page_title: Caroline Chisholm
section_title: Sydney, New South Wales
hierarchical_section_title: Caroline Chisholm / Sydney, New South Wales
caption_attribution_description: English: Wood engraving of 19th century English humanitarian Caroline Chisholm (30 May 1808 – 25 March 1877). A copy is available at Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA CALL NUMBER: BIOG FILE - Chisholm, Caroline &lt;item&gt; [P&amp;P] http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c18009
context_page_description: Caroline Chisholm was a 19th-century English humanitarian known mostly for her support of immigrant female and family welfare in Australia. She is commemorated on 16 May in the calendar of saints of the Church of England. There have been proposals for the Catholic Church also to recognise her as a saint; she had converted to Catholicism around the time of her marriage and reared her children as Catholic.
context_section_description: In 1838 Captain Chisholm was granted a two-year furlough on the grounds of ill health. Rather than return to England, the family decided the climate in Australia would be better for his health. They set sail for Sydney, New South Wales, aboard the Emerald Isle, arriving there in October 1838. The family settled at nearby Windsor.
  On trips to Sydney, Chisholm and her husband became aware of the difficult conditions that faced immigrants arriving in the colony. They were particularly concerned for the young women who were arriving without any money, friends, or family, or jobs to go to. Many turned to prostitution to survive. Chisholm found placement for these young women in shelters, such as her own, and helped find them permanent places to stay. She started an organisation with the help of the governess for an immigrant women’s shelter. In 1840 Captain Chisholm returned to his regiment in India, but he encouraged his wife to continue her philanthropic efforts. She set up the first home in Sydney for young women and organised other homes in several rural centres. The home was soon extended to help immigrant families and young men.
  In March 1842 Chisholm rented two terraced dwellings in East Maitland. She converted them into a single cottage to be used as a hostel for homeless immigrants who had travelled to the Hunter region in search of work. Now called Caroline Chisholm Cottage, it is the only building in NSW so directly associated with Chisholm. Built in the 1830s, the cottage offers a rare example of early working-class housing in New South Wales.
  During the seven years when Chisholm was in Australia, she placed over 11,000 people in homes and jobs. She became a well-known woman and much admired. She was requested to give evidence before two Legislative Council committees. Chisholm carried out her work in New South Wales without accepting money from individuals or individual organisations, as she wanted to act independently. She did not want to be dependent upon any religious or political body. The girls and families whom Chisholm helped came from different backgrounds and held different religious beliefs. She raised money for the homes through private subscription. Her husband was invalided out of the Army and returned to Australia in 1845.
caption: Caroline Chisholm
exif: {}