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THORNDON AN HISTORICAL TOUR AROUND

18 17 HILL STREET Suzanne Aubert’s T C 19 Wellington Railway Station TE -A-TARAE TINAKORI ROAD Beehive & Parliament Buildings BOWEN STREET

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O QUAY JERVOIS N A 13 TR A D L WILLIS STREET S U P 16 15 Civic E Square Te Papa Tongawera ORIENTAL Museum of 12 IN BAY H A WAKEFIELD STREET U

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DIXON STREET Waitangi 9 Park NORIENTAL PARADE ORIENTAL BAY ROSENEATH

VICTORIA STREET GHUZNEE STREET WILLIS STREET COURTENAY PLACE 11 T D ALLEN ST.

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1 MAJORIBANKS STREET VIVIAN CUBASTREET STREET TENNYSON STREET TARANAKI STREET 10 ARO STREET LORNE STREET

ABEL SMITH STREET KENT TERRACE WIGAN STREET ELIZABETH STREET K COLLEGE STREET 1 A FREDERICK STREET R O VIVIAN STREET CAMBRIDGE TERRACE MT VICTORIA D HAINING STREET RI VE

C T WEBB STREET R [former site] 5 6 E T BUCKLE STREET 7 2 3 KENT TERRACE 4

Massey 6 HATAITAI University Basin Reserve RUGBY STREET

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Berhampore Golf Course THE PARADE

31 27 26 ISLANDET BAY

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24 32 23 29 21 MURRAY ST. TR 28 DEE STREET S 30 E DANUBE ST.

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RHINE ST. 2 Rhine Street, Island Bay Suzanne Aubert (1835–1926), founder of the Sisters of Compassion.

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WELLINGTON’S WOMAN IN JANUARY 1899, Suzanne Aubert and three Home of Compassion realised and where her practical Christianity shone so brilliantly. She Nowhere is Suzanne Aubert honoured more than in Wellington. When Sisters arrived in Wellington, with two shillings and sixpence between and her Sisters became well-known and loved around the city, as they she died in 1926, at the age of 91, the city stopped its ordinary business, them. They immediately set about establishing works of charity that pushed their baskets on wheels to collect food and clothing for the the courts adjourned to honour her. Thousands lined Willis Street and would win the loyalty and admiration of Wellingtonians from all poor. Suzanne was also a raconteur and master-influencer, winning Boulcott Street to pay their respects. This tour is an opportunity to backgrounds and strata of society. Wellington was Suzanne Aubert’s the support of the governor-general of the day, as well as Wellington’s follow in the footsteps of this remarkable woman around Wellington, city. This was the city where her pioneering vision was most fully politicians and community leaders, for her ambitious projects. and appreciate just what a life of faith and compassion can achieve.

