Victorian Genealogy
Finding People and Places in Victoria, Australia.
Children's records may be found in the following places:
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - WILLIAM FORSTER'S TRY BOYS' SOCIETY (SOUTH YARRA) 1887-1986 (MS9910)
The records are not online. This collection includes annual reports; letter books; minute books; ledgers; receipt books; bank books; rule books; roll and attendance books; members’ subscription records; list of employers and lads employed; copies of Try Boys’ Excelsior News and Australian Boys’ Paper; society histories; programs and tickets; and correspondence and minutes of reports of various related institutions, e.g. City Newsboys’ Try Society, Hawksburn Girls’ Club, Melrose Boys’ home.
Access to material up to the end of 1940 is available. To access records from 1941 onwards, permission must be obtained from Sparkways. This is a finding aid.
https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/finding_aids/?entity=3197524
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - GORDON INSTITUTE 1887-1947
The records are not online. They are located under "Gordon Homes for Boys and Girls". This collection comprises case files, correspondence 1902-1904; letterbooks 1906-1936; minute books 1904-1947; boys' registers 1887-1937; children's registers 1900-1910; cash books and records of expenditure; visitors' book; records of application for work 1889-1902; and miscellaneous papers.
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - VICTORIAN CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY RECORDS 1893-1993
The records are not online. The collection includes case histories, court committals, fostering and adoption records of children under the care of the society and correspondence relating to children under the control of the society.
Access to records that are older than 99 years are available without restriction. To access records 99 years and under, application needs to be made to OzChild for permission.
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - CHILDREN'S PROTECTION SOCIETY (VICTORIA) 1896-1985 (MS 10384)
The records are not online. This collection includes files relating to children (1921-1985); copy letter books; minute books; ledgers; cash books; press cuttings; printed material relating to the Children's Services Acts and related matters; photographs; statistical sheets (1961-1970); and letters and press cuttings concerning St Martin's and St John's Homes (1936-1939) and Newhaven Boys' Home (1934).
Any person wishing to view material must contact Kids First Australia (previously known as the Children's Protection Society) who handle all requests. This is a finding aid.
https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/finding_aids/?entity=3163651
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA - MELBOURNE NEWSBOYS' CLUB FOUNDATION 1897-1976 (MS10034)
The records are not online. This collection includes correspondence, annual reports, minutes of meetings , finalised bequests and legacies, photographs and miscellaneous material relating to the club.
All records in this collection are available for consultation. This is a finding aid.
https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/finding_aids/?entity=3175160
These were for children's issues. They were under the jurisdiction of the Courts of Petty Sessions or Magistrates Court. See Victorian Courts of Petty Sessions. There are also Koori Children's Courts.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE VICTORIA - CHILDREN'S COURT RECORDS 1907-PRESENT
Cases involving children earlier than 1907 were heard in the same courts as adults. The majority of Children's Court records are closed for a period of 99 years, under Section 9 of the Public Records Act. Contact the Children's Court of Victoria (see below) to apply for access to closed records.
https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/childrens-court-records
CHILDREN'S COURT OF VICTORIA
http://www.childrenscourt.vic.gov.au/
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - CHILD MIGRATION RECORDS
The following is National Archives of Australia Fact Sheet 124.
https://www.naa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/fs-124-child-migration-to-australia.pdf
CHILD MIGRANTS TRUST
Child Migrants Trust (CMT) is a registered charity in both Australia and Britain. CMT provides a range of social work services, including counselling and support for family reunions. CMT's offices in Nottingham, England, as well as Perth and Melbourne in Australia also offer information, advice and family research to former child migrants and their families.
https://www.childmigrantstrust.com/
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA - GOOD BRITISH STOCK: CHILD AND YOUTH MIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA BY BARRY COLDREY, 1999
The National Archives' research guide on child and youth migration to Australia. It includes a guide to relevant records held by the National Archives.
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