-
- At
the Age of 17 Kingsley Fairbridge visited his
Grandmother in England and was distressed
by the sight of streets full of poor children,
grubby and exhausted from lack of fresh
air
and food. At
the age of 19 he became the first Rhodes Scholar
from South Africa to attend Oxford University.
In 1909 he
established "The Child Emigration Society''
after addressing
his
fellow
Rhodes Scholars at the Colonial Club Oxford University.
On
April the 15th. 1912, Kingsley and his wife Ruby
Fairbridge arrived
in Albany. Western
Australia, from England and made their way to Pinjarra,
arriving
on the 16th July
that same year
to establish
the world's,
first Fairbridge Farm School.
Between
1913 and 1939, 1,195 children came to
Fairbridge under the care of the Fairbridge Society.
- From
1949 until the mid 50's some 270 young
people arrived at Fairbridge
under the auspices of the Fairbridge Society
under the can of
the State.
- The
1960's boom, saw many more boys and girls come
through the Farm School in the single and two parent
schemes. However these young people were not
under the care of the State or Fairbridge, but
remained the responsibility of their parents.
-
- The
total number of children to come to Fairbridge under
all schemes from January 1913 until March 1983
was 3,580 and students
came to Fairbridge from Guilford Grammar during
World War II when their school was used as a
military hospital.
-
- Dutch
children who had been trapped after the fall of
the Dutch East Indies
during World War II stayed at
Fairbridge and during
World War II the Women's' Land Army used
Fairbridge as a training Depot.
- 1993
saw the refocus of Fairbridge and has now
brought the Founder's Vision Youth
into the 21st century. The vision of
Fairbridge is:
-
- Fairbridge
is a place where young people can grow - within
themselves, within society art with
the earth
-
- All
proceeds raised by Fairbridge go back into youth programs