1 FIRST ARRIVAL 2 BUCKLE STREET 3 HOME FOR INCURABLES 4 NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST 5 SOUP KITCHEN 6 ST ’S CHURCH When Suzanne Aubert arrived in Now walk up Cambridge/Kent Terrace In 1900 Suzanne established the first CRECHE In 1901 Suzanne set up a Soup Kitchen in Suzanne’s first parish church – St Joseph’s Wellington in 1899, she disembarked to Buckle Street nearby. This is the Home for Incurables in Wellington, Another house on Buckle Street was Buckle Street. It was a humble dwelling Church – used to stand on the corner of at the Te Aro Railway Station, situated route that Suzanne Aubert and her catering for elderly men suffering from used as a crèche, which enabled women – simply a porch adjoining the main Buckle and Tory Streets. This was an eye- at the foot of Kent and Cambridge companions followed when they turned chronic and degenerative conditions who to have their children looked after while kitchen, with a hatch between. The Soup catching landmark in its day, but sadly Terrace near what is now the Courtenay up unannounced one evening to stay had nowhere else to go. At one stage her they worked. This was New Zealand’s Kitchen was for men who had come to it is long gone. A modern St Joseph’s Place bus stop. At that time, the Te Aro with a friend in Sussex Square. The next property extended down Buckle Street to first-ever creche and took in up to 34 the city for casual work on the wharves, Church now stands adjacent to the Mt Station was near the waterfront. Apart morning they took possession of their Cambridge Terrace. One of the houses children. Women were able to leave their but much of their time was spent Victoria tunnel, just a short walk from from one break when she was overseas, cottage at 22 Buckle Street. This cottage was used as a home for disabled children, children in the Sisters’ care between 7 unemployed. Suzanne couldn’t bear the Buckle Street. This spectacular church Suzanne would spend the rest of her life has since been demolished. Though and another was the Novitiate for the a.m. and 6 p.m. The first building was thought of anyone going hungry, so she is well worth visiting. At the wish of the in Wellington. Suzanne only rented the house in the formation of Sisters of Compassion. demolished and replaced with a purpose- opened a place where hot soup could parishioners, a beautiful chapel in the beginning, she was soon able to buy it, built crèche in 1914. This building was be obtained morning and evening. The new Church was dedicated to Suzanne as well as some adjoining houses. It was restored in 2014-2015 and now occupies Soup Kitchen was eventually moved into Aubert to acknowledge her care for the right here that Suzanne’s amazing vision a prime position in Pukeahu National another building, and operates to this day “sick poor” in the Te Aro area. and mission in Wellington took off. War Memorial Park. from upper Tory Street.

7 ST PATRICK’S COLLEGE, 8 GOVERNMENT HOUSE 9 ORIENTAL BAY 10 TORY STREET 11 WILLIS STREET 12 TOWN HALL, CUBA CAMBRIDGE TERRACE If you stand outside the restored crèche Oriental Bay is a must-see destination Suzanne and the Sisters were a very The Sisters’ prams came from nearby. STREET Through the back fence from Suzanne’s in Pukeahu National War Memorial Park for every visitor to Wellington. This was visible part of Wellington life. Walk down Mr. Edwin Arnold used to have a cane- Suzanne Aubert and her Sisters would properties was the grand, multi-storied and look across the Basin Reserve, you where Suzanne once saved the lives of Tory Street and imagine them wheeling maker’s shop in Willis Street, and made have also wheeled their wicker-prams St Patrick’s College, established by the will see Government House, the official a mother and child. The mother had their wicker “prams” past you to collect the first “prams” for the Sisters, used for down Cuba Street – the home of Marist Fathers in 1885. In those days it residence of New Zealand’s Governor- been sacked from her position, and in food and clothing for distribution to collecting food and clothing in the city. all things “alternative” in modern was a boarding school and the Sisters ran General. Suzanne won the active desperation wanted to end her own life the needy. In the early days there were His house still stands on the corner of Wellington. At the harbour end of the the infirmary. When The Spanish Flu support and admiration of a succession and the life of her child. Suzanne came to hotels on just about every corner. The Kensington and Abel Smith Streets.. street is the Town Hall, where Suzanne pandemic hit New Zealand in 1918, St of Governor-Generals and their wives, the rescue of the woman, saving her life Sisters received the left-overs from many received a presentation of two thousand Pat’s was used as a public hospital, staffed including the Islingtons, the Plunkets and taking care of her baby. of them and the sight of them pushing pounds from her beloved Wellingtonians heroically by the Sisters of Compassion. and the Ranfurlys. their wickerhampers on wheels was in 1910, on the occasion of the 50th One of the Sisters, Sr Natalie O’Meara, commonplace. These days the Home anniversary of her arrival in New contracted the deadly virus and died. of Compassion Soup Kitchen is still Zealand. operating at 132 Tory Street.

