Scotch College

Scotch discovers a 150 year old cousin

During our Anniversary celebrations, a quick head count was taken of other Victorian organisations that shared Scotch's unbroken 150-year history.

We were surprised to find that not only is there another children's organisation of the same age, it is also quite closely related!

Both Scotch and a welfare organisation, now known as Oz Child, share a common ancestor in the Pioneers' Church, known today as St James Old Cathedral, located in King Street, Melbourne.

The Presbyterian Church originally shared this accommodation with the Anglican Church, which set up Melbourne's first orphanage, St James Orphan Asylum, to take children, made destitute by the upheavals of the gold rush, off the streets.

The Anglican organisation eventually became known as Family Action in the 1980s.

Meanwhile, the Presbyterians had left the Pioneers' Church in 1837 and built the Scots Church, which through the Reverend James Forbes, started Scotch College in 1851 and the Victorian Neglected Children's Aid Society in 1893, led by Miss Selina Sutherland, a Scottish nurse and pioneer of childcare.

Many name changes later, this group became Family Focus, which merged with Family Action and the National Children's Bureau of Australia to form Oz Child: Children Australia Inc. in 1993.

Today, both Scotch and Oz Child are reflecting on 150 years, with part of the latter's celebration being a service in the original chapel on Sunday, 4 March, with the Archbishop of Melbourne.

Oz Child's direct ancestor, the Melbourne Orphan Asylum, continued in temporary city accommodation until 1854, when it was granted 100 acres in Emerald Hill and £4,000 pounds, to build an orphanage where the South Melbourne Town Hall stands today.

A move to Brighton in 1878 saw a complex built which included workshops, hospital and a school, which remains today as Brighton Beach Primary School.

Melbourne changed over the next century, but the need for family and children's services has not.

In yet another link with the school, the inaugural CEO of Oz Child, the Reverend John Taylor, is a Scotch Old Boy who completed Year 12 in 1957. John continues to be very closely involved with the Oz Child of today.

As the oldest, continuous service provider to children and families in Victoria, Oz Child has been at the forefront of policy development and innovative program delivery. Today it remains at the cutting edge of foster care, service delivery, advocacy and legal services for children and young people.

Scotch and Oz Child have taken delight in recognizing shared beginnings and a common ancestor from the days when Melbourne was a canvas town.

As a result of this unique association, all members of the Scotch Family are encouraged to find out how they might give their support by joining the celebrations or becoming a 'Friend of Oz Child', should they wish. For further information, please contact Lyn Curtis of Oz Child on 9695 2200.