Please contact the State Records Research Centre:
Postal Address: GPO Box 464, Adelaide SA 5001
Phone: 08 7322 7077
Quote this number to access your records: State Records of South Australia Series ID, GRG29/161
These records are part of Records of the Social Welfare Department and predecessors (1849 - c. 1987).
The Register of New Committals (1931-1968) is a large, very thick volume held together with metal rivets. It contains general admission information relating to Homes under the control of the South Australian Government. These Homes include the Catholic Girls’ Home, Parkside; Convent of the Good Shepherd ‘The Pines’; Bedford Park Boys’ Training Centre; Boys Reformatory, Magill; Edwardstown Industrial School; Glandore Industrial School; Glandore Children’s Home; Glandore Boys’ Home; Seaforth Home; Vaughan House and Barton Vale Girls’ Home.
A Research Centre Members card, obtainable at the Archives, is required to research records held at State Records.
Although some very early records relating to children in care in South Australia are open for access, most records relating to children are subject to a 100 year restriction, particularly those which contain personal information about individuals. Written permission must be obtained from the government agency which created the record in order to access restricted material. To obtain permission a Freedom of Information (FOI) request form must be submitted to the relevant government department. State Records staff will be able to assist you with this.
Admission Information in the Register of New Committals relating to specific Homes
1. Catholic Girls’ Home Parkside
Admissions to the Catholic Girls’ Home at Parkside during the period 1/7/1931 until 30/6/1943 appear early in the volume under the title ‘New Committals to the Catholic Girls Home Parkside’. Entries include: (1) Number, (2) Name, (3) Age, (4) Date of Admission, (5) Religion, (6) Charge.
2. Convent of the Good Shepherd ‘The Pines’
Admissions to the Convent of the Good Shepherd ‘The Pines’ appear in the volume as follows:
a. Admissions from 1943-1953 appear on one page titled ‘New Committals to Home of the Good Shepherd’. Entries include: (1) Number, (2) Name, (3) Age, (4) Date of Admission, (5) Religion, and (6) Charge;
b. For the period 1945-1969 brief admission records relating to all government controlled homes are entered into hand-drawn columns across two pages. Each column is headed with an abbreviation of the name of a particular Home, such as ‘HGS’ for Home of the Good Shepherd;
c. Two further sections contain brief admission information relating to the Home of the Good Shepherd for the periods 1953-1959 and 1958-1965.
3. Bedford Park Boys’ Training Centre
Brief details regarding admissions to Bedford Park appear near the end of the volume and cover the period 30/6/1962-30/6/1965.
4. Boys Reformatory, Magill
Admissions to the Boys Reformatory, Magill, appear in the volume as follows:
a. Admissions in the period 1/7/1931-30/6/1942 are recorded on one page titled ‘New committals to Boys Reformatory, Magill’. Entries include: (1) Number, (2) Name, (3) Age, (4) Date of Admission, (5) Religion, (6) Charge;
b. From 1945-1969 brief admission records relating to all government controlled homes are entered into hand-drawn columns across two pages. Each column is headed with an abbreviation of the name of a particular Home, such as ‘BRM’ for Boys Reformatory, Magill;
c. Two further sections contain brief admission information relating to the Reformatory. These entries cover the periods 1/7/1941-1961 and 1960-1968.
5. Edwardstown Industrial School
Admissions to the Edwardstown Industrial School appear in the volume as follows:
a. Admissions in the period 1/7/1931-30/6/1942 and 1/7/1941-30/6/1942 are recorded on one page titled ‘New committals/remands to the Industrial School’. Entries include: (1) Number, (2) Name, (3) Age, (4) Date of Admission, (5) Religion, (6) Charge;
b. From 1945-1969 brief admission records relating to all government controlled homes are entered into hand-drawn columns across two pages. Each column is headed with an abbreviation of the name of a particular Home, such as ‘IS’ for Industrial School;
c. One further section contains brief admission information relating to the Industrial School. This entry covers the periods 1/7/1941-30/6/1959.
6, 7 & 8 Glandore Industrial School, Glandore Children’s Home and Glandore Boys’Home
Brief details regarding admissions to the Industrial School at Glandore, the renamed Glandore Children’s Home and Glandore Boys Home, appear in the latter half of the volume and cover the period 1/7/1941-1968.
9. Seaforth Home
Admissions to Seaforth Home appear as follows:
a. From 1945-1969 brief admission records relating to all government controlled homes are entered into hand-drawn columns across two pages. Each column is headed with an abbreviation of the name of a particular Home, such as ‘Seaforth’ for Seaforth Home;
b. Two further sections contain brief admission information relating to the Reformatory. These entries cover the periods 1/7/1944-1961 and 1960-1968.
10. Vaughan House
Admissions to Vaughan House are included in two sections near the end of the volume covering the period 1/7/1949-1960 and 1960-1965.
11. Barton Vale Girls’ Home
Admissions to Barton Vale Girls’ Home appear in the volume as follows:
a. Admissions in the period 1/7/1931-30/6/1943 are recorded on one page titled ‘New committals to Barton Vale School, Enfield’. Entries include: (1) Number, (2) Name, (3) Age, (4) Date of Admission, (5) Religion, (6) Charge. Many girls’ names are crossed out – reason unknown.;
b. From 1945-1969 brief records relating to all government controlled homes are entered into hand-drawn columns across two pages. Each column is headed with an abbreviation of the name of a particular Home, such as ‘BVS’ for Barton Vale School.