13 ST MARY OF THE 14 22 BOULCOTT STREET 15 FLAGSTAFF HILL 16 MOUNT STREET ANGELS, BOULCOTT Along the road at 22 Boulcott Street lived Up behind St. Mary’s is Flagstaff Hill. CEMETERY STREET a close friend of Suzanne’s, Elizabeth You can get to it, either up O’Reilly While on the Terrace, you can also In the heart of the city, off Willis Street, Seddon. She was the daughter of Sir Avenue, or from the Terrace, down visit the Catholic Cemetery, situated stands Wellington’s grandest church, St Richard Seddon, New Zealand’s longest- Allenby Terrace to Terrace Gardens. nearby in Mount Street, which reaches Mary of the Angels in Boulcott Street. serving Premier. Suzanne frequently This is where Suzanne and the Sisters back to the earliest days of colonial Suzanne Aubert was a regular visitor visited there to attend meetings of the went one Boxing Day for an outing, settlement in Wellington. The cemetery here. As you inspect this imposing Plunket Society and the Society for the which Suzanne later described in a letter: was consecrated by Bishop Pompallier Church with its gothic architecture, Welfare of Women and Children. “…I took the Sisters to the ‘flag station’ on January 6, 1841. The first nuns and imagine her funeral which was held here on Boxing Day. The wind was blowing priests who worked in Wellington are on October 4, 1926. It was the largest hurricane and it was the greatest fun. buried here. Suzanne often visited funeral ever accorded a woman in New We went up in 55 minutes, sat up there Father O’Reily’s grave (the first parish Zealand, with the crowds spilling out for about one hour, warmed our frozen priest of St Mary of the Angels), and the into Boulcott and Willis Street. teeth with bananas and came down in 35 graves of pioneering French Marists. minutes, the skirts of our habits acting like sails. We were back for dinner.”

17 BASILICA OF THE 18 ST MARY’S COLLEGE, 19 MOLESWORTH STREET 20 TURNBULL HOUSE SACRED HEART HILL STREET Opposite the main gates of Parliament If you stand beside the Beehive and look Take a stroll up Hill Street beside This Catholic precinct in Thorndon House in Molesworth St was a boot- across Bolton Street, you will see the parliament grounds and visit the Basilica includes Sacred Heart Primary School maker’s shop, owned by a Mr. Brodie. warm, red brickwork of Turnbull House, of the Sacred Heart, Thorndon’s parish and St. Mary’s College. In the grounds of He and his wife were great supporters one of Wellington’s finest buildings Church and the Cardinal’s Cathedral. St Mary’s there used to be a large house of Suzanne Aubert, letting her store and and the birthplace of New Zealand’s Beside the Basilica stands Viard House, known as “The Providence”. This was mix her renowned herbal remedies in a national library. It was built as the private the residence of Wellington’s archbishops where some of the older girls from the shed at the back of their dwelling. Mr residence of Mr. Alexander Turnbull, and over the years. Suzanne would have home in Jerusalem came to stay until Brodie’s daughter married Mr. Whitaker, housed his extensive collection of books, visited Viard House frequently to see her they were found positions as servants in who owned a book shop on Lambton maps and documents. These formed the old friend and supporter, Archbishop the houses of the rich. Quay. Suzanne frequently went to his nucleus of the New Zealand National . shop to talk to the couple and to rest. Library collection. Mr Turnbull’s While in Suzanne wrote to him. housekeeper was a long-time benefactor of the Sisters.

