Renwick Boys Home / Mittagong Farm Home
Mittagong Farm Homes (renamed Renwick in 1976)
Built in 1881 and finally closed in 1994, Mittagong Farm Homes renamed
Renwick in 1976) provided a refuge and home for up to 30,000 children during its 113 year history.
Heritage specialist Leonie Knapman had both family and emotional connections
to the homes; what began as a private and personal research project soon
turned into a race to capture and record the history before the former farm site
was redeveloped as a housing estate.
“As a Mittagong historian and Vice President of the Berrima District Historical
and Family History Society, I believe it is vital to record and share the farm’s
history, not only to acknowledge the children and staff who once lived or worked
there, but to help relatives and friends understand the unpredictable, sometimes
lifelong influence of time spent at the homes,” Leonie said.
“My years of collecting information came to a head in 2005 when I found that six
hundred new homes were soon to be built on the site and that its physical
history would be lost forever.
“Many (of the original) buildings and homes had already been removed and
others sold,” Leonie said.
Leonie set about recording oral histories and building an extensive collection of
more than 1000 photos, 200 local newspaper articles building plans and annual
reports of the State Children's Relief Board dating from 1881.
Mittagong Farm Homes was a 'pilot' government facility that reflected
developments in educational and institutional welfare in NSW. Not only did the
operations of the various homes affect the lives of many children who were
orphaned, disabled, indigenous, state wards, disadvantaged, mentally
challenged and those who went through the court system, they also impacted
on the local communities.
The building of the homes had a great impact on Mittagong and surrounding
towns with the increase in work for teachers, house parents, staff, farmers and
labourers. Businesses in the area were also needed as the numbers at the
homes increased and so did their needs.
Many of the children later left the homes to settle in the Southern Highlands and
are now raising their families in the area where they had spent most of their
early lives.
Leonie soon discovered that her oral history sessions provided ‘therapy’ for
many former child residents, staff and Mittagong community members who still
held strong emotional links to the home.
“It may have been the first time they had spoken about their days on the farm,
and they felt that these interviews gave them back part of the life they had lost.
Once you start asking questions, memories come flooding back and for some
you can see a load being lifted from their shoulders. For others their letters get
longer each time I ask questions as I unlock more thoughts that have been hidden for many years,” Leonie said.
“I had often wondered if anyone was interested or cared about Renwick's
history, but as soon as I started to advertise and search for people I could not
believe the interest that I had created. I now correspond with people from all
over Australia and New Zealand.
“Renwick girls and boys have visited me at home to look at what I have
collected and to share their stories. The level of interest in this project is
outstanding. Once the information that I have collected is catalogued and
indexed, I will look at producing a book,” Leonie said.
“It is imperative that future generations of children can grow up with some
understanding of the significance of places such as the Mittagong Farm Homes
and appreciate the impact they had on earlier generations of boys and girls who
once lived there,” Leonie said.
With thanks to:
Leonie Knapman, Berrima District Historical and Family History Society
Mari Metzke, General Manager, Royal Australian Historical Society.
Information sourced from the Heritage Site.
Built in 1881 and finally closed in 1994, Mittagong Farm Homes renamed
Renwick in 1976) provided a refuge and home for up to 30,000 children during its 113 year history.
Heritage specialist Leonie Knapman had both family and emotional connections
to the homes; what began as a private and personal research project soon
turned into a race to capture and record the history before the former farm site
was redeveloped as a housing estate.
“As a Mittagong historian and Vice President of the Berrima District Historical
and Family History Society, I believe it is vital to record and share the farm’s
history, not only to acknowledge the children and staff who once lived or worked
there, but to help relatives and friends understand the unpredictable, sometimes
lifelong influence of time spent at the homes,” Leonie said.
“My years of collecting information came to a head in 2005 when I found that six
hundred new homes were soon to be built on the site and that its physical
history would be lost forever.
“Many (of the original) buildings and homes had already been removed and
others sold,” Leonie said.
Leonie set about recording oral histories and building an extensive collection of
more than 1000 photos, 200 local newspaper articles building plans and annual
reports of the State Children's Relief Board dating from 1881.
Mittagong Farm Homes was a 'pilot' government facility that reflected
developments in educational and institutional welfare in NSW. Not only did the
operations of the various homes affect the lives of many children who were
orphaned, disabled, indigenous, state wards, disadvantaged, mentally
challenged and those who went through the court system, they also impacted
on the local communities.
The building of the homes had a great impact on Mittagong and surrounding
towns with the increase in work for teachers, house parents, staff, farmers and
labourers. Businesses in the area were also needed as the numbers at the
homes increased and so did their needs.
Many of the children later left the homes to settle in the Southern Highlands and
are now raising their families in the area where they had spent most of their
early lives.
Leonie soon discovered that her oral history sessions provided ‘therapy’ for
many former child residents, staff and Mittagong community members who still
held strong emotional links to the home.
“It may have been the first time they had spoken about their days on the farm,
and they felt that these interviews gave them back part of the life they had lost.
Once you start asking questions, memories come flooding back and for some
you can see a load being lifted from their shoulders. For others their letters get
longer each time I ask questions as I unlock more thoughts that have been hidden for many years,” Leonie said.
“I had often wondered if anyone was interested or cared about Renwick's
history, but as soon as I started to advertise and search for people I could not
believe the interest that I had created. I now correspond with people from all
over Australia and New Zealand.
“Renwick girls and boys have visited me at home to look at what I have
collected and to share their stories. The level of interest in this project is
outstanding. Once the information that I have collected is catalogued and
indexed, I will look at producing a book,” Leonie said.
“It is imperative that future generations of children can grow up with some
understanding of the significance of places such as the Mittagong Farm Homes
and appreciate the impact they had on earlier generations of boys and girls who
once lived there,” Leonie said.
With thanks to:
Leonie Knapman, Berrima District Historical and Family History Society
Mari Metzke, General Manager, Royal Australian Historical Society.
Information sourced from the Heritage Site.
