DOCUMENT 9
Family search service for former Australian
child migrantsA fund was set
up in 1992 by grants from the Christian Brothers in Australia
and the Nazareth House Sisters in England to finance the tracing
of family of ex-migrants who went to Australia from religious
homes in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Those
ex-migrants who were in the care of one of the Catholic diocesan
child care agencies were referred to those agencies direct and
are not funded under this scheme.The fund has been administered
by CCWC and I have co-ordinated or carried out personally all
the research into finding families or information that might lead
to a family being located. The Family Care Society in Belfast
has handled enquiries relating to ex-migrants who were born and
admitted to homes in Northern Ireland. From July 1992 to 31st
December 1997, a total of 194 enquiries were received.
Sources of enquiries:
| The Catholic Migrant Centre in Perth
| 71 |
| The Child Migrant Trust in Nottingham |
27 |
| CBERS (Christian Brothers Ex-Resident Services, Perth)
| 13 |
| Direct from the ex-migrant | 44
|
| Others | 9 |
| Referred direct to FCS Belfast, sources not known*
| 18 |
| Relations or friends seeking information about former migrants
| 12 |
| Total | 194 |
Outcomes:
| Initial enquiries revealed that the ex-migrant was in the care of one of the Diocesan Societies,
therefore the enquiry was forwarded to the Society for action
| 23 |
| Initial enquiries revealed that the enquirer was not an ex-child migrant, so advice was given and closed
| 4 |
| Enquiries from Child Migrant Trust requesting basic information from database, Nazareth House records or any other records, (includes four transferred to them later)
| 31 |
| Enquiries received from relations or friends seeking information about former migrants
| 12 |
| Mother traced and welcomed contact | 4
|
| Mother traced but refused contact | 7
|
| Other relatives traced and welcomed contact
| 16 |
| Other relatives traced but refused contact
| 4 |
| Family traced after extensive enquiries, 99 per cent certainty but family would not accept kinship
| 1 |
| Enquiries came to a dead end and had to be closed
| 26 |
| Enquiries ongoing in Belfast at 31-12-97* |
27 |
| Enquiries ongoing in England at 31-12-97 |
28 |
| Misc, includes services such as escorting at airport, birth certs only requested, etc.
| 11 |
| Total | 194 |
* The number of enquiries made direct to Belfast in 1997 and the
number still ongoing there was affected by the Sentimental Journey
trip there in June 1997.
NOTES:Very little information
exists for ex-migrants who were received by the Nazareth House
Sisters, usually just a one line entry in the admission register
giving only basic information, such as name, date of birth, date
of baptism of the child. Rarely is there any information about
mother, no date of birth, no age, no address, no next of kin.
In these cases, research has to commence simply on the information
given in the ex-migrant's birth certificate. One can only try
to guess that the mother was between the age of 17 and 30 at the
time of the birth and probably went on to marry, so it is a question
of searching indices, voters' lists, sometimes even additional
information can be gleaned from the baptism certificate. Exceptionally,
a hospital record exists and information obtained from the creed
register.It is recognised that very many ex-migrants were born
during World War II, Mothers, if still alive, typically, will
be in their late 70s and early 80s; most went on to marry, and
typically kept the existence of their child secret from husband
and family. In their declining years and possibly in poor health,
it is pure speculation whether there will be a welcome for a "child"
from the past. However, one can only preserve in tracing and at
least ask, risking whether this contact causes distress. The rate
of "success" with mothers has not been high, although
it is better when half-siblings or other relatives have been found.Michael
Lyons,CCWC researcherFebruary 1998.
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