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Child Evacuees & Migrants

Child Migrants Asturias 1950 005064d
Child Migrants Asturias 1950

  • Record Series 1508: Children’s Overseas Reception Board. Card Register
    This series consists of 61 cards giving the names, address in Western Australia, subsequent address/es and discharge date of children from England who were evacuated to Western Australia in World War II.
  • CONS 1031: Child Welfare Department, file 1027/1952, v.1 & 2
    Nominal rolls of migrant children proceeding to Western Australia, 1952-1953 (vol. 1) and 1953-1959 (vol. 2). Provides name, date of birth, religion, occupation, nominator and address of nominator.
  • AU WA S1099 CONS 2607/A0317, v.1: Migrant Children, Nominal roll of unaccompanied migrant children - shipping list [1952-1967]
    Provides name, age, nationality, ship or plane arrived on and date, address.
  • AU WA S1099 CONS 2607/A0317 v.2: Administration, state Immigration Office, Basic Nominal Roll of Migrants [1967 - 1981]
    Provides name, age, nationality, ship or plane arrived on and date, address.
  • AU WA S3635 CONS 2868/1-14: Community Welfare Department. Indentures of child migrants
    Alphabetical sequence 1947-1952 (not inclusive). Under the terms of the 1946 Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act), guardianship of immigrant children was vested in the Minister for Immigration in each State. On 19 December 1946, the powers and functions of guardianship for Western Australia were delegated to the Under Secretary for Lands and Immigration. This series of records consists of two types of indentures. Items 1-4 are legal agreements between the Under Secretary and custodians of child migrants to be placed in State care. Items 5-14 are legal agreements between the Under Secretary and various children’s homes which acted as custodians of child migrants. The records also contain a small selection of apprenticeship agreements for child migrants. The homes are Clontarf, Fairbridge, Tardun, Castledare, Methodist Homes, Nazareth House (Geraldton), St Joseph's Orphanage (Subiaco), St Joseph's Trade and Farm School (Bindoon), Swan Boys Home and the date range is 1947-1960 (not inclusive). Names of children and sometimes ship arrived on are noted.

It may also be worthwhile checking the records of the Lands and Surveys Department (see AN 3 and Agency 42 ), as they hold files relating to various child migration schemes. In CONS 541 there can be found nomination forms for child migrants (mostly for Fairbridge Farm School) arriving in Western Australia on board:

The nomination forms provide name, date of birth and family details in England and Australia. Files relating to other child migration schemes are also held, such as the Chandler Boys Settlement Scheme (files 603/1922 , 3747/1925 , 1020/1932 , 103/1933 and 103A/1938 ).

For earlier juvenile immigration check the heading Parkhurst Boys. Also check heading Child Migrants in Private Archives.