New Zealand Ghosts & Other Haunts

"The Costley Institute Richmond Road, Ponsonby. Under the will ( a very wealthy man) of the late Mr. Edward Costley ( born 1794 in Austin Texas died 18-04-1883 aged 89 ), one-seventh part of his estate was bequeathed to the Kohimarama Training School, and the amount, £12,150, was handed over to three trustees nominated by the executors ( also donating money to 7 other organizations, giving buildings and money to the Auckland Museum, Hospital and Art Gallery). No special conditions were, however, imposed, and as the Kohimarama Training School had ceased to exist (children from Kohimarama school were selected for the school on Richmond Road otherwise known as the Auckland Institute perhaps?), the trustees recommended that an institution should be established to take charge of boys and girls from the Industrial Schools of the district, when they reached the age at which they were sent out into the world to earn their own living. This recommendation met with the approbation of Sir Robert Stout, then Premier of the Colony, and he caused a Bill to be prepared for the purpose. The Bill was passed by the Legislature without opposition, and was styled “The Costley Training Institution Act, 1885.” It empowered the trustees “to apply a sum of money in the purchase of a site in or near the city of Auckland, and in the erection and furnishing of buildings thereon; to select a certain number of boys and girls of ages fit to be apprenticed, being inmates of the schools established under the Industrial Schools Act, 1882, in or near the city of Auckland, and to apprentice such boys to suitable trades; in maintaining such boys at the institution until they were capable of being left to their own control; and in providing the girls with domestic service or other suitable employment.” With this authority the trustees commenced operations and selected the present site, for which they paid £1025. They erected the buildings at a cost of £2830, and expended a further sum of £703 in furnishing the house and improving the grounds. Under the will of the late Mrs Rebecca Hodge, a further endowment of £672 has been made for girls in charge of the institution. As each lad is apprenticed out a portion of his wages, not exceeding 9s per week, is used for his maintenance, while the balance is placed in the Savings Bank to his credit. The income derived from the investment of capital is about £500 a year, and when all the boys are placed out at work, and are all earning something, the income at the disposal of the institution will admit of a larger number being taken in charge; the trustees, therefore, look forward to an extension of the buildings at no distant date. The boys not at work attend the nearest Government school, and there is also an evening school. On Sunday they attend Divine service and Sunday school. Auckland has every reason to feel proud of the solid and excellent work which is being done at the Costley Institute, in rearing up, as useful citizens, lads who otherwise might have proved a source of danger and expense to the community. Concerning the capable management of the institution by Mr. and Mrs Hendre, a high Church dignitary, on visiting the place recently, paid a well-deserved compliment by saying, “Well, it is like a man-of-war." Not to be confused with Costley Home in Greenlane. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-C ... 1-d26.html

Manager of the Costley Training Institute, Richmond Road, Auckland, was born at Clinton, New York.
America, in 1850, and was educated at Brockville, Ontario. On leaving school he started in the timber trade, and for a number of years carried on an extensive timber business in Southern Texas. Mr. Hendre came to Auckland in 1889, and engaged in various pursuits, principally shipping. In 1887 changes were made in the management of the Costley Training Institute, and Mr. Hendre was chosen superintendent from a very large number of applicants. He has personal qualifications, such as firmness of character and kindness of disposition, which eminently fit him for the successful management of boys. During the period of his residence in Auckland previous to his present appointment, Mr. Hendre was prominent in political and social matters. He was connected with the various trades and labour councils, and was for a considerable time secretary to the Knights of Labour.

Costley Training Institution Act 1885

http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cach ... l=en&gl=nz


Costly Training Home To Be Closed 24 Dec 1908

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... 81224.2.23

(2nd article)

1905- Mrs Hendre, who has just retired from the matronship of the Costley Training Institution in Richmond Road, is a clever american lady whom made her appearance in Auckland just at the time when the woman's vote became a power in the land.At once she jumped to the forefront of the woman's associations, and became a political force.Afterwards Mrs Hendre became secretary of the Tailoresse's Union, when they were fighting the claims of the girls before the Arbitration Court, and in conjunction with Mr W Jennings, now member of Egmont, secured for them a considerable improvement in their conditions of employment.She ended her political career and Mrs Gibbons took her place.

Mr William Hendre was succeeded by Mr Frederick Evison Gibbons to the mastership of the Costley Institution, has had a varied and large experience of teaching, both as a master and private tutor, and former pupils lay stress upon his kindly patience and painstaking method,qualities that will be of considerable
service to him at the Institution. He was educated at the famous Uppingham School, England, and besides school teaching has dabbled into a considerable extent in journalism and scientific pursuits.


http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... 1----0-all

Great work, wonderful information. Thank-you

An interesting article about the welfare of NZ youth in the early 1900's in which Mrs Hendre is also mentioned. This gives you some idea of the "atmosphere" of the "industrial" home perhaps, how the youth were viewed and cared for (The Infant Life Protection Act etc) and their background and history which is actually quite sad I dont think I would have liked to have been an orphan or what have you in these times.
Perhaps the boys were not treated so well. This article discusses the use of the "inmates" of boys to carry out menial tasks etc in the community in order to save money etc.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... 1----0-all

I used to live just down the road from this place.

Also known as Carlile House, the former children's home in Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn. It has been owned by a Tongan church for the past 30 years or so, but has been boarded up for a couple of years at least. It's on the council heritage list. It has category A protection on the council's heritage list.

It was built in 1866, the first purpose-built orphanage in Auckland, for "boys of good character". Trust money provided by Sir John Logan Campbell helped with the building, which was later used as a live-in training institute for boys.

The council's heritage manager, Nicola Short, says it has been working with the United Church of Tonga, the owner of Carlile House, for over five years in an attempt to get some restoration or even maintenance under way.The council would like to see the building's heritage respected, and has a conservation plan on file, but the Church appears to be either unwilling or unable to undertake such a large project. There are grants available to help with this, and the first task would be to weatherproof the building to prevent further deterioration. Because the building is protected, it cannot be pulled down.Local legend has it that there was a fatal fire in the home killing a large number of children and it is haunted by the ghost of a nurse bewailing her lost children.

I have been tapping into the energy of this place and learning even more about it and it is amazing. Thanks to a friend who also helped me find this information

Boys from the Costley Home on Motutapu Island.



See a large copy here (it was too big to upload)

http://timeframes.natlib.govt.nz/logicr ... age_object.

I am pretty sure these boys are from the Richmond Road home but there seem to be a few schools/homes that Costly was affiliated with so I am not 100% sure?

Well, I went to Carlile House on Saturday and suffice to say I'm gobsmacked. It was so much better to see it in reality than just the photos.

I took some photos and I can see something unexplainable in the windows on the 'Deo Juvante' photo and on the photo of the front right hand side of the house, I need someone else to look at these photos and tell me Im not crazy lol .

Very nice! I was thinking of going there myself on Saturday - fancy that! We might have bumped into one another. Im not sure all your photos are being displayed- I only see 2 photos. It would be lovely to have a look inside, take some photos and audio recordings. What is it you think see in the photo you took?

The place has such a presence about it- the children. I could not find any information about a fire- I would love to know more.

Great photographs, thank-you. I will have to go through all the Carlile House posts and put them all together.