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The Dreadnought Boys

02 August, 2009

Boys playing a game of Greasy Pole on board the TSS Beltana, 1929.
Source: Museum Victoria

Question: Who were the Dreadnought Boys?

Answer: Systematic youth migration to Australia began in the early years of the 20th century and continued for over seventy years, involving approximately 30,000 school-aged immigrants under a number of schemes. One such program was known as the Dreadnought Scheme which commenced when the Trustees of the Dreadnought Fund entered into an agreement with the NSW Government to bring out British boys between the ages of 16 and 19.

A training farm was purchased in Pitt Town, Sydney; the arrangement stipulated that boys brought out needed to be “of good character and physique” and that the Fund pay the Government £5 for each of the lads sent to the training farm. The aim was to offer practical training to young British men in the ways of Australian farming techniques and to assist in the development and encouragement of British immigration to Australia.

The first twelve "Dreadnought boys" arrived on 21 April 1911 into Hobart on the SS Tainui, then changed to the SS Paloona for the trip from Hobart to Sydney. The boys required two references and a medical certificate to make the journey. They were followed by 27 others in June of the same year.

The scheme ran on and off for the next 28 years. It was halted by the First World War, recommenced in 1921, then ceased again during the Great Depression for a period of six years. In February 1915, 2,557 boys had arrived; when the last group arrived in September 1939, the total number of Dreadnought boys had reached 5,595.

Today, the training farm and migrant accommodation centre at Scheyville near Pitt Town is part of the Scheyville National Park, and a visitor centre is overseen by the New South Wales Migration Heritage Centre. A plaque located in Sydney’s historic Rocks area honours those who came to Australia under the scheme. This plaque, paid for by “The Boys” themselves, commemorates the lives of the several thousands of Dreadnought Boys who arrived in Sydney between 1911 and 1939.

Comments (34)

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My grandfather Bert William Jones arrived in Melbourne Australia from London aboard the 'Wakool'on or about Dec 16 1911 I noted his listed occupation was a 'Farmhand' as was 20 of the other passengers ,this made me think he may have been one of the Dreadnought Boys as he later settled in Heyfield Victoria & when he enlisted for service in the First World War he gave his occupation as a "Farmer" Can anybody shed light on the Dreadnought boys in Victoria ?

My grandad, Walter Ernest Kingshott, was a Dreadnought Boy. He sailed out to Sydney, arriving on board the "Bendigo" in 1930. He eventually returned here to England, but always loved Australia which he classed as his spiritual home.

I am searching for an uncle, John Eric Stackman, (dob 04.08.1913) who came to NSW in late 1920's to work on farms. He never spoke about this aspect of his life. He later joined the Australian Army and served in the Middle East in WW 2. The only information I can find relates to his army service. He died some 3 years ago. Is there a site where I could search for his name in relation to Dreadnought boys or Fairbridge? Thanks.

Hi Julie. I do think the best thing for you to do would be to contact the National Archives. Through their Making Australia Home project you can request any immigration or, indeed, other records that refer to your grandfather. You don't need to go in and should contact them online to gain access and, in fact, not all the documents would be there if you did as they're kept in different locations. The link to the right under external links also provides detailed information about what types of documents they have that you might access. We hope this helps & good luck!

Trying to trace details of wife's uncle, Norman Harry Stephens, who emigrated from London in 1914, just before war broke out, and was probably part of the Dreadnaught Scheme. Any help appreciated.

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We love receiving comments, but can’t always respond.

I am wondering if there is any information about my father, Gilbert Arthur Parker who arrived on the Euripides in May 1923. He was at Scheyville and then at Morisset, NSW. We would like to know the exact dates at Scheyville and any other details available about his stay there, and where he was in Morisset. Thanks

Hi John - As the Dreadnought Scheme was a government-assisted migrant scheme you may be able to find more information about migrants that were involved in the scheme via the National Archives of Australia. James’ Jupp’s ‘The Australian People’ contains more general information about assisted migration in the early twentieth century and the section ‘Settlement 1881-1914’, pp. 49-53, may also be of interest to you.

