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Western Australia - Organisation

Salvation Army Boys' Home (1918 - 1965)

  • The Salvation Army Boys' Home Nedlands, Sign

    The Salvation Army Boys' Home Nedlands, Sign, 1960s, courtesy of Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection.
    Details

From
1918
To
1965
Categories
Children's Home, Home, Orphanage and Salvation Army
Alternative Names
  • Home for Probationary Boys, West Subiaco (also known as, 1921)
  • Karrakatta Boys' Home (also known as, 1918)
  • Nedlands Boys' Home (also known as, 1939? - 1965?)
  • Nedlands Boys' Orphanage (also known as)
  • Subiaco Boys' Home (also known as)
  • West Subiaco Boys' Home (also known as)
  • West Subiaco Probationary Home (also known as, 1921)

The Salvation Army Boys' Home, Nedlands (West Subiaco) was established in 1918. From at least the 1930s, boys aged under 6 to 16 years were admitted, including boys who were wards and private children. In 1965, the Boys' Home was renamed the Hollywood Children's Village as the Home moved from dormitory to cottage-style accommodation.

Details

The Salvation Army Boys' Home was located on a site in the Perth suburb of West Subiaco (Nedlands) that had previously housed the Karrakatta Prison Gate Farm (1906-1918). It began in 1918 with the admission of 36 school-age boys who were transferred from the Collie Boys' Home (Collie No.2). Not all boys were 'State Boys', many were admitted by their families. Many boys were sent out to work under service agreements from the Home.

The Salvation Army's magazine, The Victory reported in 1919 (1 October, p.294) that 69 boys were at the Home, that a majority of them were 'State Boys', and they had a 'very proficient Band'. A month later, another article (1 November, p.352) said that the Home had 'been visited by the influenza scourge', and the annual report of the State Children Department recorded that one boy died in that epidemic.

The boys were expected to participate in the religious activities of the Salvation Army and it was reported in 1919 that the boys from the Home would march the 15 minute journey to the new Corps building in Subiaco, 'headed by their Band', every Sunday morning.

From 1920 until it amalgamated with the Hollywood Primary School in 1959, the Salvation Army ran a school at the Boys' Home.

In 1921, the Home was described in Salvation Army historical records as a Home for 'probationary boys'. 'Probationary' seems to be a term used by the Salvation Army to classify children who were in need of care and protection.

In October 1924, the Salvation Army's newspaper War Cry published a poem written by CH Brooks of Wikepin. The poem recalled a visit to the town by the boys from the Nedlands (West Subiaco) Home, and praised the 'ladder work', 'Swedish drill', 'Human pyramids', and 'Shadowgraphs' performed by the boys. The poem also mentioned the boys' onward journey to Narrogin.

From the 1930s, the Salvation Army Boys' Home took boys from under 6 to 16 years of age.

During World War II, the boys and staff were relocated to what had been the Seaforth Salvation Army Girls' Home.

Documents held in the Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA and items in Western Australian newspapers show that the Home was supported by Perth community leaders. For example, a performance by the BP Band was described in 1959 as an annual event for the boys, which had been organised 'several years ago' by the local member of Parliament (and, later, Premier) CW Court MLA.

In 1964, and probably in other years, boys from the Home sang Christmas carols in department stores in Perth.

In 1965, when the Hollywood Children's Village was being built on the Nedlands site, the Boys' Home was described in a Perth newspaper as being 'old and dilapidated'. In 1965, the institution was renamed 'Hollywood Children's Village' and dormitory-style accommodation was replaced by a cottage parent model.

The Salvation Army Boys' Home was mentioned in the Bringing Them Home Report (1997) as an institution that housed Indigenous children removed from their families.

Events

1918 - 1965
Location - Salvation Army Boys' Home was located on the corner of Monash Avenue and Smyth Road, Nedlands. Location: Nedlands

Timeline

 1918 - 1965 Salvation Army Boys' Home
       1965 - 1994 Hollywood Children's Village, Salvation Army

Related Archival Collections

Related Organisations

  • Collie Boys' Home (1902 - 1920)

    When The Collie Boys' Home closed, boys were sent to the Salvation Army Boys' Home in the Perth suburb of West Subiaco (later known as Nedlands).

