Archibald House

Archibald House, in New Farm, was a Presbyterian and Methodist Hostel for girls and young women. It was run by the Presbyterian and Methodist Church Council and opened in 1930. A closing date has not been determined, however it was still in operation in 1958.

The two-storied timber home, known as ‘Glenugie’, was donated to the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches by the Archibald Family. The hostel was established in 1930 to provide board and residence to girls and young women from the country for a low fee. The 1958 Directory of Social Services, Queensland, describes single rooms, double rooms, or dormitories as the available accommodation for residents. Archibald House could provide accommodation for up to 36 residents.

When the W. R. Black home was evacuated during World War II, the older girls were sent to Archibald House. If there were no family members to take them in when they reached working age, they remained under the care of the Home Committee until they turned 21.

Presbyterian church records indicate that older girls from the Church-run ‘out-of-care’ institutions were sent to Archibald house to board in the 1940s. It became a permanent home for those girls working in Brisbane.

A closing date for Archibald House has not yet been determined. It is not mentioned in the 1968 Directory of Social Services, Queensland. Find & Connect received an email from someone who stayed there in the early 1970s, while she was attending teachers college. She states that at that time there were single rooms, double rooms and a dormitory for the 15 year olds, and it was run by the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. It is not known whether Archibald House at that time was still accommodating young women from children’s Homes.