Dilworth School of Agriculture Accommodation House (Former)

53s Otara Road, Otara, Manukau, AUCKLAND

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The Dilworth School of Agriculture Accommodation House was constructed in 1917 in an area of rural farmland as part of an agricultural education school for children at a time when agriculture was becoming increasingly significant in the New Zealand economy. At this branch school of the Dilworth Ulster Institute it was the boarding house and domestic building until the branch closed in 1919. Over the subsequent years the place has maintained strong links to agriculture and education with continued use in farming, research, and currently by the Manukau Institute of Technology. The place has historical significance as one of a small number of purpose built agricultural education buildings that reflect the importance of agriculture in New Zealand and is the earliest surviving building associated with the education of children in this field. It has architectural significance in the use of multiple styles that are integrated seamlessly in its design. Originally part of the Fairburn purchase, Lot 5 Parish of Manurewa was part of the Crown grant to William Goodfellow in 1850. Goodfellow farmed the land, naming it Otara farm, and his family lived there until 1910 when they sold the property to the Dilworth Trust. The Trust was formed in 1896 by the will of noted philanthropist James Dilworth to establish a school to educate boys growing up in hardship. The school opened in 1906 at Dilworth’s home in Epsom as a boarding school and the Trustees purchased the Otara property with plans to expand the school. Although plans were made to re-establish the whole school at the new property changing circumstances resulted in a new plan to build the Dilworth Ulster Institute School of Agriculture. The agricultural school opened in 1915 as a boarding school with a model farm under the management of Primrose McConnell. The students had all completed their primary education at the Epsom school and were taught the up-to-date scientific farming methods to prepare them for future work. When the school was initially opened they used the Otara Farm buildings until the Trustees engaged Richard Atkinson Abbott to design buildings that would be substantial and have permanence in accordance with the wishes expressed in Dilworth’s will. Atkinson Abbot designed a number of buildings including the stables, constructed 1916, and the Accommodation House with associated outbuildings, constructed 1917. The Accommodation House is brick and plaster with concrete foundations and a tile roof. The design incorporates elements of Arts and Crafts and Spanish Mission styles. The building comprises four splayed wings around a central two story block with a Spanish Mission inspired tower. One of the wings was originally a dormitory wing while rooms in the other wings and the central block provided accommodation for teachers and service staff as well as rooms required for the day-to-day domestic functioning of the boarding school. The Agricultural school closed in 1919 and in the late 1920s the buildings and grounds were leased to Betham Edwards and later to his daughters Nancy and Marjory. They used the site for a horse stud and lived in the Accommodation House. In 1950 the Dilworth Trust sold the property to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) who converted the Accommodation House into the Otara Research Station. The station was leased to Fertilizer Manufactures’ Research Association (FMRA). The DSIR made some changes to the building during their use of the place, most notably renovating the dormitory wing in 1966 to provide office space and a physical chemical laboratory. In 1987 the Accommodation House and surrounding land was leased to the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and was gazetted in 1990 forming the MIT North Campus. The building was refurbished in 2006 to become the administration building. In 2018 the Accommodation House is still in use for administration and the Executive offices of MIT.

Dilworth School of Agriculture Accommodation House (Former), Otara, Auckland | Alexandra Foster | 11/11/2016 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
Dilworth School of Agriculture Accommodation House (Former), Otara, Auckland | Alexandra Foster | 11/11/2017 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
Dilworth School of Agriculture Accommodation House (Former), Otara, Auckland. Central corridor, looking from north towards south wings | Robyn Byron | 11/11/2017 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Place Category 2

Access

Able to Visit

List Number

9729

Date Entered

5th May 2018

Date of Effect

6th June 2018

City/District Council

Auckland Council

Region

Auckland Council

Extent of List Entry

Extent includes part of the land described as Pt Lots 17-18 DP 24310 (RTs NA86D/104, 583448, NZ Gazette 1990, p.1678), North Auckland Land District, building known as Dilworth School of Agriculture Accommodation House (Former) thereon. It includes the scheduled tree on the land. It excludes the structure known as the Generator building. (Refer to map in Appendix 1 of the List entry report for further information).

Legal description

Pt Lots 17-18 DP 24310 (RTs NA86D/104, 583448, NZ Gazette 1990, p.1678), North Auckland Land District.

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