  • Seaforth Salvation Army Boys' Homes, Gosnells (1920 - 1955)

    Boys were transferred between the Seaforth Salvation Army Boys' Homes, Gosnells and the Salvation Army Boys' Home in Nedlands (West Subiaco). During World War II, the Nedlands boys all moved to Seaforth temporarily. When Seaforth closed, boys were transferred permanently to Nedlands.

    Date: 1920 - 1955

Publications

Books

  • Kirkham, Lt-Col John C, Southern Soup-Soap-Salvation, a compendium of Salvation Army Social Services in the Australian Southern Territory, The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory Territorial Archives and Museum, 2003. pp.80-81; 103, 126. Details

Newspaper Articles

  • 'Australasia Epitomised', The Victory, 1 November 1919, p. 352. Details
  • 'The Chief in the West', The Victory, 1 October 1919, pp. 293-294. Details
  • 'Remaking Young Australians', The War Cry, 26 March 1921. Details
  • 'West Australia', The Victory, 1 September 1921. Details
  • 'Festivities at Salvation Army Home', The Claremont-Nedlands Observer, 13 January 1960. Details
  • 'Major returns to manage old home', 10 January 1968. Details
  • 'Thomas struggled to millionaire status', The West Australian, June 1981. Details
  • 'A new chapter', The War Cry, 28 January 1995. Details
  • 'Survivor returns the favour', The West Australian, 5 March 2011. Details

Reports

  • Annual report of the State Children Department, State Children's Department, [Perth, W.A.], 1908-1927. 1920, p.4. Details

Online Resources

Photos

Salvation Army Children's Homes, Nedlands
Title
Salvation Army Children's Homes, Nedlands
Type
Image
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection, Salvation Army

Details

Boy Gymnasts, Salvation Army Boys' Home, Nedlands
Title
Boy Gymnasts, Salvation Army Boys' Home, Nedlands
Type
Image
Date
1918 - 1965
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, Nedlands Boys Home closed social work file

Details

Salvation Army Boys Home, boys and fence
Title
Salvation Army Boys Home, boys and fence
Type
Image
Date
1918 - 1965
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, Nedlands Boys Home closed social work file

Details

Nedlands Boy's Home (West Subiaco)
Title
Nedlands Boy's Home (West Subiaco)
Type
Image
Date
1918 - 1965
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, West Subiaco Boy's Home closed social work file

Details

Salvation Army Home for Boys, Subiaco, 1920
Title
Salvation Army Home for Boys, Subiaco, 1920
Type
Image
Date
1920
Creator
Shapcott, L. E. (Louis Edward)
Source
Shapcott collection of photographs, State Library of Western Australia

Details

Salvation Army Home for Boys, Subiaco, 1920
Title
Salvation Army Home for Boys, Subiaco, 1920
Type
Image
Date
1920
Creator
Shapcott, L. E. (Louis Edward)
Source
Shapcott collection of photographs, State Library of Western Australia

Details

West Subiaco W.A. 1920
Title
West Subiaco W.A. 1920
Type
Document
Date
1921
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, West Subiaco Boy's Home closed social work file

Details

Visit to Kalgoorlie
Title
Visit to Kalgoorlie
Type
Image
Date
15 October 1921
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, Kalgoorlie Photos file

Details

Subiaco Boy's Home
Title
Subiaco Boy's Home
Type
Image
Date
1930s - 1950?
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, West Subiaco Boy's Home closed social work file

Details

Salvation Army Boys' Home, Nedlands, 1936
Title
Salvation Army Boys' Home, Nedlands, 1936
Type
Image
Date
1936
Source
Nedlands Library; Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, Local Studies Collection and Nedlands Boys Home closed social work file (Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA)

Details

Nedlands Lasses Cottage
Title
Nedlands Lasses Cottage
Type
Image
Date
1940s - 1960s
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Salvation Army Boys' Home Nedlands, Quadrangle and Dormitories
Title
Salvation Army Boys' Home Nedlands, Quadrangle and Dormitories
Type
Image
Date
1941? - 1953?
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Salvation Army Boys' Home Nedlands, Quadrangle
Title
Salvation Army Boys' Home Nedlands, Quadrangle
Type
Image
Date
1941? - 1953?
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Nedlands p152361 kitchen and dining room [Salvation Army]
Title
Nedlands p152361 kitchen and dining room [Salvation Army]
Type
Image
Date
1941? - 1954?
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Young Australians
Title
Young Australians
Type
Image
Date
15 February 1945
Source
Western Mail

