by Hugh McGowan (guest author) on 2 March, 2010
Dhurringile Rural Training Farm for Boys opened in Tatura, Victoria, in 1947. The photograph below, taken on 12 September 1961, depicts five boys from the Quarriers Home near Glasgow, Scotland, leaving to travel to London on the “Flying Scotsman” where they boarded the SS Orion to travel to Australia. The boys are saying farewell to their cottage mothers and the superintendent who were responsible for their care in Quarriers Homes.
The boys arrived in Australia on 15 October 1961 and were taken to Dhurringile Rural Training Farm for Boys until it closed in 1964. Those who were left were transferred to Kilmany Park Home for Boys in 1964. Hugh McGowan stayed there until early 1966 when he left the institution system for good.
FIVE OF MY FEMALE RELATIVES GREW UP IN KING EDWARD HOME DARBY STREET NEWCASTLE NSW AUSTRALIA IN THE 1920s AND 1930s ONE OF THE FEMAILS GAVE BIRTH TO A DAUGHTER WHO WAS REMOVED AND ADOPTED I WAS TOLD AS A CHILD I WAS BORN AT A ROSLYN PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN ARNCLIF NSW BUT I CAN ONLY FIND A ROSLYN BABIES HOME AT ROCKDALE NSW ! MY OWN CHILDREN HAVE ALSO BEEN REMOVED TIL THE AGE OF 18 ! AS A YOUNG WOMEN I FOUND MY SELF WORKING AT SCARBA HOUSE BONDI AND OTHER CHILDRENS HOMES BURWOOD IT WAS ARANGED THROUGH THE FAMILY DOCTOR AND A YOUNG SOCIAL WORKER VERY SUREAL ! A NEED TO KNOW IS MY LEGAL BIRTH RIGHT ! GOOD LUCK HUGH
Hi Noni and Hugh
have you heard of the organisation named CLAN? http://www.clan.org.au
although the original movers and shakers were working to get an inquiry
into the australian homes/orphanages, they also have members who are
aboriginal and some who were british immigrant children.
Their site has lots of links and info on various homes, they will try and help
you get access to files (if they still exist), and most importantly there are
lots of people you can talk to or meet who have been through the mill
all the best
jane
I grew up on a farm in Gippsland. (Tanjil South).
I remember a few young men from Kilmany Boys’ Home who stayed with us to help Dad on the farm. I particularly remember one of these ‘boys” who was particularly fond of me. I wish I could remember his name, but I know it was when I was five, so it was possibly in 1963. I also remember being particularly fond of him as well.
I have often wondered what happened to him.
There were also some of these boys who were deemed unsuitable and so were sent back to the home – how sad when I look back on it.