Records of Home for Incurables, Julia Farr Centre, & Highgate Park, at State Records of South Australia

These records were created by the Home for Incurables, later known as the Julia Farr Centre, Julia Farr Services, and Highgate Park. They contain information about patients, staff, and administrative matters at the Homes. The collection is held by State Records of South Australia. The records contain personal details of people admitted to the Home for Incurables, Julia Farr, and Highgate Park, including children and young people. Records about patients include admission and discharge registers, case books, records about the movement of patients between wards/facilities, and records about medications prescribed to patients. The collection also includes administrative records from the hospital, which also include some references to individual patients, such as staff reports about occurrences at the Homes, correspondence, visitor books, meeting minutes, and annual reports.

These records were transferred to State Records of South Australia in 2020, following the closure of Highgate Park. They were previously housed in the Heritage Room at Highgate Park, alongside some items of memorabilia which were transferred to the History Trust of South Australia.

Access Conditions

Access to these records is restricted for at least 60 years, or sometimes 100 years, in order to protect personal privacy. Some of these records are still restricted, while others are open and can be viewed by any member of the public. People mentioned in these records have a right to access information about themselves. To request access to restricted records please contact the Department of Human Services Freedom of Information team. To arrange access to open records please contact State Records of South Australia.

Records

The following records in this collection contain information about patients, including children and young people, who lived at the Home for Incurables, Julia Farr, and Highgate Park, or contain contextual information about the Homes that may be of interest to former residents and their families. More information about these records has been published on the State Records of South Australia catalogue, and can be accessed via the links below. Records from the Homes that relate only to staff members, or contain more general administrative or financial information, have not been included in this list, but are listed on the State Records of South Australia catalogue.

Patient Records

Alphabetical index to register of inmates – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre, 1879-1988 (GRS/16802). Open access

Alphabetical index to unknown registers – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre, 1925-1994 (GRS/16812). Restricted access.

Cause of Death Medical Certificates – Julia Farr Centre, 1984-1999 (GRS/18679). Restricted access.

Patient admission cards – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre, 1879-2012 (GRS/18369). Partially open access.

Patients’ address book – Home for Incurables, 1906-1976 (GRS/16799). Partially open access.

Patients’ case books – Home for Incurables, 1879-1929 (GRS.16800). Partially open access.

Record of patients’ admissions, transfers, deaths etc. – Home for Incurables, 1955-1978 (GRS.16801). Partially open access.

Register of inmates – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre, 1879-1991 (GRS/16798). Partially open access.

Residents’ comforts and medical books – Home for Incurables, 1887-1918 (GRS/17718). Open access.

Administrative and Contextual Records

Annual reports – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre, 1879-2007 (GRS/17716). Open access.

Some reports include photographs and short biographies of some residents.

Corporate files – Disability SA and predecessor agencies, 1879-2019 (GRS/18602). Partially open access.

Correspondence register – Julia Farr Centre, later Julia Farr Services, 1992-2000 (GRS/16808). Restricted access.

Letter books – Home for Incurables, 1879-1913 (GRS/17708). Open Access.

These letter books contain letters written by the Secretary for the Homes, and mostly relate to administrative matters such as organising events, ordering supplies, and placing advertisements, but do also include correspondence organising admissions to the Home. The books also contain letters written by the Honorary Secretary for the Orphan Home at Carrington Street, Adelaide, as this role was held by the same person who was Secretary for the Home for Incurables and they used the same book for writing letters for each organisation.

Matron’s reports – Home for Incurables, 1951-1975 (GRS/17715). Partially open access.

Minutes – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre Inc. and Julia Farr Services, 1880-2007 (GRS/17713). Partially open access.

Minutes – House Committee and other committees, Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre Inc., 1880-1983 (GRS/17710). Partially open access.

Official visitors’ books and visiting physicians’ attendance books – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre Inc., 1888-1983 (GRS/17712). Partially open access.

Reports to Board of Management – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre Inc., 1962-1983 (GRS/17714). Restricted Access.

Rules and regulations – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre, 1933-1988 (GRS/17717). Open access.

Superintendent’s monthly reports book – Home for Incurables, later Julia Farr Centre Inc, 1955-1959 (GRS/18785). Open access

Visitors’ books – Home for Incurables, 1879-1925 (GRS/17707). Open access