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Victoria - Organisation

Catherine Booth Girls' Home (1915 - 1976)

  • Salvation Army Girls' Home, Sackville Street, Kew

    Salvation Army Girls' Home, Sackville Street, Kew, c. 1957, by Colin Caldwell
    Details

From
1915
To
1976
Categories
Children's Home, Home, Protestant and Salvation Army
Alternative Names
  • Catherine Booth Memorial Home (Also known as)
  • East Kew Girls' Home (Also known as)

The Catherine Booth Girls' Home was established by the Salvation Army in 1915 in 'Blackhall' mansion, East Kew. The Home accommodated girls aged between 4 and 16. The Catherine Booth Girls' Home closed in 1976.

Details

The Catherine Booth Girls' Home was situated at 26 Sackville Street, East Kew, in a mansion known as Blackhall. Catherine Booth and her husband William were the founders of the Salvation Army.

In November 1955, Catherine Booth Girls' Home was declared an approved children's home under the Children's Welfare Act 1954.

The East Kew Home accommodated about 90 to 100 girls. During the mid 1950s attempts were made to convert the large scale dormitories to smaller unit accommodation. In the 1960s, the Home began accepting boys aged 2 to 8 years, to keep siblings together. By 1969, its capacity had reduced to 48 with an increasing emphasis on small group care for girls in the 4 to 16 year old age group.

In 1972, children were transferred to the Home when the Salvation Army closed the William Booth Girls' Home in East Camberwell Home.

During the 1970s, the Salvation Army was becoming increasingly aware that children living at East Kew, coming originally from Melbourne's northern and western suburbs, were experiencing difficulty coping with social involvement in the Kew community. Planning began to relocate the operations to Jacana in the North Western suburbs.

The Catherine Booth Girls' Home closed in 1976.

Location

1915 - 1976
Address - The Catherine Booth Girls' Home was located at 26 Sackville Street, East Kew. Location: Kew East

Publications

Books

  • Beaumont, Shirley Steans, A Window of Time, The Author, Burpengary, Qld, 2006. Details
  • Beaumont, Shirley Steans, Time behind the green door, The Author, Kallangur, Qld, 2008. Details

Reports

  • Department for Neglected Children and Reformatory Schools. Report of the Secretary., Government Printer, Melbourne, 1888 - 1924. Details
  • Eskey, Eileen, Report on survey of children in salvation army care at Kew, Camberwell and Box Hill homes, Salvation Army, Melbourne, 196?. Details

Online Resources

Photos

Blackhall, 26 Sackville Street Kew
Title
Blackhall, 26 Sackville Street Kew
Type
Image

Details

Salvation Army Girls' Home, Sackville Street, Kew
Title
Salvation Army Girls' Home, Sackville Street, Kew
Type
Image
Date
c. 1957
Creator
Colin Caldwell

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Victoria Government Gazette Online Archive 1836-1997, State Library of Victoria, 2009, http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/.

Prepared by: Cate O'Neill