Shortland Heritage Area, Thames

Transcription

1 Shortland Heritage Area, Thames Location: A section of the rectilinear town centre grid, including both sides of Pollen Street, and the east side of Queen Street, between Richmond Street and the Karaka Stream. Introduction: The settlement of Shortland, located immediately to the south of Grahamstown between the Karaka and Hape Streams, was established in 1867 on the eve of the Thames gold rush. It was named for Willoughby Shortland, Governor Hobson s Colonial Secretary, and was to some extent the poor cousin to Grahamstown for many years as the latter capitalised on its proximity to the goldfields. The Shortland Heritage Area contains a section of Pollen Street, Thames principal commercial thoroughfare, and part of the eastern side of Queen Street, which overlooked the waterfront before reclamation of the foreshore took place. Shortland was laid out on the standard colonial grid and has a larger block pattern than can be found in Grahamstown. Many of the buildings in the Shortland section of Pollen Street are notable for their early to mid-20 th century architectural styling, in contrast to the predominant late 19 th century character of historic Grahamstown. Notable buildings in the area span the period from the late 1860s to the late 20 th century, among them the former JE Macdonald residence in Queen Street, Arbury s Buildings, the Chief Post Office and Thames War Memorial and Civic Centre. Fig. 1. Detail from Cleave s Street Maps of the Thames and Suburbs. c Source: Auckland City Libraries. 1

2 Distinctive Physical Characteristics: a) Pollen Street and Queen Street run on a north-south axis and are continuous through the original Grahamstown and Shortland settlements. b) Walter, Mary, Sealey and Richmond Streets run on an east-west axis, perpendicular to Pollen and Queen Streets. c) The Karaka Stream has been channelled but remains a natural boundary between the historic settlements of Grahamstown and Shortland. The Noke Noke Creek, which once ran along the northern side of Richmond Street, is no longer visible, having been piped to address pollution and flooding concerns. d) Reclamation of the foreshore west of Queen Street has changed that street s relationship with the Firth of Thames, although some distant views of the Firth are available across Danby Field. e) Commercial premises are usually built right up to the street boundary, whereas residential buildings are commonly set back from it to accommodate fencing and gardens. Both building types are either one or two storeys in height. f) Building materials include timber, brick and plastered masonry, with older buildings generally of timber construction. g) Residential, civic, financial and commercial uses co-exist in close proximity to one another. h) Retail buildings bearing the names Court, Danby and Arbury identify the location of some of Thames historic businesses. i) Residential buildings are typically stand-alone, single-family dwellings, ranging in style from Carpenter Gothic Revival to mid-20 th century bungalows. j) The number of car dealerships and service stations is notable, giving parts of the area a light industrial character. k) Service lanes providing access to the rear of Pollen Street s commercial buildings reduce the scale of these town centre blocks and often serve as a boundary between residential and commercial property in the area. Surroundings & Contribution to Context Reclamation west of Queen Street in the late 19 th century distanced that thoroughfare from the Firth of Thames, particularly in the section bounded by Sealey and Richmond Streets. Here views to the west are now mediated by the open space of Danby Field. The streams demarcating the natural boundaries between Shortland, Grahamstown, and Parawai are also much less evident than they once were. The hills behind Thames remain a constant landscape feature within the town centre, however, especially when seen as the terminal vista looking east on the cross streets. Gardens belonging to the area s residential properties are generally modest, with a high degree of openness to the street. Grassed berms complement the residential character of Queen Street, whereas in Pollen Street the street furniture, angled car parking and asphalt pavements are typical of a major town centre thoroughfare. 2

