Flock House Remembered

We are a small committee which works to preserve information and memories of the Flock House farm training school in the Rangitikei District which operated between 1924-1988. 

Flock House opened in the wake of WW1, funded by NZ wool industry profits made possible in large part by the efforts of the mercantile marine which transported key war-time commodities such as wool, and the Royal Navy which protected the merchant navy. 

The resulting fund, which initially made donations to families of fallen seamen, was used to purchase a large homestead and land, 14km from Bulls. This was converted to a school and teenage sons of British sailors who were killed or maimed were brought to NZ to learn all facets of farming. Later, a house and property were purchased in Palmerston North for daughters to learn domestic skills. In excess of 750 British teens came to NZ under this scheme. 

The effects of depression years and WW2 saw the school opened to NZ students, and across 50 years 2,400 went through. Flock House became the Rolls-Royce of agricultural training, emulated across the Commonwealth. The removal of Government subsidies in 1988 brought about its closure. 
Flock House still stands and is a registered historic place, but is under private ownership, in a poor state and unable to be visited. The girls’ Flock House burned down in the 1950s.

In July 2024 we ran a successful commemorative event for the 100-year anniversary of when Flock House opened. Held in locations across Manawatu and Rangitikei, the 300 attendees were made up of descendants of the early British teens, as well as ex-students and staff from the subsequent years.