Bayswater Boys Home and Bayswater Youth Training Centre

Rightside Legal has successfully represented a number of clients who were abused as children at the Bayswater Boys Home and Bayswater Youth Training Centre run by The Salvation Army.

There were originally three Salvation Army homes on the Bayswater site. The home called ‘Bayswater No 1’ was responsible for boys aged over 14 years who had committed offences. ‘Bayswater No  2’ was responsible for younger boys and ‘Bayswater No 3’ was responsible for older non-offending boys.

By 1957, the No 1 and No 3 homes had been combined and housed boys aged over 14 years. The No 2 home retained responsibility for boys 14 years and under.

In 1962, the juvenile school based at the No 1 home was renamed the Bayswater Youth Training Centre.

Boys at the No 2 Home attended school on site which was operated by the Victorian Department of Education. Boys were housed in dormitories and later, in residential cottages.

At the No 1 Home, boys were trained during the day in agriculture or trades. At night they slept in individual cells.

At all these Bayswater homes, a number of Salvation Army officers and staff members preyed upon vulnerable children who were in their care.

Men that we know of who abused children at the Bayswater Youth Training Centre include:

• John Maria Beyer
• Robert ‘Bob’ Burnett
• Clement Howard Broadstock
• Envoy Clarence Collins
• Major Charles Hewitson
• Norman Poulter
• Matron Hilda Fleming.

If you have any further information or you want legal advice in relation to the Bayswater homes for boys, or any of these abusers, please call 1300765702 or complete the confidential enquiry form below.