Without a male breadwinner: “deserted wives” seeking poor relief from the Destitute Board, Adelaide, South Australia, 1855-1856

Abstract

When destitution reached its peak in South Australia in 1855-1856, “deserted wives” became the focus of the Destitute Board, Adelaide’s attention. Left behind by their husbands in favour of the Victorian gold diggings, these women were subsequently publicly censured in the government and national press. The present study sought to establish a demographic and destitution sketch of these destitute women and their families; to explore the factors that influenced their destitution; and, to discover what happened to them after the mid-1850s. The usefulness of the Destitute Board’s admissions register for genealogists was also evaluated. Using matched record linkage and family reconstitution methods, evidence was found that challenges the Destitute Board’s discourse. Only about one-half of absent fathers were recorded at the gold diggings, while about one-third of families experienced temporary desertion. Examination of these findings within the social and economic contexts of the period offers a unique view of the deserted families and provides a useful foundation for further research. Evaluation of the Destitute Board’s admissions register demonstrates its value to the genealogical community, despite a few limitations.