Flock House
Encyclopedia
Flock House was an agricultural and farm training school in Bulls
, Rangitikei District
, New Zealand
from 1924 until 1987.
From 1924 to 1937 sons of British seamen that had been killed or wounded during World War I
were brought over, trained at Flock House, and placed on farms in New Zealand, to start a new life. From 1937 to 1987 New Zealand nationals were trained at the school.
The complex was used by private owners since 1987 as a conference facility.
in 1908, as a three-storey residence for Lyn McKelvie, and is now under the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
. The building has an 'L' shaped plan, and early elements of the Arts and Crafts style that became popular in New Zealand in the 1930s. McKelvie was the owner of an estate of over 3000 acres (12.1 km²). The property, including the Homestead was sold in 1923 to the was sold to the Fund, that would use it as an agricultural training farm from then on.
By 1924, the Fund purchased Flock House Farm in Bulls, Rangitikei, with the intention of bringing dependents to New Zealand, teaching them the basics of farming at Flock House, then placing them on farms around New Zealand. Between 1924 and 1937 a total of over 600 dependents were brought over, trained and placed on farms.
In 1937 the Government negotiated the purchase of the farm and re-focused training towards New Zealand nationals.
From 1969 to 1983 the Principal of Flock House was J.J. Stewart (the rugby coach).
In 1988 the facility was closed. By that time, more than 3,000 students had been successfully trained.
In early 2010 the site was used to host Campus A Low Hum
, an alternative music festival over Wellington Anniversary Weekend.
Bulls, New Zealand
Bulls is a small town near Palmerston North on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is in a thriving farming area in the Rangitikei District at the junction of State Highways 1 and 3 about 160 kilometres north of Wellington...
, Rangitikei District
Rangitikei District
The Rangitikei District is a Territorial Authority located primarily in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region in the North Island of New Zealand, although a small part, the town of Ngamatea , of it lies in the Hawke's Bay Region...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
from 1924 until 1987.
From 1924 to 1937 sons of British seamen that had been killed or wounded during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
were brought over, trained at Flock House, and placed on farms in New Zealand, to start a new life. From 1937 to 1987 New Zealand nationals were trained at the school.
The complex was used by private owners since 1987 as a conference facility.
The building
Flock House is located at 1427 Parewanui Road, Parewanui, 14 km out of Bulls. The homestead was built by Russell & Bignell Ltd.Arthur Bignell
Arthur Bignell was Mayor of Wanganui from 1904 - 1906, and a notable builder in Oamaru, the West Coast, Wanganui and the Rangitikei district.-Family & Emigration:...
in 1908, as a three-storey residence for Lyn McKelvie, and is now under the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
. The building has an 'L' shaped plan, and early elements of the Arts and Crafts style that became popular in New Zealand in the 1930s. McKelvie was the owner of an estate of over 3000 acres (12.1 km²). The property, including the Homestead was sold in 1923 to the was sold to the Fund, that would use it as an agricultural training farm from then on.
History of the school
Following the First World War, Edward Newman, Member of Parliament for Rangitikei, proposed that sheep farmers in New Zealand should acknowledge a "debt" to the British Royal and Mercantile Navy. These seamen had kept the shipping lanes open enabling New Zealand's wool-clip to be sent to England. The New Zealand Farmers Union established the "New Zealand Sheep Owners Acknowledgement of Debt to British Seamen Fund", from farmers' wool-clip earnings and from 1921 funds were distributed to dependents in England.By 1924, the Fund purchased Flock House Farm in Bulls, Rangitikei, with the intention of bringing dependents to New Zealand, teaching them the basics of farming at Flock House, then placing them on farms around New Zealand. Between 1924 and 1937 a total of over 600 dependents were brought over, trained and placed on farms.
In 1937 the Government negotiated the purchase of the farm and re-focused training towards New Zealand nationals.
From 1969 to 1983 the Principal of Flock House was J.J. Stewart (the rugby coach).
In 1988 the facility was closed. By that time, more than 3,000 students had been successfully trained.
In early 2010 the site was used to host Campus A Low Hum
A Low Hum
A Low Hum is the on-going project founded by photographer and music impresario Blink , and is based in Wellington, New Zealand. Under the umbrella A LOW HUM, Blink organises tours, releases records, makes music videos, organises one-off events/festivals and publishes magazines & books...
, an alternative music festival over Wellington Anniversary Weekend.