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PHIND

PERSONAL HISTORY INDEX

for former child migrants to Catholic Homes in Australia 1938-1965

WHAT IS PHIND?

PHIND is a computerised index detailing the location of records held in Australia for former child migrants to Catholic Homes between 1938 and 1965.  It has been sponsored and funded by the Catholic religious orders and agencies involved in child migration:

• the Congregation of Christian Brothers
• the Poor Sisters of Nazareth
• the Sisters of Mercy Perth Congregation
• the Sisters of Mercy Goulburn Congregation
• the Sisters of Mercy Rockhampton Congregation
• the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta Congregation
• the Sisters of Mercy Adelaide Congregation and the Diocese of Adelaide
• the Salesians of Don Bosco
• the Sisters of St Joseph NSW Province
• Centacare Newcastle and the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle

The first group of migrants came from Britain in 1938, the last of the children came from Malta in 1965.  PHIND will assist these people to locate records about themselves that are held by church or government agencies.  PHIND may also be of assistance to descendants and relatives of former child migrants.

SOME STATISTICS

Further information on child migration to Australia since Federation can be found in the National Archives of Australia publication, Good British Stock:  Child and youth migration to Australia 1901-83, by Barry Coldrey.  It is available for purchase at any office of the National Archives of Australia, or can be accessed online at http://www.naa.gov.au/Publications/research_guides/child_migration.html

FOUR PARTS TO PHIND

PERSONAL DETAILS

Date and place of birth, details of death, parents’ names, if known.

MIGRATION DETAILS

Age at departure, shipping details, name and location of sending Order (eg Sisters of Nazareth) in the UK and Malta and the destination Order (eg Christian Brothers) in Australia

LIVING IN AUSTRALIA

Initial destination (eg Sisters of Nazareth, East Camberwell), and transfers between schools and Homes.

LOCATION OF RECORDS

Details of where people can go to access the following records about themselves:  medical/social records (excluding hospital records); educational records; photos of themselves as children; baptismal and birth certificates held by government or church agencies; immigration records. 

Accessing PHIND is the first step in locating records but it is important to note that the quantity and quality of records held about individual former child migrants will vary.

WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN PHIND?

PHIND will be of interest to former child migrants from Britain and Malta who came to Australia between 1938 and 1965 to the following Homes:

TO ACCESS PHIND

PHIND can be accessed by contacting the following organisations:

Tel:  (08) 9365 2800
Fax:  (08) 9365 2814
Email:  KDVann@edmundrice.org 

Department for Child Protection
Family Information Records Bureau
P.O. Box 6334
East Perth  WA  6892
Tel:  (08) 9222 2777
Freecall:  1800 000 277
Fax:  (08) 9222 2767

CBERS Consultancy
24 High Street
Fremantle   WA   6160
Freecall: 1800 621 805 (within Australia)
Tel: +61 8 9433-3644
Fax: +61 8 9382-4114
Email: welcome@cbers.org
Website: www.cbers.org

Centacare Newcastle
PO Box 775
Newcastle  NSW   2300
Tel: (02) 4979 1330
Fax: (02) 4979 1339

Sisters of Mercy, Goulburn Congregation
PO Box 221
Goulburn  NSW  2580
Tel: (02) 4822 2296
Fax: (02) 4821 6212
Email: goulburn@goulburn.mercy.org.au

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

Questions and comments may be directed to

PHIND Administrator
P.O. Box 1129,
Bentley Delivery Centre   WA   6983
Tel:  (08) 9365 2800
Fax:  (08) 9365 2814
Email:  KDVann@edmundrice.org