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South Australia - Organisation

The Orphan Home (1860 - 1935)

  • Carrington Street

    Carrington Street, 15 April 1942, courtesy of State Library of South Australia.
    Details

From
1860
To
1935
Categories
Anglican, Care Provider, Home, Orphanage and Protestant

The Orphan Home was established in Stepney in 1860 by a group of members of the Church of England. Run by an independent management committee that reported to the Diocese of Adelaide, the Orphan Home was for girls of primary school age. In 1861 it moved to Carrington Street, Adelaide and then in 1908 to Fullarton Road, Upper Mitcham. In 1935 the Home was renamed Farr House.

Details

In 1860 a small group of members of the Church of England who were disturbed by poor conditions in the Destitute Asylum in Adelaide planned the establishment of a small institution to house neglected children in a more home-like environment. That same year six girls were brought together at the Stepney home of an infant teacher and church member, Mrs Gamble.

Shortly afterwards, the committee took over the run-down former British and German Hospital in Carrington Street which they refurbished and opened in 1861 with a sign above the gate, Orphan Home. Seven girls, most of primary school age, were placed in the Home. They attended daily and weekly worship and were trained in the domestic arts as they were expected to leave the home at sixteen and enter service.

The Orphan Home remained in Carrington Street until 1908 when the deterioration of the building forced the management committee to seek an alternative premises. In 1908 it purchased the former home of Mr O'Halloran Giles on Fullarton Road at Upper Mitcham and seventeen girls were moved there.

The Mitcham building had 16 rooms, a laundry and 'excellent lavatories'. With more extensive grounds, there was room to develop a playground and plant a vegetable garden. Space was also available for keeping a cow and hens.

A newspaper report on the official opening in August 1909, concluded that:

Altogether the lot of the poor orphans ought to be made an exceedingly happy one in the beautiful home nestling at the foot of the hills and overlooking the beautiful scenery of the plains and gulf, for which Mitcham is renowned.

The management committee decided to advertise the Home so that clergymen in country areas would become aware of its existence. As a result of this, during its later years of operation the number of girls in the Home rose to an average of thirty.

In 1935, when the Orphan Home was incorporated, it was renamed Farr House after Mrs Julia Farr whose hard work had been integral to the establishment and continued operation of the home.

Location

1860 - 1861
Location - The Orphan Home was situated at the home of Mrs Gamble, Stepney. Location: Stepney
1861 - 1908
Location - The Orphan Home was situated at Carrington Street, Adelaide. Location: Adelaide
1908 - 1935
Address - The Orphan Home was situated at 588 Fullarton Road, Upper Mitcham. Location: Upper Mitcham

Timeline

 1860 - 1935 The Orphan Home
       1935 - 1982 Farr House

Related Archival Collections

  • Farr House Records (1906 - 1983)

    Held by the State Library of South Australia. Monthly reports from the matron of the Orphan Home and, as it was later known, Farr House.

Related Archival Series

Related Organisations

  • Brighton Industrial School (1867 - 1869)

    Due to overcrowding at the Brighton Industrial School a number of children were sent to the Orphan Home and St Vincent de Paul Orphanage.

  • Destitute Asylum (1851 - c. 1917)

    Following the Destitute Persons Relief Act 1867, some children were moved from the Destitute Asylum to The Orphan Home.

  • St Mary's Mission of Hope (1904 - 1953)

    During the 1930s St Mary's Mission of Hope operated in conjunction with the Orphan Home and, as it was later known, Farr House. St Mary's took charge of toddlers and teenagers and the Orphan Home took mostly children of school age.

Publications

Books

  • Dickey, Brian, Giving a hand: A history of Anglicare SA since 1860, Anglicare SA, Adelaide, 2003. Details
  • Hardy, Mabel, The first hundred years of the Orphan Home, Adelaide, Inc., Adelaide, 1960. Details

Online Resources

Photos

Orphan Home, Mitcham
Title
Orphan Home, Mitcham
Type
Image
Date
c. 1928
Source
State Library of South Australia

Details

Carrington Street
Title
Carrington Street
Type
Image
Date
15 April 1942
Source
State Library of South Australia

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: 'THE NEW ORPHAN HOME', The Advertiser (Adelaide, South Australia), 16 August 1909, p. 8, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5754366; Dickey, Brian, Giving a hand: A history of Anglicare SA since 1860, Anglicare SA, Adelaide, 2003; George, Karen, Finding your own way, Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia Inc., 2005, http://nunku.org.au/resources/; Hardy, Mabel, The first hundred years of the Orphan Home, Adelaide, Inc., Adelaide, 1960.

Prepared by: Karen George and Gary George