Remembering Migration through Personal Papers: The Lena Santospirito Collection

Abstract

Lena Santospirito is remembered for her years of welfare work within the Italo-Australian community, particularly during her time as President of the Archbishop's Committee for Italian Relief (c.1946-1955). The Santospirito Collection contains valuable evidence of Italo-Australian community life in post-war Melbourne. The Archbishop's Committee was established by the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Daniel Mannix, in 1940 to raise funds for and provide services to the needy within the Italo-Australian community. Initially, the Committee worked for Italian internees and their families. After the War, when numbers of Italians migrating to Australia rapidly increased, the Committee provided 'after-care' services to hundreds of Italian migrants, including help finding employment and housing, lending money, and organising social and cultural activities.