NRS-793 | Orphan School Admission Books

Full description

This series was appears to have been created and maintained in accordance with the 5th of the Rules and Regulations for the Management and Improvement of the Female Orphan Institution that required “a Record book be kept by the Secretary of the Institution”. In addition to the Rules and Regulations and minutes, the Record book was to contain “a list of the names and ages of the Orphans now belonging to the Institution and that may hereafter be admitted into it adding thereto the Names, Designations, and Places of Residence of the Parents or Guardians of the Children; and carefully noting down the Date of admission, and Date of Apprenticeship; Discharge or Death of each Orphan so Admitted”.

These volumes show: name, age on admission, date admitted, date of leaving the School, name(s) of parent(s) (where known), parent's occupations, residence and remarks. The two volumes held by State Archives are referenced in this description as List A and List B

List A is possibly later than List B and partly based on it. If so, the likely date of List A is 1832. This volume has a list in chronological order (by date of admission) at the front, and a further list (giving similar details of admission and other information.) arranged alphabetically at the back. No child admitted earlier than April 1826 (the month in which the Clergy and School Lands Corporation became operative) is included in the alphabetical section. The names of children admitted in later years are usually included in the alphabetical part (if they are still alive and in the school at the date of compilation); although some names included in the chronological part are omitted from the alphabetical 'index' for no obvious reason.

List B is a single list arranged alphabetically. It 'indexes' the early part of List A (chronological section) that is not indexed in that volume itself.

These records may not be relied upon as an accurate account of the admission of children to the Orphan Schools, because they were not made contemporaneously. The first recorded admission to the Female Orphan School is that of Mary Gregory on 1 July 1817, but the watermark shows that the record could not have been compiled before 1823. Unless, therefore, these volumes were based on earlier records not now extant, it seems that the source of the details of admission such as the date, could only be gleaned from the memories of the children themselves.

It is assumed that the Admission Books were created until the closure of the Female Orphan School and that it is unlikely that other items in this series survive.

Custody history
The series was transferred from the Chief Secretary's Department to the Public Library of New South Wales in 1934. From thence they were transferred to the then Archives Authority of New South Wales.