Official public explantion for the closure of Saint JohnsThe official public explanation for the closure of the Saint Johns Reformatory given by Archbishop O'Reily is that he blamed the Children's Department of South Australia for inadequate funding for the reformatory, stating that the reformatory was running at a loss, losing 100 pounds a year and had accumulated at debt of 994 pounds on renovations to the buildings. He also complained about the subsidy that was payed by the state was to little and did not cover cost. The serious allegations concerning the abusive behaviour taking place at the reformatory or the death of Ruby Bland was never revealed to the general public.
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Last days of the reformatory
Many believe the closure of the reformatory and the death of Ruby Bland are connected. On the surface this appears correct but reading the letters between the Archbishop and the Children's Department, they tell us that the reformatory's closure had been finalised in late August 1909, two months before the death of Ruby Bland. The mistreatment of the female inmates had been going on for many years before Ruby was sent to the reformatory.
What I find very sad is that Ruby's death occurred after the Archbishop announced the closure of the reformatory. Both the Archbishop and the Children's Department were aware of Martin's aggressive behaviour yet nothing was done to stop him. Martin was allowed to continue on as the Chaplin with no supervision put on him to stop his abusive behaviour towards the female inmates. This lack of judgement by the Archbishop would have led the closure of the reformatory to avoid any any scandal.
The Archbishop had the power to have prevented what happened at Saint Johns but chose to do nothing for the 12 years the reformatory was operating. The Archbishop only acted when the Children's Department started asking questions and requested the Chaplin be removed. The Archbishop decided to close the reformatory rather than admitting that he had sent a a mentally unstable Chaplin to the reformatory to work with troubled teenage girls and to avoid any scandal or inquest that could implicate him or the church.
But I have to admit there are coinciding dates that give the impression that Ruby's death and the closure of the reformatory are connected. But I do believe that these coinciding dates are an unfortunate but convent coincidence for the perpetrators to finalise their cover up of what happened at Saint Johns.
On November 15th 1909, Ruby Bland was admitted to the Kapunda Hospital suffering from a medical trauma. The next day, 16th November 1909 Mr Gray, the Secretary of the Children's Department arrived at Saint Johns Reformatory. He told the "Kapunda Herald" the usual mantra concerning how well run and efficient the reformatory was, and then announced that it was closing down. He told the newspaper that the twelve girls still requiring custody would be transferred to Red Ruth Reformatory in Burra. He did not mention a specific date for the actual closure.
On the 28th November 1909 Ruby Bland died on the operating table, the same day Archbishop O'Reily announced from Adelaide the immediate closure of the Saint Johns Reformatory. The next day, 29th November 1909, Mr James Gray returned to the reformatory, this time with three departmental officials to take eleven female inmates by cab to Taree, then by train to Redruth Reformatory in Burra. This also is the same day that Ruby Bland was hastily buried at the Saint Johns Cemetery only 24 hours after her death. If one wanted to be cynical; as an observation Ruby's rushed burial appears to coincide with the departure of the eleven girls to Redruth Reformatory. Could Ruby's burial on the same day as the girls departing the reformatory have been done to tie up any lose ends and avoid any enquiry?
According to the official State Department records there were nineteen female inmates domiciled at the reformatory just prior to its closure. According to the records, six girls were placed in service, one went back to an institution in Adelaide. "One was in Hospital" and eleven were sent to Redruth Reformatory in Burra. Kevin McNeil went to Burra and checked the records to see how many girls entered Redruth. The twelfth girl never arrived. The twelfth girl was Ruby Bland who died in the Kapunda Hospital.
I must state that there is no evidence to suggest the Sisters of Saint Joseph were involved in any of the misdeeds at the reformatory. I do feel they did not have the experience to deal with female inmates as they were teachers and social workers, not prison officers. I do feel they were witnesses to Fr. Martin improper behaviour towards the female inmates and would have known of Martin's unstable mental condition. I feel they would have been powerless to stop him as he had the support of the Archbishop. It would be interesting to know who reported the Chaplin to the Children's Department? Could it have been one of the sisters or even someone with in the church. One can only speculate.
It must have been very difficult for the Sisters of Saint Joseph to leave Saint Johns knowing that there social work efforts to rehabilitate and educate the inmates were thrown into turmoil by the abusive behaviour of someone within there own church.
What I find very sad is that Ruby's death occurred after the Archbishop announced the closure of the reformatory. Both the Archbishop and the Children's Department were aware of Martin's aggressive behaviour yet nothing was done to stop him. Martin was allowed to continue on as the Chaplin with no supervision put on him to stop his abusive behaviour towards the female inmates. This lack of judgement by the Archbishop would have led the closure of the reformatory to avoid any any scandal.
The Archbishop had the power to have prevented what happened at Saint Johns but chose to do nothing for the 12 years the reformatory was operating. The Archbishop only acted when the Children's Department started asking questions and requested the Chaplin be removed. The Archbishop decided to close the reformatory rather than admitting that he had sent a a mentally unstable Chaplin to the reformatory to work with troubled teenage girls and to avoid any scandal or inquest that could implicate him or the church.
But I have to admit there are coinciding dates that give the impression that Ruby's death and the closure of the reformatory are connected. But I do believe that these coinciding dates are an unfortunate but convent coincidence for the perpetrators to finalise their cover up of what happened at Saint Johns.
On November 15th 1909, Ruby Bland was admitted to the Kapunda Hospital suffering from a medical trauma. The next day, 16th November 1909 Mr Gray, the Secretary of the Children's Department arrived at Saint Johns Reformatory. He told the "Kapunda Herald" the usual mantra concerning how well run and efficient the reformatory was, and then announced that it was closing down. He told the newspaper that the twelve girls still requiring custody would be transferred to Red Ruth Reformatory in Burra. He did not mention a specific date for the actual closure.
On the 28th November 1909 Ruby Bland died on the operating table, the same day Archbishop O'Reily announced from Adelaide the immediate closure of the Saint Johns Reformatory. The next day, 29th November 1909, Mr James Gray returned to the reformatory, this time with three departmental officials to take eleven female inmates by cab to Taree, then by train to Redruth Reformatory in Burra. This also is the same day that Ruby Bland was hastily buried at the Saint Johns Cemetery only 24 hours after her death. If one wanted to be cynical; as an observation Ruby's rushed burial appears to coincide with the departure of the eleven girls to Redruth Reformatory. Could Ruby's burial on the same day as the girls departing the reformatory have been done to tie up any lose ends and avoid any enquiry?
According to the official State Department records there were nineteen female inmates domiciled at the reformatory just prior to its closure. According to the records, six girls were placed in service, one went back to an institution in Adelaide. "One was in Hospital" and eleven were sent to Redruth Reformatory in Burra. Kevin McNeil went to Burra and checked the records to see how many girls entered Redruth. The twelfth girl never arrived. The twelfth girl was Ruby Bland who died in the Kapunda Hospital.
I must state that there is no evidence to suggest the Sisters of Saint Joseph were involved in any of the misdeeds at the reformatory. I do feel they did not have the experience to deal with female inmates as they were teachers and social workers, not prison officers. I do feel they were witnesses to Fr. Martin improper behaviour towards the female inmates and would have known of Martin's unstable mental condition. I feel they would have been powerless to stop him as he had the support of the Archbishop. It would be interesting to know who reported the Chaplin to the Children's Department? Could it have been one of the sisters or even someone with in the church. One can only speculate.
It must have been very difficult for the Sisters of Saint Joseph to leave Saint Johns knowing that there social work efforts to rehabilitate and educate the inmates were thrown into turmoil by the abusive behaviour of someone within there own church.