Bring Out A Briton: Story of Two Families and a Post-War Migrant Scheme

The project aims to document, register and interpret a collection of documents, images and objects relating to the migration story of the Ward family (migrants from England in 1961) and the Bring Out A Briton (BOAB) scheme which brought the family to Melbourne via the Methodist church in East Malvern, just one of many similar examples of such community and church supported sponsorship activities around Melbourne.

This collection brings together both a migrant story and a significant assistance scheme which operated at the local community level. It provides a comprehensive snapshot of the beginning to end of an English post-war assisted migration experience. The material is of high historical significance both as research material and as items with exhibition potential.

The student will work with the donor to develop an inventory of the collection, and transcriptions and analysis of all the letters. The collection will be registered with catalogue records completed and an acquisition proposal presented with the Curator to the History & Technology Dept Acquisition Committee. All the documents and objects will be photographed for the purposes of the collection database and a selection of historical photographs copied. Narratives will be written about the families and the BOAB scheme.

The student will submit a report outlining research findings, biographical and social historical narratives, source bibliography, and transcriptions of the letters. The student will also provide a file of images of all the items. Catalogue records and narrative texts will be completed to web-ready standard.

The student will have the opportunity to work behind-the-scenes in a museum environment, have access to museum collections, gain an appreciation for the handling and research potential of material culture, and make contacts within the museum sector. The student will also have the opportunity to work closely with the donor and develop community consultation skills.

The student should be undertaking a relevant degree in history, museum studies/art curatorship, libraries or related heritage studies; have some research experience and a desire to engage with material culture.