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South Australia - Organisation

Kennion House (1955 - 1982)

  • Boy's Home, Walkerville

    Boy's Home, Walkerville, c. 1930, courtesy of State Library of South Australia.
    Details

From
1955
To
1982
Categories
Anglican, Home and Protestant
Alternative Names
  • Church of England Boys' Home (Also known as)

Kennion House was the new informal name given to The Church of England Boys' Home in 1955. The Home took in only boys until 1976 when girls were also admitted. During the 1960s a number of Aboriginal boys from the Northern Territory were admitted. It was run by an independent management committee that reported to the Diocese of Adelaide until 1978, when the Anglican Child Care Services Committee took over management. Kennion House closed in 1982.

Details

Kennion House was the new name given to The Church of England Boys' Home in 1955. The name had been suggested a number of times by the Home Chaplain and it was given to the Home in an attempt to move away from its institutional image. Although, for official purposes, the incorporated name of the Home did not change, from 1955, it was always referred to as Kennion House.

Kennion House continued to provide accommodation for boys until they left school. Younger boys attended St Andrews School and then Walkerville Primary School. Older boys mostly went on to Nailsworth Technical School.

In 1955 a new superintendent, Ivor Snaith, and his wife were appointed to the Home, remaining until 1969. Trained in social work and coming from direct experience working with boys in England, Snaith began to change the institutional tone of the Home. Large tables in the dining hall were replaced with smaller ones and staff, instead of eating separately as they had in the past, shared meals with the boys. Boys were encouraged to participate in sport and an oval was established. Pets were introduced and involvement in outside activities in the community was supported. Snaith also worked to strengthen the relationships between boys and their parents, where it was deemed to be in their best interests. He also organised joint film nights with girls from Farr House in an effort to bring separated siblings into contact with each other. During the 1960s a number of Aboriginal boys from the Northern Territory were placed at the Home as part of an arrangement made with the Northern Territory Welfare Branch.

In 1975 Kennion House, like all other non-government institutions, entered into an agreement with the Department for Community Welfare and began to receive a government subsidy and funding to employ a social worker.

From 1976 Kennion House began to admit girls, primarily the sisters of boys already in residence. In the later 1970s the Home began to shift residents into cottage style care. Eventually the original superintendent's house became Smith Street Cottage, the annexe became Garden Cottage and the deputy superintendent's house became known as Fuller Street Cottage.

In 1978, management of the Home transferred from the Kennion House management committee to the Anglican Child Care Services Committee.

In 1982 Kennion House closed and the property was sold to St Andrews Primary School.

Location

1955 - 1982
Address - Kennion House was situated at 11 Smith Street, Walkerville. Location: Walkerville

Timeline

 1886 - 1904 The Children's Home at Walkerville
       1903 - 1955 The Church of England Boys' Home at Walkerville
             1955 - 1982 Kennion House

Related Archival Collections

Related Glossary Terms

Related Organisations

  • Farr Cottage (1982 - 1996?)

    Farr Cottage was located on the site of Kennion House at Walkerville

  • Fuller Street Cottage (1976? - 1982)

    The deputy superintendent's house at Kennion House was turned into Fuller Street Cottage when Kennion House began changing to Cottage style care in the mid to late 1970s.

  • Garden Cottage (1976 - 1984)

    The annexe of Kennion House was turned into Garden Cottage when Kennion House began changing to Cottage style care in the mid to late 1970s.

  • Smith Street Cottage (1976 - 1984)

    The superintendent's house at Kennion House was turned into Smith Street Cottage when Kennion House began changing to Cottage style care in the mid to late 1970s.

Publications

Books

  • Bleby, Elizabeth, Kennion House: A hundred years of children, Anglican Child Care Services, Prospect, 1986. Details
  • Dickey, Brian, Giving a hand: A history of Anglicare SA since 1860, Anglicare SA, Adelaide, 2003. Details

Online Resources

Photos

Boy's Home, Walkerville
Title
Boy's Home, Walkerville
Type
Image
Date
c. 1930
Source
State Library of South Australia

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Boy's Home, Walkerville [Image], Date: c. 1930; George, Karen, Finding your own way, Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia Inc., 2005, http://nunku.org.au/resources/; Bleby, Elizabeth, Church of England Welfare Services in South Australia, Unpublished typescript, Anglican Archives, July 1980.

Prepared by: Karen George and Gary George