
St Joseph's Refuge, Norwood
Type
Image
Date
1872
Source
Trustees of the Sisters of St. Joseph

Details

Fullarton Refuge Infirmary
Title
Fullarton Refuge Infirmary
Type
Image
Date
1900? - 1980?
Source
Adelaide Catholic Archdiocesan Archives

Details

St Joseph's Refuge, Fullarton
Title
St Joseph's Refuge, Fullarton
Type
Image
Date
1901
Source
Trustees of the Sisters of St. Joseph

Details

St Joseph's Refuge, 82 Wattle Street, Fullarton, Adelaide
Title
St Joseph's Refuge, 82 Wattle Street, Fullarton, Adelaide
Type
Image
Date
c. 2015
Source
realestate.com.au

Details

St Joseph's Refuge, 82 Wattle Street, Fullarton
Title
St Joseph's Refuge, 82 Wattle Street, Fullarton
Type
Image
Date
c. 2015
Source
realestate.com.au

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: George, Karen, Finding your own way, Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia Inc., 2005, http://nunku.org.au/resources/.

Prepared by: Karen George and Gary George