St Joseph’s School (125 Church Street)

A convent school for the Catholic population of Onehunga was established in 1864 in a double-unit Fencible cottage on Church Street. The teaching staff slept in the attic. The current St Joseph’s School was opened in 1924, initially able to cater for 250 children. In 1877, Father Paul applied to the Onehunga Borough Council for permission to set up a telegraph line along the southern side of Church Street to teach the children the newly-adopted Morse Code. The Councillors gave permission so long as they wouldn’t be held responsible if anybody died of an electric shock.

Continue along Church Street and then turn right onto Spring Street. Continue along Spring Street.