Full description
On 5 June 1906 in accordance with the provisions of the Neglected Children and Juvenile Offenders Act, 1905 (Act No.16, 1905) the Farm Home for Boys at Mittagong was proclaimed an Industrial School. (1) The School opened on 17 October 1906 as a Probationary Training Home for boys aged 8 to 17, convicted in the Children’s Courts of less serious offences including truanting, being uncontrollable, being neglected and wandering, breaching probation, stealing, and breaking and entering. 81 boys were admitted in the first six months. (2)
The Home was situated on land already used as cottage style accommodation for state children who were sick or invalid. (3) The boys were in the charge of an attendant and matron (usually a married couple). Boys under 14 (and older boys with a low standard of education) attended lower Mittagong Public School. The older boys, under the supervision of the attendant worked on the Farm lands adjacent to the Home cultivating fruit and vegetables, dairying and raising poultry. Most boys stayed at Mittagong for short periods. (4) Boys who were responsive to the program at Mittagong were released on probation to a relative, boarded-out or apprenticed out, (5) and those who showed no evidence of reform were sent to the Farm Home for Boys, Gosford. (6) In July 1911, 34 boys were transferred to the Home from the Nautical School-Ship the "Sobraon" ceased operations. (7)
The Mittagong Home was divided into cottages with 20 to 30 boys to each cottage. Turner Cottage was set aside for truants. In 1944 Anglewood Special School, Burradoo was established to assist with housing the increasing number of male truants. After May 1946, Anglewood was able to accommodate all truant boys. (8) Special educational programs were provided for intellectually disabled residents. (9) From 1946 the Institution was sometimes called the Mittagong Training School for Boys; from 1947 the latter name was used uniformly. (10) (11) On 23 August 1974 a new cottage for younger boys was opened, enabling a maximum population of 180 boys. The average stay at the institution was four to five months. (12)
The Mittagong Training School for Boys was gradually phased out as a Home for Delinquent Boys. On 30 June 1976 only 33 boys were in residence. (13) In August 1976 the Institution ceased to operate as a Training Centre and the remaining boys were transferred to Ormond House, Thornleigh. (14)
Subsequently Mittagong Training School for Boys was established as a home for dependent children and became part of the newly named centre, Renwick. (15)
Endnotes
1. NSW Government Gazette No.174, 6 June 1906, p.3289.
2. Report of President of State Children Relief Board for Year Ended 5 April 1907, in NSW Parliamentary Papers 2nd Session 1907 v. 2 p.144.
3. Ibid, p.143.
4. Ibid, pp.144-145.
5. Farm Home for Boys, Mittagong Register of Committals 1906-1923, Archives Authority of NSW 8/1755-56.
6. Official Year Book of New South Wales, 1923 p. 672.
7. Farm Home for Boys, Mittagong Register of Committals op. cit. vol. 1.
8. Annual Report of Minister of Public Instruction on Work of Child Welfare Department for Year Ended 30 June 1946. NSW Parliamentary Papers 1947 v. 1, p.29.
9. Report of Minister for Public Instruction on work of Child Welfare Department for the Year Ended 30 June 1941 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1942-43 v. 1, pp.29-30.
10. NSW Public Service Lists 1946 & 1947.
11. NSW Parliamentary Papers. Annual Reports 1946 & 1947.
12. Department of Youth and Community Affairs Annual Report 30 June 1975 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1976-77-78 v. 12, p.1179.
13. Department of Youth and Community Affairs Annual Report 1977, p. 70 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1976-1977-1978 v.12, p.1438.
14. Ibid., pp.7 and 69.
15. Ibid., p.7.
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