Guardianship in Victoria

[Pat Wade]

Hi all,

Another query with regards to guardianship and this time it may only be
opinion or knowledge from some who has "read up" a lot more than me on the
attitudes of the time ( 1920-1930's)


Inez Freeman's daughter Eleanor was "put away" in an institution (she had
just given birth and another child died within 2 weeks of each event) There
was a lot of "other stuff" going on within the family - including the
youngest child put up by father for adoption and another baby a couple of
years later same father but with his sister-in-law also put up for adoption.

The three older children - 2 girls and a boy were presumably living with the
father. Now the grandmother gets guardianship of the boy! Why only the
boy? He is not the youngest! At the time of "loosing " their mother he
would have been 7'sh and had an older sister 8'sh and a younger 6'sh. And
their grandmother died 6 years later.

I just cannot understand leaving 2 girls with this man!!! Was this the way
of times or could the boy have been "wayward" ???? I also realise it was
financially a very tough time and they were living in Fitzroy which I
imagine being a very "rough" and poor area in that time frame.

Any guidance welcome - thank you
Pat

[Kate]

"Pat Wade" wrote in message news:***@rootsweb.com...

Hi all,

Another query with regards to guardianship and this time it may only be
opinion or knowledge from some who has "read up" a lot more than me on the
attitudes of the time ( 1920-1930's)


Inez Freeman's daughter Eleanor was "put away" in an institution (she had
just given birth and another child died within 2 weeks of each event) There
was a lot of "other stuff" going on within the family - including the
youngest child put up by father for adoption and another baby a couple of
years later same father but with his sister-in-law also put up for adoption.

The three older children - 2 girls and a boy were presumably living with the
father. Now the grandmother gets guardianship of the boy! Why only the
boy? He is not the youngest! At the time of "loosing " their mother he
would have been 7'sh and had an older sister 8'sh and a younger 6'sh. And
their grandmother died 6 years later.

I just cannot understand leaving 2 girls with this man!!! Was this the way
of times or could the boy have been "wayward" ???? I also realise it was
financially a very tough time and they were living in Fitzroy which I
imagine being a very "rough" and poor area in that time frame.

Any guidance welcome - thank you
Pat

Hi Pat

Official Adoption began in Victoria in 1929. Prior to that time there were
some official steps taken to protect children while not actually making it a
legally binding contract as adoption would later be,
If you Google (infant life protection act victoria Australia) you will find
some interesting reading. In particular the Helen Doxford Harris site.

Also bear in mind good people just took children into their families whether
they were related or strangers. I know of two families who did this,
numbering five children in all.
In your case perhaps the grandmother just took a liking to the one child or
he was easier to handle, or was just not wanted by the father. The two girls
at ages 8 and 6 would have been expected to do housework and shop for/help
prepare whatever the family could afford in the way of food.
This family sounds like it was in great need.
The girl who had just given birth might have been sent to a
reformatory/asylum. Was she ill was she unmanageable? The records held by
PROV are a little early for your timeframe.

Have you managed to find any of the children in later life?

Regards

Kate
Sydney, Australia

[Pat Wade]

Hi Kate,

Thank you so much for your reply. I appreciate all this information and
take note of/ reminder of a girls place and it is very likely that this
would be a good reason for the father to "fight" to hold on to these two
girls.

I have the two admission papers for both woman taken to Sunbury for
"Melancholia", one never coming out the other discharged against doctor's
advice some 6 years later.

Adoption may not have been fully official until 1929 but they were using the
terms in the Berry Street Babies home as early at 1923 as this dad signed
papers giving permission for the adoption to take place. I will go and
check the sites listed as I really need to "read" as much as I can to get a
better idea of "the times".

I know it was really tough times and woman were still under the shackles of
men - starting to come out but still "controlled".

I just find it very frustrating that in this broader family three baby girls
were "adopted", two baby boys were brought up by the grandparents (one did
die young) and the older boy fostered and these two girls left in the house
with their "father". Just my cranky opinion!!

Thank you
Pat





-----Original Message-----
From: GENANZ [mailto:genanz-bounces+pmwade=***@rootsweb.com] On
Behalf Of Kate
Sent: Tuesday, 22 November 2016 4:00 PM
To: ***@rootsweb.com
Subject: Re: Guardianship in Victoria



"Pat Wade" wrote in message news:***@rootsweb.com...

Hi all,

Another query with regards to guardianship and this time it may only be
opinion or knowledge from some who has "read up" a lot more than me on the
attitudes of the time ( 1920-1930's)


Inez Freeman's daughter Eleanor was "put away" in an institution (she had
just given birth and another child died within 2 weeks of each event) There
was a lot of "other stuff" going on within the family - including the
youngest child put up by father for adoption and another baby a couple of
years later same father but with his sister-in-law also put up for adoption.

The three older children - 2 girls and a boy were presumably living with the
father. Now the grandmother gets guardianship of the boy! Why only the
boy? He is not the youngest! At the time of "loosing " their mother he
would have been 7'sh and had an older sister 8'sh and a younger 6'sh. And
their grandmother died 6 years later.

I just cannot understand leaving 2 girls with this man!!! Was this the way
of times or could the boy have been "wayward" ???? I also realise it was
financially a very tough time and they were living in Fitzroy which I
imagine being a very "rough" and poor area in that time frame.

Any guidance welcome - thank you
Pat

Hi Pat

Official Adoption began in Victoria in 1929. Prior to that time there were
some official steps taken to protect children while not actually making it a
legally binding contract as adoption would later be, If you Google (infant
life protection act victoria Australia) you will find some interesting
reading. In particular the Helen Doxford Harris site.

Also bear in mind good people just took children into their families whether
they were related or strangers. I know of two families who did this,
numbering five children in all.
In your case perhaps the grandmother just took a liking to the one child or
he was easier to handle, or was just not wanted by the father. The two girls
at ages 8 and 6 would have been expected to do housework and shop for/help
prepare whatever the family could afford in the way of food.
This family sounds like it was in great need.
The girl who had just given birth might have been sent to a
reformatory/asylum. Was she ill was she unmanageable? The records held by
PROV are a little early for your timeframe.

Have you managed to find any of the children in later life?

Regards

Kate
Sydney, Australia



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