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I never owned a doll or teddy bear ...

Play and childhood are inextricably connected but how do you play in a children’s home?

Here, some of those who grew up in children’s homes and institutions remember playtime.

An empty playroom with chairs and large stuffed animals. - click to view larger image

Exhibition graphic panel that reads: 'There was a large playroom with a red laminex table and six chairs and an empty bookcase — nothing, nothing but emptiness (and my tears)', attributed to 'Rhonda Wardman, St Michael’s Girls Anglican Home, Bathurst, New South Wales, 1950s'. - click to view larger image

Eight small children in a room filled with toys. A girl in the foreground pushes a toy pram and several children ride trikes. Another girl sits in a toy car. The room includes an abacus, rocking horse and swing, with other toys stacked on shelves behind. - click to view larger image

Exhibition graphic panel that reads: 'We would have to sit cross-legged with our fingers on our lips for hours — out on the verandah. Instead of play, we were made to sit for hours', attributed to 'Gloria Lovely, St Vincent’s Orphanage, Nudgee, Queensland, 1950s'. - click to view larger image

Colour photograph showing a four-ended seesaw with horses on one bar, and seats on the other. Children play in the distance on a slippery dip at the top of a grassed hill. Several brick buildings are visible in the background. - click to view larger image

Exhibition graphic panel that reads: 'We deliberately buried eggs for a month, then dug them up and threw them round', attributed to 'Jenny Bosanquet, St Luke’s Home, Bendigo, Victoria, 1960s'. - click to view larger image

Black and white photo showing two groups of teenage girls sitting at tables, with a central gameboard. The girls' faces have been blurred. Two nuns are visible at the far table. - click to view larger image

Black and white photo showing four young girls, wearing dresses and party hats, receiving gifts from two women, who kneel in front of the girls, with their backs to the camera. - click to view larger image

Black and white photo of a group of young girls. The girls are standing in a garden with some under a tree. Two buildings can be seen in the background. Each of the girls is wearing a long dress and bonnet and is holding a doll in their left arm and a candle in their right hand. - click to view larger image

A small bear shaped like a koala, with pink plush fabric on the front and a mustard coloured plush on the back. It has a circular black felt nose with white hand stitching. The bear's left arm and part of its face are worn. - click to view larger image

Exhibition graphic panel that reads: 'I can remember receiving the teddy one Christmas … I did not have a family to go to for the holidays, so I had to remain in Orana ... Christmas Day, I remember finding the teddy on the bottom of my bed. I did not know where it had come from as it was not wrapped and there was no tag/card on it … The cottage mother ... said it was for me. She also told me that the prisoners in Pentridge Gaol had made the teddy. I think I cried most of the day. This was the first gift I had received in years. In the New Year a family came and took me for the rest of the holidays. I left the teddy on my bed as I was instructed to do (I wanted to take it with me but was not allowed) and when I came back it was gone. I never saw it again until I opened my suitcase when I arrived ... at my mother’s house. Someone must have put it in the case ... I do not know who had done this or why.', attributed to 'Jeannette Blick, Orana Methodist Home, Burwood, Victoria, 1960s'. - click to view larger image

Exhibition graphic panel that reads: 'I never owned a Doll or Teddy Bear. Those that did had to leave them in a ‘Special Room’ on the top floor, where they would be shown to visitors, but rarely taken down for us kids to play with', attributed to 'Submission 409, Senate Inquiry, 2004, WR Black Home, Chelmer, Queensland, date unknown'. - click to view larger image

Colour photograph showing a woman standing beside an exhibition panel, gazing up at a small pink bear on display. - click to view larger image

A metal, pale green-painted child's tricycle with black hand-grips and pedals and a black leather seat. - click to view larger image

Exhibition graphic panel that reads: 'There marbles you know and they’re worth a lot. For with em you are important and with out you are not. I started with a couple and by golly I played till I had the lot ... Till the day I lost the lot for sir cheated and took the lot. I’ve never had another shot', attributed to 'Garry Shooks, Mittagong Homes, Mittagong, New South Wales, 1960s'. - click to view larger image

Black and white photograph showing a group of boys standing on a metal ladder in a playground. The boys wear school uniform of v-necked jumpers and shorts. The image clearly shows five smiling boys, with the heads of two other boys partially visible below. - click to view larger image

