Big Brother Movement records

fonds

1925-2015

Textual Records, Clippings, Graphic Materials, Photographs

9668536

10.72 metres of of textual material (67 boxes) includes photographs

In 1924, Richard Linton MLA (Later Sir Richard) and a group of Melbourne businessmen floated the concept of a scheme to bring young men from England to work on rural properties in Australia. WWI had claimed the lives of so many young Australian men that there was a real shortage of labour in rural communities.

On a visit to England in 1925, to attend the British Empire Exhibition, he learned that many young men were keen to emigrate to Australia but their parents were concerned about their welfare once they arrived.

This led to a key difference between what was to become The Big Brother Movement and other youth migration schemes. On arrival in Australia each lad (known as a Little Brother) would be assigned to a well established man who would act as a mentor or elder brother thus giving rise to the term Big Brother, which provided the organisations title1.

The Movement was established as a non-political, non-commercial, non-sectarian, not for profit organisation that enjoyed the support of both the Australian and UK governments.

The first group of 150 left England on the S.S. Jervis Bay and some 70 disembarked in Melbourne and 80 in Sydney on December 14, 1925. In subsequent years smaller groups, escorted by a responsible adult, continued to make the 5/6 week voyage to Australia. Most lads were initially trained at Government owned training farms, such as Scheyville NSW, before entering rural employment. Arrivals ceased for a time in 1931 due to the depression and again during WWII.

In April 1947 the Movement purchased a 700 acre property known as “Karmsley Hills” at Bossley Park near Liverpool NSW for £15,000 – the farm was dedicated as a memorial to the Little Brothers who lost their lives in the war. Between 1947 and 1971 nearly 4,000 British lads were to pass through this establishment. Today the property, albeit a much reduced acreage, is operated by Fairfield City Council as a working city farm.

In 1950 the Movement purchased a large property in Homebush NSW with the proceeds of a generous bequest from the late Thomas Gunning. Gunning House, as it was known, provided short term accommodation for lads arriving from England before transferring to the training farm or obtaining urban employment and alternate accommodation.

By the late 1950’s more and more lads were arriving destined for urban employment rather than farming.

In 1964 Gunning House was sold and a property purchased in Burwood, to be known as Gunning Lodge, again as short term accommodation.

With the arrival of the Boeing 707 for long haul flights small groups of lads began arriving by air and in 1967 the last groups travelled by sea.

By the late 70’s the mood of the Commonwealth Government towards migration was changing and fare subsidies for migration schemes ceased. In 1982 the last Little Brothers arrived under the sponsorship scheme. Between 1925 and 1982 some 12,000 lads migrated to Australia through the Big Brother Movement. It is acknowledged as the most successful Youth Migration scheme in Australia.

Reference
Richard Steell on behalf of BBM Youth Support, 12 April 2023

SERIES 1
Big Brother Movement administrative records

SERIES 2
Big Brother Movement financial records

SERIES 3
Big Brother Movement correspondence

SERIES 4
Big Brother Movement personal records

SERIES 5
Alan Gill research papers

PUBLICATIONS
Copies of:
Annual report / The Big Brother Movement of N.S.W. and Annual report / The Big Brother Movement have been catalogued at Q325.191/1

Restricted - This collection contains confidential, personal and/or culturally sensitive information: Library requires applicants to contact Big Brother Movement for access. Address: World Square, Level 45, 680 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000; Email: legacy@bbm.asn.au; Phone: (02) 9233 4005

Copyright restrictions may apply:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder

The documents in this collection include, but are not limited to, administration records of the Big Brother Movement (BBM) and personal records of Little Brothers (LB’s).

BBM administration records include minutes of Council and Board meetings of the governing body, correspondence, between London and Sydney offices, on operational issues and general correspondence with third parties.

LB’s personal information includes key identifiers, migration details and employment summary and may include birth certificate, references and application forms provided prior to migrating to Australia. These personal records were held by BBM as legal guardian of the LB and were normally returned to the LB on reaching 21 years of age or when his natural parent/s resumed guardianship. The documents in this collection were never returned to the Little Brother because the office had no address or other contact details