The woman of North East Valley, Dunedin, who adopted unwanted babies

An innocuous advertisement in The Evening Star on December 27, 1879 hides a tragic tale. Photo / Supplied

It was an innocent advertisement, tucked between a "for sale" listing and dressmakers.

But behind the black and white pages of the 1879 newspaper lay a dark tale of greed and neglect.

Children adopted, moderate premium, read an ad in The Evening Star.

The year was 1879 and the woman advertising was Mrs Myra Smith, who lived at the "first house down Port Chalmers road".

Was this a charitable enterprise caring for unwanted children? Or something more sinister.

Dunedin historian Gregor Campbell researched archived newspapers and council records to discover the story behind Smith's innocuous ad.

Smith lived in Calder St in North East Valley, and for many years took in babies from unwanted pregnancies.

Historian Gregor Campbell inspects an unmarked grave in the Southern Cemetery where Percy Henderson is buried. Photo / Supplied

"The best way to maintain your reputation, if you gave birth to an illegitimate child was for you, or your parents, to give the child up," Campbell said.

For many years Smith was in the baby-farming business, taking in unwanted babies for a fee.

"Some baby farmers took a lump sum and some took a monthly or an annual sum to look after the children and basically to take care of the embarrassment," Campbell said.

The ugly truth of Smith's enterprise was laid bare in November 1890, when police raided her house. As a result, she was charged with ill-treating and neglecting two children in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering and injury to health.

The Evening Star described shocking evidence given by police at her trial.

Constable Walker said police found four germ-ridden and emaciated babies between the ages of 12 months and 3 years, as well as a 12-year-old boy covered in bruises.
The clothes on all the children were stinking and the boy was black and blue from "scalds" all over his body, Walker said.

The room was in a filthy condition and the stench was "unbearable and sickening".

Sergeant Major John Bevin said there was a burial from Smith's house about four months before their visit and four children had died in the previous two years. One of the babies who likely died in the care of Smith was Percy Henderson.

He died on May 29, 1889, only two days after Smith had put a notice in The Evening Star that said ELLEN HENDERSON — Call immediately; Percy seriously ill.

At the sentencing of Smith on November 6, 1890, Magistrate Edgar Carew said if she had been tried before the Supreme Court she could have been sent to prison for two years and fined £200.

However, because she was brought before him for conviction in a summary way, the most punishment he could inflict was three months' imprisonment with hard labour.

Because there were no previous convictions, the sentences were concurrent.

WHAT PRICE FOR A CHILD?

The Ashburton Guardian reported in 1890 that evidence submitted during prosecutions showed Smith accepted a lump sum of £3 or £4 to adopt a child.

Using the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's inflation calculator, £4 in 1890 equates to about $1160 dollars in 2022.