In this article, Inara Walden documents the experiences of Aboriginal girls who were sent to work in domestic service by the APB. She uses first-hand experiences of former domestic servants to explore the ways in which the young girls were treated. The article also outlines the relationships between the girls and their ‘mistress’, ‘master’, and white children in the house.

Inara Walden, ''That was slavery days': Aboriginal domestic servants in New South Wales in the twentieth century' (1995) 69 Labour History 196

Laws and policies specifically forced Aboriginal children into apprenticeships and domestic servitude.

Apprenticeships and service under the Aborigines Protection Act

During the 1800s, laws did not specifically restrict family contact. However, the Aboriginal child removal policies of this era were centred around protection and then assimilation, which sought to remove all elements of Aboriginal culture from a child.

Barriers to family contact

Aboriginal families were forced to cooperate with child removal practices by various methods, including legislated offences, threats and intimidation. This subject examines the punishments or penalties imposed on Aboriginal families during the process of child removal between 1788 and 1969. It also includes instances where families/children refused to cooperate with...

Punishment/penalties for refusing to cooperate  

Although the law gave Aboriginal families the right to appeal child removal, research suggests there was limited use, if any, of this appeal right by Aboriginal families during this period.  

Families' rights following child removal historically

The government removed Aboriginal children from their families and placed them into institutions between 1905 and 1969.

'Protection' and assimilation era institutions

The law determined how much money Aboriginal apprentices should be paid for their work. Before 1941, these payment rates applied if there was no specific agreement between the apprentice and master. After 1941, all apprentices received the rates determined by the law. For Aboriginal people who were not apprentices, laws...

Remuneration

From 1909 to 1969, NSW laws allowed the Aborigines Protection Board to collect and keep the wages of Aboriginal people in trust accounts. This primarily impacted Aboriginal children who had been placed in apprenticeships. The system made it very difficult for people to access their wages. Labour practices such as...

Stolen wages system

From 1909, the Aborigines Protection Board and later the Aborigines Welfare Board had control over the labour of Aboriginal people living on reserves and could remove people from reserves if they determined they should be working off the reserve. Labour on reserves was often for no pay, unfair pay or...

Adult labour under the Aborigines Protection Act

From 1909 to 1969, the Aborigines Protection Board and later the Aborigines Welfare Board could remove certain Aboriginal children from their families under the Aborigines Protection Act. These children were placed in training homes and apprenticeships. Apprenticeships were used to separate Aboriginal children from their communities and assimilate them into...

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Inara Walden, ''That was slavery days': Aboriginal domestic servants in New South Wales in the twentieth century' (1995) 69 Labour History 196

Apprenticeships and service under the Aborigines Protection Act

Apprenticeships and service under the Aborigines Protection Act

Barriers to family contact

Punishment/penalties for refusing to cooperate

Families' rights following child removal historically

'Protection' and assimilation era institutions

Remuneration

Stolen wages system

Adult labour under the Aborigines Protection Act

Child labour under the Aborigines Protection Act