Before it was a church

Founded in 1883 by the Misses Lucy and Florence Tilly. It was a continuation of Hardwicke House, Kent Town opened in 1872 by Mrs Claude Shuttleworth. Forty or more country girls were kept as boarders and a full school of day scholars. It was a non denominational girl’s school, but a large number of Methodist families chose to send their daughters here. Lucy and Florence born 1857 and 1859 came from England trained to a teaching role new among women. Both held the senior Cambridge University Certificate and were Associates of the College of Preceptors and they had experience in English schools teaching French and German.

The building was designed by their father, the architects Evans and Evans and Mr Ferguson the contractor. It contained twenty lofty bedrooms upstairs and three large school rooms downstairs linked by folding doors, so that a full length of 70 feet could be opened up for concerts and assemblies. Drawing rooms, dining room, housekeepers office, kitchen and laundry facilities were provided and bathrooms on both floors. Six music rooms holding nine pianos were used, their was a strong focus on music and singing. Their mother acted as house keeper.

Hard blue stone was used with red brick dressings. The outer walls were made thick to moderate the extremes of temperature.

The Tilly sisters retired in 1910 and ten years later sold the building to a furniture removalist who used it for storage.

M. Varoneckas puchased the property in the late 1950's and later sold it to the Lithuanian Catholic Association.

Building Lithuanian House

Once the community had purchased the old church in Eastry street, they went about organising renovations. There were three stages of renovations. First was the construction of four rooms, partly done by contractors, finished in September 1960. Stage two was the construction of a library, toilets and amenities, and kitchen. Completed at the end of 1962. Third stage, extension of hall, construction of museum, stage and change rooms at the rear of the stage. All renovations were overseen by engineer Karolis Reisonas.

In 1961 to construct the front of Lithuanian House, required approximately 300 bricks, each one costing 2 shillings. A scheme was created that if you purchased a brick your received a numbered badge which had on it ALN brick. In 1966 further renovations took place to enlarge the stage and construct the museum and archives. All that remains of the original church is the roof.

76 men worked 2706 hours in 1962 about the Lithuanian House, the women’s committee of 18 women worked 851 hours.

The American Lithuanian Community donated £200 so the community could organize a library. The library was named after Juozas Bačiunas. He arrived in Chicago USA in 1897, with his parents. He was heavily involved in the Lithuanian Community and in 1963 elected as President of the World Lithuanian Association. He published many books on Lithuania, include the SA publication “Blizdingėlės prie Torenzo”.

Porteress Recruits Among D.P's

Seventeen married couples whoa re to work for the SA Railways' were among the 80 displaced persons from Europe who reached Adelaide on Saturday by train from Melbourne. They are quartered at the Migration Hostel.

The wives are to be trained as porteresses and the husbands will work in various sections of the railways.

Women comprised about half of the group of 80 persons who arrived on Saturday.
Some of them, going to domestic work in the metropolitan area, wept at pasting temporarily from husbands, who will reside at Gawler or Smithfield camps and undertake factory and other employment.

The Rev. Father P. Jatulis, a Lithuanian, who arrived on Saturday will be attached to the Catholic Presbytery, West Tce, city.

The Advertiser, Monday 11 April 1949, p.10