Wellington Railway Station crèche

Between 1937 and 1941, a purpose-built crèche operated at the top of the new Wellington railway station building. Catering to mothers coming into the city to shop and run errands, the service cost just 3d per hour (around $1.25 today) and was available to anyone with a train ticket. Its convenience meant that many parents with no intention of travelling bought tickets. In 1941, the military authorities requisitioned the station rooftop for war purposes and the crèche closed for good. These photographs show the crèche’s facilities shortly after it opened in June 1937.