My grandfather, Fred Seager, was born in Broomfield Reculver in 1905. He was a Dreadnaught Boy and arrived in 1922 per Euripides. He spent several months at Scheyville and I believe was placed somewhere in the Adelong region - he did have prior farm experience. He never spoke of his experiences and we didn't know about this part of his past until he was examined for by a compensation doctor when he was nearly 90 years old. It was then that he told the doctor he was a dreadnaught boy. He married my grandmother in Tumbarumba in 1932. How can I find out where he was placed between 1922 and then? Any information, even general, I would be grateful to receive. I can get to the National Archives if there is a file there to view. regards Julie Smith (Seager)

My Father WILLIAM BUSH arrived Sydney 11-5-1923 on Euripides, Dreadnought Scheme. I am seeking his personal migration records, ie 'medical' and references. Does anyone know where they are held.

Hi Nel, I was wondering if you have had any luck locating any records about your father. I have spoke to the NAA and they gave me a shipping record but couldnt help with anything else. I also spoke with the NSW state records and they couldnt help me with anything either.

My Father, Charles White arrived in October 1928 on the SS Orford, went to Glenn Innes Training Farm where he met a school friend Ralph Orr who had arrived a couple of months earlier. Dad and Ralph worked on different farms from the Denman Area in NSW to Gladstone in QLD, both finally settling down in Kingaroy Queendland, both married local girls. Charles never returned to the UK although his mother regretted the day she signed the papers to let her sixteen year old son migrate. Charles loved Australia, finally retiring as a Railway Station Master. He maintained he had a successful and fullfilling live here.

Clare, the National Archives of Australia have several correspondence files regarding the Dreadnought Scheme. Descriptions of these can be found along with a general introduction to the scheme at this website. You should contact the NAA for further information about this material.

My Grandfather, Sidney Black emigrated to Australia under the Dreadnought Scheme in early 1920's. Any information of him would sincerely appreciated to keep track of my grandfather's history.

My father, Charles Washburn Joyce and two friends, Alex Robbe and Jack Hobbs arrived in Victoria as Dreadnought Boys in 1911. My father never spoke of his background; and I am keen to learn more about his early days. All three boys enlisted in the AIF in 1914 and served in every theatre of WWI. All 3 returned to Melbourne in late 1918. Any information of these boys from 1911 to 1914 would be sincerely appreciated.

Trying to locate if my father Charles Martin Redgrave came to Australia as a Dreadnought Boy. His DOB was 9-7-2011. Appreciate it if someone can help me.

My uncle Harold Gresswell sailed to Sydney from England on the s.s. LargsBay on 23rd Jan 1929 and I believe he was a Dreadnought Boy. Can anyone give me any more info about him, as we here in England never heard from him again and I would love to know if I have any cousins in Australia.

My father, Benjamin Watson, born 18 March 1910, came to Australia in 1926. In 1977 he wrote to the Telegraph after seeing an article in The Sunday Telegraph on 19 June 1977 about the Dreadnought Boys, seeking to make contact. Don't know whether he did or not. Can anyone help.

My grandfather.Lenoard Philpot came to Australia in 1926,from Sufolk England,He arrived on the S.S Bendigo.he was a Dreadnaught boy.I am looking for any information that could help me track my pop's history. "manythanks"

Hi Nel, all immigration records are held by the National Archives of Australia. For further information on how to search for and/or obtain these records, please read our infosheet on A Quick guide to passenger lists on the internet.

I am trying to find out if my uncle, Thomas Dreha went to Australia via the Dreadnaught scheme? How would I go about searching for this information. Many thanks.

Hello Samantha, as the Dreadnought Scheme was a government-assisted migrant scheme you may be able to find more information about migrants that were involved in the scheme via the National Archives of Australia.