Polaroid photograph showing a group of young boys laying on a rocker. Typewritten text underneath reads 'Boys at Montrose Infants Home, Burwood, New South Wales, 1949'. 'State Library of New South Wales' is written along the left side. - click to view larger image

Black and white photograph showing a side view of a long line of girls, standing in front of a large sandstone building which has 'DALWOOD HOME' inscribed on one side. An older girl reaches forward after throwing a ball above the other girls' outstretched arms. A woman wearing a white veil stands about halfway down the line, behind the girls. Each of the girls wears an apron over a dress. - click to view larger image

A rougly spherical ball wrapped in yellowing newspaper strips. - click to view larger image

Polaroid photograph showing a man standing and holding a wooden bow in his left hand and two arrows in his right. Typewritten text below reads 'Bryan Hartas with his homemade bow and arrow, 2011'. 'Courtesy Jo Bennett' is written along the left side. - click to view larger image

Colour photograph on a black backdrop showing a curved timber bow and two timber arrows. The bow's string is made of copper wire. - click to view larger image

Polaroid photograph showing a group of girls standing at the front of a timber verandah rail. One of the girls holds a small bow and arrow. Some of the older girls' faces have been blurred. Typewritten text at the bottom reads 'Kathleen Foley (back row, third from right) at St Vincent's Orphanage, Nudgee, Queensland, about 1956'. 'Courtesy Kathleen Foley' is typed along the left side. - click to view larger image

Exhibition graphic panel that reads: 'We made our own canoes out of corrugated iron … and had lots of fun playing ‘Broadside’ where you would use your own canoe to sink others. I would giggle with delight and yell ‘There goes the Titanic!’, attributed to 'Hughie McConnell, Clontarf Boys Town, Waterford, Western Australia, 1950s'. - click to view larger image

Polaroid photograph showing two boys on a waterway. The boy in the foregrounds sits in a canoe, paddling with his hands. Another boy stands on a raft at the rear. Typewritten text below reads 'Boys from Clontarf Boys Town, Waterford, Western Australia, with homemade 'canoes' on the Swan River, 1950s'. 'Courtesy Peter Bent' is typed along the left side. - click to view larger image

Exhibition graphic panel that reads: 'Once a week we were allowed to watch 'Hawaii Five-O' with a cup of watery hot chocolate and one scotch finger biscuit. I don’t think they liked us very much. The Home was next to a golf course and I used to collect golf balls and golf tees just to get away from everything. I had over 300 golf tees when I left', attributed to 'Anna Phillips, Tresca, Fairbridge Home, Exeter, Tasmania, 1960s'. - click to view larger image

Colour photograph showing a side and rear view of five small children sitting on beanbags, watching a television in the opposite corner. Two women stand talking at the left of the image. A purple hippopotamus transfer is seen on a window at the far end of the room. - click to view larger image

Black and white image showing six teenage girls sitting on the floor, looking at a television. The girls have their backs to the camera. - click to view larger image

Black and white photo showing four teenage girls gathered around a small radio which sits on a table. Three of the girls are standing, one sits in a low chair. - click to view larger image

Black and white photograph showing 12 young boys, wearing dark shorts and white singlets. Four of the boys sit with crossed arms and ankles on a vaulting horse at the centre. Three other boys stand, cross-armed, either side and two kneel at the front. - click to view larger image

Black and white photo showing about 100 young boys in three rows, with two rows standing and one row sitting at the front. The boys have their arms folded and legs crossed. Three boys hold footballs. A corrugated iron water tank atop a wooden stand and a row of trees can be seen behind. - click to view larger image

Black and white photo showing a group of children, wearing tennis whites and carrying racquets, marching along a street, three abreast. A white building with 'YOUNGS' on the facade is to the left of the marchers. A row of cars is partially visible on the right. - click to view larger image

Inside: Life in Children’s Homes and Institutions 01 Jan 2018

Charlie Walker on pets

Hear Charlie Walker talk about his experiences at St Augustine’s Orphanage, Geelong, Victoria, in the 1940s

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Work and school

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Defining Moments

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Charlie Walker's full interview on Trove

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