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Caroline Chisholm
Caroline Chisholm (/ˈtʃɪzəm/ CHIZ-əm; born Caroline Jones; 30 May 1808 – 25 March 1877) was an 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. Her path to sainthood within the Catholic Church has commenced; she had converted to Catholicism around the time of her marriage and reared her children as Catholic.
Caroline Jones was born in 1808 in Northampton, England, the youngest of at least twelve children of her father, and the last of seven born to her mother. Her father, William Jones, had been widowed three times and Caroline was a daughter of William's fourth wife, Sarah. The family lived at 11 Mayorhold, Northampton. William Jones, who was born in Wootton, Northamptonshire, was a pig dealer who fattened young pigs for sale. He died in 1814 when Caroline was six. He left his wife £500 and bequeathed several properties to his twelve surviving children.
On 27 December 1830, Caroline, then 22, married Archibald Chisholm who was ten years her senior. He was an officer serving with the East India Company's Madras Army and a Roman Catholic. Around this time, Caroline converted to his faith, and they raised their children as Catholics. They were married at The Holy Sepulchre, Northampton, a Church of England church. Weddings conducted by Roman Catholic clergy were not recognised weddings until the Marriage Act 1836.
Chisholm's husband returned to his regiment in Madras in January 1832. She joined him there 18 months later. Chisholm became aware that young girls growing up with their families in the barracks were picking up the bad behaviour of the soldiers. In 1834 she founded the Female School of Industry for the Daughters of European Soldiers, which provided a practical education for such girls. They were instructed in reading, writing and religion, cooking, housekeeping, and nursing. Soon soldiers asked if their wives could also attend the school.
While living in India, Chisholm gave birth to two sons, Archibald and William. The family followed her husband on his assignments around the Indian subcontinent.
In 1838, Captain Archibald 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 so they set sail for Sydney, 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, 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 Valley in search of work. Now called Caroline Chisholm Cottage, it is the only building in New South Wales so directly associated with Chisholm. Built in the 1830s, the cottage offers a rare example of early working-class housing in New South Wales.
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Caroline Chisholm
Caroline Chisholm (/ˈtʃɪzəm/ CHIZ-əm; born Caroline Jones; 30 May 1808 – 25 March 1877) was an 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. Her path to sainthood within the Catholic Church has commenced; she had converted to Catholicism around the time of her marriage and reared her children as Catholic.
Caroline Jones was born in 1808 in Northampton, England, the youngest of at least twelve children of her father, and the last of seven born to her mother. Her father, William Jones, had been widowed three times and Caroline was a daughter of William's fourth wife, Sarah. The family lived at 11 Mayorhold, Northampton. William Jones, who was born in Wootton, Northamptonshire, was a pig dealer who fattened young pigs for sale. He died in 1814 when Caroline was six. He left his wife £500 and bequeathed several properties to his twelve surviving children.
On 27 December 1830, Caroline, then 22, married Archibald Chisholm who was ten years her senior. He was an officer serving with the East India Company's Madras Army and a Roman Catholic. Around this time, Caroline converted to his faith, and they raised their children as Catholics. They were married at The Holy Sepulchre, Northampton, a Church of England church. Weddings conducted by Roman Catholic clergy were not recognised weddings until the Marriage Act 1836.
Chisholm's husband returned to his regiment in Madras in January 1832. She joined him there 18 months later. Chisholm became aware that young girls growing up with their families in the barracks were picking up the bad behaviour of the soldiers. In 1834 she founded the Female School of Industry for the Daughters of European Soldiers, which provided a practical education for such girls. They were instructed in reading, writing and religion, cooking, housekeeping, and nursing. Soon soldiers asked if their wives could also attend the school.
While living in India, Chisholm gave birth to two sons, Archibald and William. The family followed her husband on his assignments around the Indian subcontinent.
In 1838, Captain Archibald 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 so they set sail for Sydney, 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, 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 Valley in search of work. Now called Caroline Chisholm Cottage, it is the only building in New South Wales so directly associated with Chisholm. Built in the 1830s, the cottage offers a rare example of early working-class housing in New South Wales.