Abbotsford Convent Tours Uncover Human Stories of Orphanage and Magdalene Laundries

The Abbotsford Convent, a historic site in Melbourne, is now the focus of tours launched by She Shapes History, a feminist social enterprise. These tours aim to highlight the human stories associated with the convent, particularly its past as an orphanage and Magdalene laundry.

A Child's Experience: Patricia Sykes Recalls the Orphanage

Patricia Sykes, 84, recounted her experience at the orphanage in the 1950s after her mother died. She and her three sisters were placed there, remembering strict routines including morning prayers and bed-making, and infrequent treats.

Sykes found solace in music and performance during her time there, discovering poetry and winning a prize during Queen Elizabeth's 1954 visit. However, fear later developed after returning home, as her father threatened to send them back to the convent if they misbehaved, even driving them to the gates on two occasions as a scare tactic.

"Fear later developed after returning home, as her father threatened to send them back to the convent if they misbehaved, even driving them to the gates on two occasions as a scare tactic."

The Magdalene Laundries: 'Slave Labor' and Erased Identities

Different sections of the convent housed distinct groups, including paid boarders, local school children, orphans, and girls and young women in the Sacred Heart building. These latter individuals were compelled to work in the Magdalene laundries, a practice described as slave labor.

Some were sent by their families, others by court order, sometimes for minor reasons. Girls in the Sacred Heart building were given new names, effectively erasing their personal histories, and lived restricted lives, with accounts of them yelling for help being heard by passersby.

These individuals were compelled to work in the Magdalene laundries, a practice described as slave labor.

Lasting Impact and Paths to Healing

The profound impact of these experiences means some former residents refuse to visit the convent, according to Justine Hyde, CEO of the Abbotsford Convent Foundation. Others find healing through monthly meetings at a cafe on the grounds, which now functions as an arts and culture precinct.

From Convent to Community Asset: A Historic Transformation

The Good Shepherd nuns sold the convent to the state government in 1975. After a community campaign prevented its sale to private developers almost 30 years later, the state government gifted the site to the public. The non-religious, not-for-profit Abbotsford Convent Foundation now manages the site. Some nuns still frequent the convent, with one reportedly walking anti-clockwise, a direction previously deemed unholy.

A Nun's Perspective: Working in the Laundries

Sister Monica Walsh, a Good Shepherd nun who joined the order in 1963, worked in the Magdalene laundries' counting and packing sections. Nuns at the time were instructed they were preparing girls for work, a practice Walsh acknowledged would have been helpful for some but dreadful for others.

Nuns at the time were instructed they were preparing girls for work, a practice Walsh acknowledged would have been helpful for some but dreadful for others.

Australia had eight Magdalene laundries, all at Good Shepherd convents, from the 1940s to the 1970s, housing an estimated several thousand girls. The environment was characterized by steam, heat, and the sound of machinery.

Reclaiming Space: Honoring History in the Present

Businesses now operating in the Sacred Heart building, such as Ink and Spindle textiles studio, recognize the history of the women who worked there. She Shapes History, which organizes the tours, focuses on these human stories rather than just the architecture. Mollie Dyer, an Aboriginal activist who attended boarding school at the convent, was encouraged by the nuns to engage with the world rather than see the convent as solely a refuge.