Methodist Children's Home

The Methodist Children’s Home opened in 1905 at Largs Bay. Run by the Adelaide Central Methodist Mission, it initially provided accommodation for 10 to 12 children. In 1911 the Home moved to site at Magill and Greenslade Home was built and opened in 1912. In 1921 a second building, Roberts Home, opened to provide accommodation for boys aged 9 to 13. Greenslade then took in girls and younger boys. From 1924, when further buildings were added the institution became known as the Methodist Children’s Homes.

The Methodist Children’s Home opened in 1905 in a six roomed cottage in Havelock Street, Largs Bay. According to a history of the Adelaide Central Mission, this original cottage at Largs Bay was donated to the Methodist church by Mr and Mrs J P Roberts. After reading an article about children in need in the Central Mission News, they donated their holiday home at Largs Bay to be used for residential care. The Home officially opened on 10 February 1905 with Matron Miss P. Stephenson in charge.

The 1910 Annual report of the Adelaide Central Methodist Mission Children’s Home provided the following information about the placement of children in the Home:

All the admissions have been cases of real distress; children sometimes taken to relieve parents too ill to attend to their households, or at other times admitted because they are orphans or in want of the necessities of life. The ‘cots’ have been constantly occupied, and at present are still full, there being 10 children in residence.

In a newspaper article written at the time of the opening of the Home, it was noted that:

The present home is only intended as the nucleus of a more elaborate system which is in contemplation.

In 1911 the Mission appointed a sub-committee to find a suitable property for extending the work of the Home. When no appropriate building could be found, the committee made the decision to buy land instead and erect a purpose built facility. That same year the Methodist Church purchased six acres of land at Magill and began building. On 7 December 1912 Greenslade Home opened.

In 1921 a further building was added to the property know as Roberts Home. This new premises accommodated boys between the ages of 9 and 13. Greenslade Home was then used for younger boys and girls of all ages. From 1924 new buildings were added to the property and the institution became known as the Methodist Children’s Homes.