Details

Female officers' quarters, Salvation Army Boys' Home, Nedlands, 1947
Title
Female officers' quarters, Salvation Army Boys' Home, Nedlands, 1947
Type
Image
Date
1947
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, Nedlands Boys Home closed social work file

Details

Boys and girls at Salvation Army Boys' Home, Nedlands, 1948
Title
Boys and girls at Salvation Army Boys' Home, Nedlands, 1948
Type
Image
Date
1948
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA

Details

Nedlands Drive
Title
Nedlands Drive
Type
Image
Date
1950? - 1980?
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Nedlands Dorms
Title
Nedlands Dorms
Type
Image
Date
1950? - 1980?
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Nedlands Quad 03
Title
Nedlands Quad 03
Type
Image
Date
1950? - 1980?
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Nedlands Quad 02
Title
Nedlands Quad 02
Type
Image
Date
1950? - 1980?
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Nedlands Boys' Home, Dining Room
Title
Nedlands Boys' Home, Dining Room
Type
Image
Date
1951? - 1960s
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Nedlands Boys Orphanage, 1951
Title
Nedlands Boys Orphanage, 1951
Type
Image
Date
1951
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, Nedlands Boys Home closed social work file

Details

The Salvation Army Boys' Home Nedlands, Sign
Title
The Salvation Army Boys' Home Nedlands, Sign
Type
Image
Date
1960s
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Nedlands Boys c.1962 04
Title
Nedlands Boys c.1962 04
Type
Image
Date
1962?
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Pied Piper Cottage at the Hollywood Children's Village
Title
Pied Piper Cottage at the Hollywood Children's Village
Type
Image
Date
1966 - 1969
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, Hillcrest photos file

Details

Buckingham Cottage
Title
Buckingham Cottage
Type
Document
Date
1969? - 1994?
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, Hollywood Children's Village file

Details

Hollywood Children's Village, aerial view
Title
Hollywood Children's Village, aerial view
Type
Image
Date
1970 - 1990s
Source
Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA, Nedlands Boys Home closed social work file

Details

Salvation Army Nedlands drawings and plans
Title
Salvation Army Nedlands drawings and plans
Type
Document
Date
2009
Source
Nedlands Library, Local Studies Collection

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Annual report of the State Children Department, State Children's Department, [Perth, W.A.], 1908-1927. 1920, p.4.; 'Australasia Epitomised', The Victory, 1 November 1919, p. 352; 'The Chief in the West', The Victory, 1 October 1919, pp. 293-294; 'West Australia', The Victory, 1 September 1921; 'Festivities at Salvation Army Home', The Claremont-Nedlands Observer, 13 January 1960; 'Major returns to manage old home', 10 January 1968; Information Services, Department for Community Development, 'pp.476-478, Table 45: Children and Young People at the Salvation Army Boys' Home and Hollywood Children's Village, Certain Years between 1920 and 1991', Signposts: A Guide for Children and Young People in Care in WA from 1920, Government of Western Australia, 2004, https://signposts.communities.wa.gov.au//pdf/pdf.aspx; Kirkham, Lt-Col John C, Southern Soup-Soap-Salvation, a compendium of Salvation Army Social Services in the Australian Southern Territory, The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory Territorial Archives and Museum, 2003. pp.80-81; 103, 126.; Nedlands Boys Orphanage, 1951 [Image]; ; Salvation Army Heritage Museum WA: 'Serving the community in Western Australia', 1966?-1969? (fundraising pamphlet) Cottesloe Girls Closed Social Work (1898-1998) file, documents titled 'The Salvation Army - Nedlands'; The General's Representative Leaves Australia. Mens Home Social Work Closed (1968 - 1990s) file, document 'Hollywood Senior Citizens Village'. Seaforth Boys Home Closed Social Work (1921-2012) file, document titled 'Nedland Boys' Home' (c.2000). Nedlands Boys Home Closed Social Work (1906-1990s), 'New workshop' (1968), 'Every Penny Helps' (1965). Hollywood Children's Village (1960s-1990s) file, 'Closure of Hollywood Children's Village' (1994).

Prepared by: Debra Rosser