Ferndale House is a 19th-century house in Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand, which is listed by Heritage New Zealand as a Category II structure. The house was built in the 1860s for the Garlick family, major figures in the Methodist community in Mount Albert, later becoming a hub for the

Plunket Society The Royal New Zealand Plunket Trust provides a range of free services aimed at improving the development, health and wellbeing of children under the age of five within New Zealand, where it is commonly known simply as Plunket. Its mission is "t ...

in the 1940s and a community centre.

History

The land where the house lies was bought by pioneer Robert Hunt in 1845. In 1865, Anne Garlick and her husband, Jonathan Tonson Garlick wed and purchased land on Hunt's former section along

New North Road New North Road may refer to: * New North Road, Islington, a road in London * New North Road, New Zealand, a road in Auckland {{geodis ...

, together having five children. Their home was a small cottage on the site, which they called Fern Villa. The Garlicks were central figures in the Methodist community of Mount Albert, regularly hosting major social events in their home. In 1870, the house was greatly enlarged, and by 1881 the family had decided to rename their home Ferndale. The Garlick family allowed many local clubs and institutions to operate from their home. In November 1894, the Mt Albert Lawn Tennis Club formed at Ferndale, followed by a bowling club in 1897, and during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

and World War II, the Ferndale Women's Club regularly hosted social events at Ferndale. In 1947, Anne Garlick died, after which the

and local play centre groups lobbied the Mount Albert Borough Council to purchase the house, so that it would continue to be used as a community space. The council agreed, and the Ferndale House was opened on 17 September 1947. The house was restored in the 1980s, during which Plunket and the kindergarten were rehoused. The house was formally reopened on 22 June 1985. The

Auckland Council Auckland Council ( mi, Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau) is the local government council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority that has the responsibilities, duties and powers of a regional council and so is ...

operates the house as a community venue, and Ferndale Kindergarten operates from the grounds of the Ferndale House.

References

Bibliography

External links

{{Albert-Eden Local Board Area 1860s architecture in New Zealand Albert-Eden Local Board Area Heritage New Zealand Category 2 historic places in the Auckland Region Historic homes in New Zealand Wooden buildings and structures in New Zealand