On March 4^th 2011 the Dreadnought Association will be celebrating 100 years since the first boys sailed from England. They have also passed on information to some of your enquiries;

(Phyllis Nebauer) Charles Martin Redgrave was a Dreadnought who came on the “Ballarat”, arriving on 13/6/28. He trained at Grafton.
(Barbara Sharkey) Benjamin Watson came on the “Themistocles”. He arrived on 2/11/26 and trained at Yanco. We have not found anything about his contact in 1977.
(John Callaghan) Bert William Jones does not appear in our lists. We know that a number of boys (including a group of 30) stayed in Victoria, but this was in later years.
(Clare Wallace) John Eric Stackman is not on the list and probably not a Dreadnought.
(Julie Seager) Frederick Seager arrived on the “Euripides” on 22/12/22. We have nothing after his training at Scheyville. (Working back from his address on the BMDNSW marriage registration may give a clue.)
(Karen Hughes) Leonard Philpot arrived on the “Bendigo” on 30/7/26. We have nothing after his training at Scheyville.
(Jean Cooke) Harold Gresswell was a Dreadnought who arrived in Sydney on the “Largs Bay” on 4/3/29. He trained at Cowra in Central West NSW – he may have found work in this area, but we have no record about it. (Try the Cowra Family History Group, P.O. Box 495 , Cowra NSW 2794.)

They can be contacted by writing to;

Hon. Secretary, Dreadnought Association Inc., 7 Elliot Avenue, Alstonville NSW 2477.

My father John Thomas arrived in Australia onboard the SS Largs Bay in 1929. He has written about his life experiences. Dad trained in Scheyville and then worked in dairying in the Wagga, Young,Braidwood and south coast area. He went from place to place on a push bike! Leonie White

Just wanted to say how delighted I am to discover the scheme my dad came over on and this site. His name is Harry Crout, born 1912, Leeds, Yorkshire, and arrived in Sydney on the Ballarat on 13 Jun 1928. His certificate for completing agricultural training was from the Wollongbar Experimental Farm, NSW

I have learnt more from this page than my family could tell me. I was told my father came out on the Dreadnought ship. I now realise that this was not the name of his ship but the scheme under which he emigrated. Now I am really keen to find out the name of the ship and the year he arrived here. I am writing my memoirs and his history is vital to make sense of my past. His name was Leonard Kirton and I think he was around 17 when he left England.

Hi Karen, a good place to start would be the National Archives of Australia (NAA), from which you can obtain information about the Dreadnought Boys scheme, as well as your grandfather's personal immigration records. See our answers to the enquirers above for links to the NAA and further information.

Trying to trace history of my father Harold Hardie who attended Wollongbar in 1929

My father, Robert Carlyon Bailey, told me that he was a Dreadnought Boy and arrived in Sydney on the SS Euripedes at the end of the 1st WW (although I'm a bit hazy on this point). I'm trying to track down any record of him from this time. Can anyone help?

Hi Roger, please read our responses to similar questions above, they will let you know where to go to access records.

Hi Melissa, we have sent you an email with some further information and useful links for your family history research.

My grandfather Norman Richardson born in 1909 Newcastle England arrived here on the DIOGENES 1st Sept 1924. The dreadnought boys were on this ship so I assume he was one of them as he was a few months shy of being 15 yrs old and on his own. The NAA dont really hold records regarding the migration of children or youth and couldn't really help me with any recaords. The NAA told me that the NSW State Government is more than likely to know more. It would be great to hear of anyone who has had success finding any records.

My Dad, Thomas Joseph Dreha is one of the last surviving Dreadnought boys. He is now 90 years old. He attended the 100 year anniversary at Scheyville NSW. He is still very pleased that he was part of the scheme even though he originally had a few issues to deal with. The organisation looked after him very well, he still has nothing but praise for the Big Brother movement. He fought in the Second World war for Australia and fought in New Guinea, Borneo and Sarawak. He was part of the thin green line that fought the Japanese on the beaches of New Guinea. He now has an extended family of dozens of proud little Aussies.

Hi, i am tracing some details of my great Uncle Horace Walter Ball who family history so far indicates he (and his brother Arch Ball) was part of one the early child migration movements. His shipping records (Otaki) state he came in 1920, however all my reading so far seem to show that the scheme's halted during this time. Do you happen to have his name pop up in any of these early records? he was born 1905. thank you. Melissa

Hi Melissa,

The National Archives of Australia have several correspondence files regarding the Dreadnought Scheme. Descriptions of these can be found along with a general introduction to the scheme at this website. You should contact the NAA for further information about this material in particular with regards to individual records of children involved in the scheme at that time.