Records of the Aborigines' Friends' Association

Records of the Aborigines’ Friends’ Association is an archival series at the State Library of South Australia (Archival number SRG139). It comprises records including correspondence, minutes, reports and financial records. Some of the records relate to missions and institutions, including Point McLeay Mission Station, Colebrook Home and Ooldea Mission.

Access Conditions

Researchers can have access to documents, photographs, recordings and transcripts held at the State Library of South Australia on presenting their Readers Ticket. Readers Tickets are available from the Library. Records, recordings and transcripts can only be used in the Somerville Reading Room and are not available for borrowing.

Access to some material at the State Library may require written permission from the person or organisation that deposited the records.

Records

The collection records of the Aborigines’ Friends Association at the State Library of South Australia is made up of 56 items relating to various matters, including reports of visits to various institutions, northern areas, and missions. The items that may be of relevance to people who lived at the Colebrook Home, Ooldea Mission, Raukkan/Point McLeay Mission Station, Point Pearce Mission Station, or Ernabella Mission include:

• Correspondence, dated 1919-1940, 1940-1952, 1957, 1959-1965, 1977-2000. Reference No. 139/1
• Minutes of general and committee meetings, dated 1857-1894, 1912-1976. Reference No. 139/2
• Minutes of Executive Committee, dated 1899-1908, 1922-1968, 1969-1973, 1980-2000. Reference No. 139/3
• Rough minutes of executive and general meetings, dated 1924-1932, 1933-1945, 1947-1956. Reference No. 139/4
• Minutes of deacons’ meetings of the church at Reid Town, Point McLeay, dated 1870-1898. Reference No. 139/5
• Minutes of Kindergarten Department meetings, dated 1916-1919. Reference No.139/6
• Visitors’ books, Point McLeay Mission Station, dated 1859-1936. Reference No. 139/7
• Widows’ fund cash book, dated 1938-1945. Reference No. 139/11
• Reports, dated 1925-1962. Includes report titled ‘Visit to Ooldea by Professor JB Cleland accompanied by Mr NB Tindale of SA Museum’, which contains descriptions of the Ooldea Children’s Dormitory. Reference No. 139/15
• Historical Notes, dated 1933-1972. Reference No. 139/17
• Photographs, dated c.1890-1960. Includes photographs of Point Pearce and Ernabella. Reference No.139/18
• Papers relating to David Unaipon memorial (Raukkan/Point McLeay), dated 1997. Reference No.139/30