Island Bay Presbyterian Girls’ and Boys' Homes
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1918 – 1938 cc
Children’s Residential Homes in Island Bay - Pendreigh Brown
Children’s Residential Homes in Island Bay - Pendreigh Brown
Presbyterian, Island Bay Girls’ Home 1918 – 1938 c
Presbyterian, Island Bay Girls’ Home 1918 – 1938 c
The Island Bay Girls’ Home, costing £4,000, was opened in October 1918 with access up from 74 Derwent Street. Forty girls were in residence in 1919, as shown in the annual reports held at Alexander Turnbull Library. Matrons were Miss Lottie Gray (1918 – 1931); Miss Mary Stephenson, Miss Mary Lambie and then Miss May Chisholm followed by her sister Miss Molly Chisholm. The honorary medical officer, Dr Leonard Arthur Line ‘ministered daily to the little patients at the Girls’ Home’ and Miss Lambie’s ‘devoted and efficient nursing’ contributed to happy outcomes when measles broke out in 1937. Ground improvements that included the removal of a hill, were completed in May 1938 and were mostly funded by the Labour Department. This made available an area for more gardens and play areas. A steady decline in admissions during the 1930’s led to the closure of this home and the remaining girls moved back to the Berhampore Home.
From 1939, these buildings were leased, at an annual rent of £416, to the Wellington Hospital Board, as the Island Bay Convalescent Home with beds for 22 patients and Miss Mabel Ellen Brown as matron. These buildings, from 1951 became Kilmarnock, Home for the Aged at 1 Severn Street, Island Bay, for 50 years. Most were demolished in 2007.
Presbyterian Orphanages
Thanks largely to beneficient people, the children in the Presbyterian orphanages have had a wonderful Christmas. On Christmas morning all was excitement, the children entering into the spirit of things. The Christmas dinner was quite complete in all details. This was followed with cordials, and to finish up the 'stockings' filled with all manner of noisemakers, when opened and all joined in the fun. Directly after dinner 'Father Christmas' arrived at the Girls' Home, Island Bay. There was a chorus when he was spied entering the gate, and a nice song of welcome was given by the girls. First presents were cut from the tree and given out; then each child received a bright shilling as well. 'Father Christmas' then proceeded to the Boys' Home at Berhampore, where he again gave out presents to all the boys, followed by a shilling for each child.
Last year the plan of sending the children into the country for a holiday at Christmas time was organised. An appeal was made throughout the Presbyterian Church, with the result that every available child spent the Christmas holidays in the home of interested persons. This year a similar appeal was made, and once again the response proved excellent. Just on one hundred children have been sent afield for the holidays, mostly for a period of four weeks. In this connection the St James's Scout Troop met all expenses incurred in taking sixteen of our Scouts to their camp at Otaki. 'Toe H', too, greatly assisted by taking free of charge six of the biggest boys to their camp at Oyster Bay.
Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 153, 27 December 1929, Page 11
Kilmarnock Rest Home 1951 - 8 May 2007 photo demolished (Large white building in the bottom right)
Matron Farewelled
Miss L Gray, who has been matron of he Presbyterian Girls' Home, Island Bay, for the past thirteen years, and who recently resigned, has been given several pleasant parties prior to her departure for Australia, yesterday.
The old girls, who look upon Miss Gray as their mother met to express their gratitude for all she has done for them, and presented her with a clock, and the junior girls now resident at the home presented her with a leather handbag. The Presbyterian and social service committee presented her with a rug, case and hat box in recognition.
A number of women interested in social service work met on Thursday to farewell Miss Gray.
Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 196, 16 May 1931, Page 16
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