Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Fontbonne Hall sous-fonds
General material designation
- Graphic material
- Textual record
Parallel title
Other title information
Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title is based on the contents of the sous-fonds.
Level of description
Sous-fonds
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
Physical description area
Physical description
16.9 cm of textual records
2 photo albums (321 photographs)
23 photographs : b&w
8 photographs : col.
5 photographs : col. negatives ; 4.8 cm x 4.8 cm
4 slides : col. (Kodachrome)
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
Parallel titles of publisher's series
Other title information of publisher's series
Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series
Numbering within publisher's series
Note on publisher's series
Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
Fontbonne Hall, located at 534 Queens Avenue in London, Ontario, was a residence for the Sisters of St. Joseph from May 1951 to September 1953. The building, which was built by William Spencer in 1856 and had previously served as a former Knights of Columbus residence, was purchased to provide more room for the Sisters who had been living at Sacred Heart. On September 11, 1953, all children were transferred from Mount St. Joseph Orphanage to Fontbonne Hall due to changes in government policy that required improved boarding care. A total of 41 children were moved. As a result of this policy change, children under the age of two were placed back with the agency that had referred them. The building was officially opened on December 20, 1953. Fontbonne Hall was more like a foster home than an orphanage, as the new government policies required. In addition, the Sisters operated a Day Nursery School at this location which was licensed from 1954 until 1965 for the children of working families.
In 1963, the decision was made to change Fontbonne Hall’s focus to care for emotionally disturbed children in order to fulfill a growing community need. In June 1965, the Fontbonne Hall Board disbanded and in October 1965, the orphanage came under the direction of Madame Vanier Children’s Services which operated under the Catholic Charities. In June of 1967, the Sisters of St. Joseph withdrew. In 1968, Fontbonne Hall became the first private treatment centre licensed in the province of Ontario under the children’s mental health services legislation. In June of 1972, the contract at Fontbonne Hall was terminated, but the residents of Madame Vanier Children’s Services were allowed to stay until their new quarters were ready. On August 4, 1972, the new facility located at 871 Trafalgar Street was opened for the children’s care, and Fontbonne Hall was closed. The building at 534 Queens Avenue was reopened by the Sisters of St. Joseph under a new program called Internos, which served as a group home for teenage girls.
Custodial history
Scope and content
The sous-fonds contains policy manuals, newspaper clippings, intake procedures, photographs, scrapbooks, correspondence, meeting minutes, financial records, as well as the record book and cash book of the Fontbonne Auxiliary. It also contains information about the history of the building, the children who were at Fontbonne Hall and the people who were involved in their care. There is also information about how the purpose of Fontbonne Hall changed throughout its time in operation.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
The records were transferred from Fontbonne Hall to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada - London site archives.
Arrangement
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Location of originals
The records are stored off-site in London, Ontario.
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
This sous-fonds is partially restricted to access by the public. The files which are restricted are:
F01-SF06-S001-02 Madame Vanier Children’s Services 1952-1991
F01-SF06-S002-02 Mt. St. Joseph Orphanage 1942 – 1965
F01-SF06-S002-03 Department of Public Welfare Reports 1962 – 1965
F01-SF06-S003-01 Advisory Board Minutes and Correspondence 1960 – 1963
F01-SF06-S003-02 Correspondence (Miscellaneous) 1962 – 1965
F01-SF06-S003-03 Correspondence 1965-1971
F01-SF06-S003-04 Ontario Welfare Council – Correspondence 1949-1965
F01-SF06-S005-01 Nursery School Photographs 1960-1965
F01-SF06-S005-02 Nursery School Photo Album 1950-1958
F01-SF06-S005-03 Photographs 1953-67
F01-SF06-S005-04 Mt. St. Joseph Orphanage Photographs
The Archives reserves the right to restrict access to the collection depending on the condition of the archival material, the amount of material requested, and the purpose of the research. The use of certain materials may also be restricted for reasons of privacy or sensitivity, or under a donor agreement. Access restrictions will be applied equally to all researchers and reviewed periodically. No researcher will be given access to any materials that contain a personal information bank such as donor agreements or personnel records, or to other proprietary information such as appraisals, insurance valuations, or condition reports.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Permission to study archival records does not extend to publication or display rights. The researcher must request this permission in writing from the Archives.
Finding aids
Series and file list available.
Generated finding aid
Associated materials
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number area
Standard number
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Control area
Description record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules or conventions
Status
Revised
Level of detail
Partial
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
October 30, 2018
July 2, 2020
Language of description
- English