Chronicles of Australia’s largest youth migration program have been handed over to the State Library of NSW, offering a glimpse into the experiences of young boys who left their homes in England to start a new life in Australia.
State Librarian, John Vallance said the Big Brother Movement archive was a significant collection documenting the history of youth migration in NSW.
“The Big Brother Movement archive offers a rare glimpse into the experiences of these young boys, aged between 16 and 20, who left their homes in England to start a new life in Australia, and the legacy left from their time here,” Dr Vallance said.
“The archive is an important addition to the State Library’s collection, and we’re excited to see more stories from these fascinating historical records come to light.”
“The Big Brother Movement, established in London in July 1925, was the largest youth migration program in Australia, with over 12,000 young men migrating with the support of the Australian government to help tackle the local employment shortage.”
Dr Vallance said the Little Brothers, as the boys were known, had guardians known as Big Brothers who mentored the new arrivals until they reached 21 years of age.
He said the 67 boxes of archive material included packing lists with suggested outfits for the boys, along with correspondence, photographs and reports spanning the 1920s to 1980s.
Dr Vallance said the newly acquired Big Brother Movement archive would be made available to researchers through assisted access via the State Library’s catalogue.
