Lady Lawley Cottage by the Sea (1903 - 2020)

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Kevin Casey writes in his history of Lady Lawley Cottage by the Sea, that the Home was named after the wife of the Governor of Western Australia (1901-1902) and opened on 18 March 1903 (Casey, pp.3-6). It was run by an independent management committee and sought and received donations and support from the public and parents or guardians 'were expected to contribute seven shillings per week' (Casey, p.6).

A letter of appreciation of the The Daily News Orphans' Christmas Cheer Fund in 1915 gives an insight into life at the Lady Lawley Cottage. The letter shows that donations enabled the children to occasionally have extras that were not part of their daily experience:

'It was with very great pleasure I received &pound3 15s. Towards the Christmas cheer for our little patients..we thought by having a Christmas tree it would give pleasure to all…the Christmas tree, being erected in the centre of the ward, looked very attractive laden with toys of every description. Later on there were picnics to Mosman's Bay and Peppermint Grove, where boats were hired, and they went out crabbing, also went to Cottesloe, where they had a good time in the swinging boats, etc. Thanking all those…giving these little sufferers and the more healthy ones this happy Christmas. Letter, 31 January 1916 published in The Daily News 2 December 1916, p.10'

Government reports (Signposts 2004, pp.284-285) show child welfare authorities placed children at the Lady Lawley Cottage as needed. Children who were in out of home care often went to Lady Lawley Cottage to convalesce after treatment in the children's hospital that was originally the Perth Children's Hospital and later became known as Princess Margaret Hospital.

Casey (pp.33-34, 36, 40) writes that Lady Lawley Cottage was evacuated in March 1942 and the children were either sent home or to the Perth Children's Hospital (later known as Princess Margaret Hospital). The property was leased to the defence forces and it was run by the Australian Red Cross Society as a convalescent home for servicewomen. In 1945, the management committee of Lady Lawley Cottage, which had remained in existence during the war years, handed control over to the Australian Red Cross Society. Children were re-admitted from January 1946.

Child welfare authorities continued to use Lady Lawley Cottage for the short-term accommodation of children who were in the 'care' of the department.

By 2014, Lady Lawley Cottage continued but did not provide permanent residential placements.

Lady Lawley Cottage was closed in 2020, with current clients transitioning to other disability support providers.