21 HOME OF COMPASSION, 22 THE RESERVOIR 23 DEE STREET 24 HOME OF COMPASSION 25 HOME OF COMPASSION 26 NURSERY, CHILDREN’S ISLAND BAY Soon after it opened, the new Home Suzanne frequently travelled by tram SCHOOL HOSPITAL HOME, DAYCARE CENTRE The original home for children, an for children at Island Bay was severely from Island Bay into the city. On the On the left as you go up the driveway The original Home that Suzanne Aubert In April 1941 a new Nursery was enormous building, was opened in affected by a water shortage. A spring corner of Dee Street, where the new at the Home of Compassion is where built in 1906-7 was demolished in 1987 constructed to house babies and was found on the hillside, and a large 1907 at 2 Rhine Street, Island Bay, town-houses are, there used to be a the school for the children was situated. and replaced by Compassion Hospital, toddlers, because the nursery in the cross-section of Wellington society following a huge fundraising effort. It Chinese market garden. The Sisters often It had formerly been a laundry before which provided outstanding nursing care Home could not accommodate all the turned out to help construct a reservoir was initially for the care of disadvantaged went down to the gardens to gather serving as a school for over fifty years! to the people of Wellington over many unwanted babies who needed care as on the property. Even the Governor- celery plants that had become too old to children and babies, a number of whom General of the time, Lord Plunket, came years. In June 2002, the hospital was a result of the war. This building was sell. Needless to say, they had celery for were transferred from Jerusalem. The to help. closed and converted into the present declared a health and safety risk and numbers soon increased as further breakfast, dinner and tea. complex. was demolished during the early 1980s. ex-nuptial children were admitted, along It was replaced with a new Children’s with disabled children. More than 2,000 Home, which opened in March, 1982. people attended the opening, mightily However, with the rapid changes in impressed with the Sisters’ practical childcare, a residential home for children brand of Christianity and their non- was no longer needed. A Daycare Centre sectarian approach. was opened in 1990. This building was demolished in 2015 and replaced with Sisters’ Units.

27 ISLAND BAY GROUNDS 28 SUZANNE AUBERT 29 SUZANNE AUBERT 30 OUR LADY’S HOME OF 31 OUR LADY’S GROTTO 32 SUZANNE AUBERT The Sisters worked hard to create spaces HERITAGE CENTRE CRYPT COMPASSION CHAPEL On the Island Bay site is a miniature SPIRITUALITY CENTRE of peace and serenity in the grounds The Suzanne Aubert Heritage Centre, Across the courtyard from the Heritage Our Lady’s Home of Compassion replica of the famous grotto of Our A major redevelopment of the Island at Island Bay. In the spring of 1911, opened in 2011, is a “must-see’ for Centre is the Crypt where Suzanne’s Chapel was opened on the 25 March, Lady of Lourdes in . It was built Bay site is taking place in 2016 to expand Suzanne Aubert inaugurated a large tree- anyone interested in this remarkable remains were re-located in 2016 from 1990. It is a beautiful chapel and the first by Mr Bill Kraus, a tireless supporter of the Heritage Centre and enhance the planting scheme all along the boundary woman. The Centre has an extensive further up the hill. When Suzanne died permanent chapel the Sisters ever had the Sisters. From 1921, Bill spent many Suzanne Aubert Spirituality Centre. The of the property. Suzanne hoped the Soup collection of memorabilia and visual in 1925, she was buried in the Karori at Island Bay. The Stations of the Cross hours improving and maintaining the Centre offers individuals and groups Kitchen clients would dig the holes but displays that chart the stages of her Cemetery. Twenty-five years later her and other stained glass window were grounds and driveways of the Home of opportunities for spiritual renewal unfortunately they did not arrive. The inspiring life. It is a wonderful place remains were transferred to the Home designed by renowned local artist John Compassion at Island Bay. and to learn more about the dynamic to reflect on Suzanne’s extraordinarily Novices gladly dug the holes and planted she founded in Island Bay. Drawbridge, and crafted by Peter Kirby spirituality of Suzanne Aubert. To find productive life and pass an enjoyable the trees. Two thousand one hundred of Paraparaumu. out more about the programme of morning or afternoon. trees were planted. seminars and workshops available, visit www.compassion.org.nz SHARE THE JOURNEY / TOHAINA TE HAERENGA TO FIND OUT MORE about the inspirational life of Suzanne Aubert and her journey to sainthood, visit www.suzanneaubert.co.nz