Story: Youth offenders

Burnham Industrial School, about 1874

Burnham Industrial School, about 1874

From the mid-19th century industrial and reformatory schools were set up to take in neglected and delinquent children. The two groups were supposed to be kept separate, but in reality were lumped together and treated similarly. This photograph shows a large group of boys at the Burnham Industrial School near Christchurch about 1874. In the background are male supervisors. They are setting off for a day's labour on the school farm.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: CW 15 box/item 5*8

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How to cite this page:

Gabrielle Maxwell, 'Youth offenders - Treatment of young offenders, 1840 to 1980s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/26592/burnham-industrial-school-about-1874 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Gabrielle Maxwell, published 5 May 2011, updated 1 Aug 2017