Clilton House School

Chilton House School - Marion Findlay

First published in Ngā Ākau ki te Tonga Southern Bays number 3 2007

Chilton House Schoool was a private school for girls founded by Miss Annie Freeman in 1897. It was a boarding and day school, with both primary and secondary students. Initially classes were held in a house on Ellice Street but after two terms the students moved to a larger building at 255 The Terrace, in Wellington City. (This house burnt down in 1946.)

In 1926 the school required larger premises, so a house was purchased at 144 Derwent Street in Island Bay. Initially this house was the living quarters of the boarders and on 9 April 1927 the hostel was officially opened by Hon R A Wright, Minister of Education. For a short time the boarders commuted daily to The Terrace building for their lessons, and in 1928 some classes were held in the Island Bay Masonic Hall pending the completion of new classrooms, which were being built beside the boarding hostel. The foundation stone of the new school at the northern end of Milne Terrace was laid on 8 October 1928 by Sir James Allen and the new classrooms were officially opened on 24 April 1929 by the Minister of Education, Hon Harry Armore. The school experienced financial difficulties in 1930 and closed at the end of the year. Its goodwill and memorabilia were purchased in 1931 by Chilton St James School, Lower Hutt, with whom it had had a close association.

Photographs show that the house at 144 Derwent Street was a large handsome bungalow with a turret and wrought-iron lace on balconies and verandahs. It was probably built in the 1890's and can be seen in photographs from the S C Smith Collection dated 1909 - 1912. Situated well above Derwent Street with a fine view out over the bay, its acccess was a long drive winding up from Derwent Street through bush and pine trees. As Kellsmere Crescent now begins between numbers 140 and 146 Derwent Street it appears that at least part of the street overlays the old drive. Access from Derwent Street or Kellsmere Crescent to the site of the building at 144 Derwent Street has been blocked by subsequent construction. The old boarding hostel has vanished and it is said that it burnt down, though the date is not recorded. The classroom block remained empty for sometime before being remodelled and used as the crow's nest Cabaret in the 1930's. The building still exists as apartments at the north-eastern end of Milne Terrace.