Archivist Comes Forward with Details about Boys" Home Records Thought to Be Missing

By Giselle Wakatama
ABC News
June 10, 2016

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-10/st-albans-boys-home-records-held-university/7500152

PHOTO: St Albans operated in the Newcastle suburb of Mayfield between 1952 and 1964. (Supplied: Care Leavers Australia Network (CLAN))

Records from a boys' home that is set to be the focus of a case study at a royal commission into child sexual abuse are being held at the University of Newcastle, it has emerged, after it was believed the records had been destroyed or had gone missing.

The ABC earlier today reported on claims by a retired police detective, who said he had found no records, minutes or other documents from the St Albans Anglican boys' home, despite a "relentless pursuit" for the records.

An archivist has come forward, saying records are being held in the university's Archives of the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle.

The archivist has passed that information on to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The previous lack of documentation had raised alarm bells with retired 20-year police veteran Greg Harding, who had pursued convicted paedophile and ex-St Albans board member James Michael Brown, who abused 20 boys.

"I found it very unusual that in any day and age there were no records pertaining to a boys' home with how it operated, who went there, and the details of what occurred there. No minutes, no nothing," Mr Harding said.

Mr Harding said he had been relentless in his pursuit for records, but had found nothing.

"We certainly looked for documents in relation to it, but in all my searches nothing turned up regarding who went through and actually who managed the homes or who had control of the boys," he said.

Archivist surprised detective was not told about records

University archivist Gionni Di Gravio has been in charge of the documents, and said while he could not say if all St Albans records existed, he was in possession of a large number of them.

"You can't always be sure that everything that has been created has survived, but there's a bit to keep a lot of people occupied," Mr Di Gravio said.

He said he had been concerned to hear claims that the records had disappeared.

"The story shocked me," he said.

"We have children's homes records that have been here since at least the 1980s, so I was surprised the policeman wasn't told that they existed," he said.

"I just wanted to set the record straight and I immediately contacted the royal commission.

"I want survivors to be rest assured that the royal commission has been informed, and whatever documents they need or request they will get."

Newcastle's Anglican Diocese had told the ABC it still retained some historical records from the home, but did not mention the university archives.

"There is no evidence of records from the home being disposed of as part of any attempt to destroy evidence in cases of abuse," the diocese said.