Friends of the Orphan Schools,
St John's Park Precinct

The Friends of the Orphan School and St. John’s Park Precinct has been formed, under the umbrella of National Trust (Tasmania), to highlight the importance of this nationally significant heritage site. The group aims to:

• raise awareness of the historical importance of the precinct and the need for conservation
• conduct research into the history and heritage significance of the site
• encourage the development of a Conservation Management Plan
• work towards listing on the National Heritage Register.

To support this project and receive information on progress throughout the year become a Member of the Friends of the Orphan School and St. John's Park Precinct ($10 a person per year).

(Contact details below)

The Orphan School and St. John’s Park Precinct is a heritage site of national significance. The land was originally granted to William Nicholls and purchased by Edward Foord Bromley, Naval Officer at Hobart Town in 1820.

The Gatehouse, St John's Avenue

In 1830 Lieutenant-Governor Arthur commissioned John Lee Archer, notable colonial architect, to design the Orphan School. Construction took place between 1831-1833.

The free settler women of the Princess Royal were temporarily accommodated on the site when their ship was stranded in 1833.

Between 1833-1879, the Orphan School housed destitute and orphaned children, including Aboriginal children and the children of convicts.

St. John’s Church, also designed by John Lee Archer, was built in 1834 to serve the Orphan School and the parish of New Town. Unusual features including

• Orphan Gallery
• Convict Gallery
• original 1828 tower clock, built in London
• magnificent acoustics
• 1896 William Hill organ - one of the finest organs in Tasmania.

St John's Church tower

In the 1830s the Church of England Parsonage, again designed by John Lee Archer, and the Church Hall were constructed.

For the next 180 years the site continued to grow:

• 1835 General Cemetery - the only remaining monument is to Matthew Forster, Chief Police Magistrate (d. 1846)
• 1840s Gatehouses in St John’s Avenue designed by convict architect James Blackburn
• 1852 Roman Catholic Cemetery
• 1862 Infant Orphan School
• 1874 pauper women from Cascades Depot relocated to Infant Orphan School building
• 1879 Orphan Schools closed & building used for the Male Division of the New Town Charitable Institution (for the destitute and invalids)

St John's Avenue, New Town, Tasmania

• 1896 Boys Training School opened Closed 1922 & building demolished 1960s
• 1897 Black oaks, Quercus sp., planted along St. John’s Avenue
• 1936 name changed from 'New Town Rest Home' to 'St John’s Park'
• 1939 Gellibrand House built for war veterans and Wingfield for children with infantile paralysis
• 1954 Woodhouse for the elderly with dementia
• 1961 Karingal 'Mental Defectives Block' and the Bruce Carruthers Wing built
• 1962 Relocation of headstones to Cornelian Bay Cemetery commenced
• 1968 Clive Hamilton School for 'geriatric nursing training' opened
• 1970s St John’s Park Garden Wards built
• 1994 St John’s Park closed and Southern Cross Care, Rosary Gardens aged care facility opened.

The Parsonage

Since 1833, the site has been continually used for the care of people in need

Contact Details

General:
Friends of the Orphan Schools, St. John's Park Precinct
PO Box 461
North Hobart TAS 7002
Tel: (03) 6285 2654
email: secretary@orphanschool.org.au
website: http://www.orphanschool.org.au/index.htm

Membership enquiries to:
The Treasurer
PO Box 461
North Hobart TAS 7002
email: treasurer@orphanschool.org.au
website: http://www.orphanschool.org.au/index.htm