3 History of Area: Rushes to the Coromandel goldfield in the early 1850s and early 1860s were short lived and largely unrewarding but the 1867 rush to the Thames goldfield was to transform the district. Following negotiations between Ngati Maru leaders and agents acting on behalf of provincial and central government, the Thames goldfield was declared open in August As thousands of people moved into the district both the government settlement of Shortland and the privately developed Grahamstown grew quickly. While Grahamstown was closest to the goldfields, Shortland was adjacent to the Kauaeranga Pa and the mouth of the Kauaeranga River, where a government wharf was built in Fig. 2. Diggers tents at Shortland, Thames, January Source: Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, People came to the Thames goldfields from Britain, continental Europe, the United States, Australia, and China, as well as from elsewhere in New Zealand. Some of those attracted to the Thames were recent immigrants brought out to repopulate the Waikato following the Waikato Wars of Along with the prospectors came the government officials, tradesmen, businessmen, and clergy who were needed to manage and support the fledgling settlements of Shortland and Grahamstown. By 1874, the year in which the first elections for the Thames Borough Council were held, Thames was the fifth largest town in New Zealand. Over 8000 people were then recorded as living in the suburbs of Parawai, Shortland and Grahamstown. Although the population had declined to 4800 people by 1881, Thames has retained its status as the largest settlement on the Coromandel Peninsula to this day. Thanks to its greater distance from the principal Thames goldfields, Shortland was somewhat eclipsed by Grahamstown in the late 19 th century as the administrative and financial centre of the town. As the location of both central government and borough council buildings, the School of Mines, Bank of New Zealand, and Prices and Judd's engineering works, Grahamstown initially took the lead from Shortland. Nevertheless street directories show that Shortland had its share of commercial activity in the late 19 th century, as well as being the setting for the hospital and a number of churches. Within the Heritage Area, the Imperial Hotel (est. on this site in 1884, rebuilt ), Lecture Hall (1884) and Wesleyan Church (1885), were early landmarks on Pollen Street. In Queen Street the town s gasworks (1872) coexisted with some notable residential properties, among them the Macdonald house of c.1867/8 and Kilgour house of c

4 Fig. 3. Advertisement for Shortland businesses, Thames Illustrated Mining Map, c Source: NZ Map 4351, Auckland City Libraries. 4

5 Fig. 4. Thames Gas Works, corner Queen and Mary Streets. Undated. Source: Arbury Collection, The Treasury, Thames. While the opening of separate railway stations at Shortland and Grahamstown in December 1898 may have further underlined the distinction between the two settlements, it was also to shift Thames focus to the south and so help boost Shortland s fortunes. Well-known names in Thames retailing, Court (est. 1869), Hetherington (est. 1874), and Danby (est. 1878) were already well established in Shortland by the time the railway came to town. The photographic studio of the Foy Brothers (est. 1872) was also here, along with the ironmongery (est. 1867) of one-time Mayor of Thames James Renshaw, John Nodder s bookshop (est. 1872), and the premises of cabinetmakers Bane Brothers (est. 1874). Fig. 5. Thames Gas Works Office on Mary Street, looking past the Wesleyan Church towards Bane Bros. premises on the corner of Mary and Pollen Streets. Source: Arbury Collection, The Treasury, Thames. 5

6 Fig. 6. Hetherington s Drapery, Pollen Street, c Source: Cyclopedia of New Zealand, available at Along with the cottages occupied by miners, labourers and tradesmen, a number of medical men also had their homes and surgeries in the area. Dr George Lapraik, who had trained in Glasgow, took over Dr Payne s residence at the corner of Pollen and Mary Streets in c George Denby s chemist shop (est. 1869) was on the east side of Pollen Street, between Mary and Sealey Streets, and was later taken over by JW Hall. Fig. 7. The Governor s Visit to the Thames Goldfield. Looking north along Pollen Street from the corner of Mary Street, Alfred Court s drapery shop may be seen on the right. On the opposite corner to Courts is the South African [Boer War] Troopers Memorial (1902) before it was removed to Victoria Park in c The two chimneystacks and trees visible to the left of the memorial belonged to the former home of Drs Payne and Lapraik. Auckland Weekly News 28 December 1905 p. 10. Source: Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS

7 In the 1920s and 1930s further consolidation of central Pollen Street occurred with Arbury s Buildings opening in c.1921, the Bank of New South Wales opening new premises in 1925 and the legal firm of Miller and Poulgrain also relocating from Grahamstown around the same time. In 1929 the Grahamstown [Thames] Railway Station was moved to the Shortland [Thames South] site, leaving just a flag station at the northern end of the town close by Prices Foundry. With the erection of the new Chief Post office in central Pollen Street in 1938 Shortland could be said to have triumphed over Grahamstown as the town centre of Thames. Fig. 8. New Thames Chief Post Office in Pollen Street, seen from the rear Source: Collection of VC Browne & Son. Fig. 9. Thames Borough Council Centenary Celebrations, 1973, showing parade floats in Pollen Street with Miller & Poulgrain s chambers at upper left. Source: Z & J Williams Thames & the Coromandel Peninsula 2000 Years p

8 Historic Names The town of Shortland takes its name from Willoughby Shortland ( ), an English naval captain who served as Colonial Secretary and Acting Governor of New Zealand during the period The name is also associated with Ngati Maru leaders Hauauru Taipari and his son Hauauru Tikapa Taipari. Father and son were also known as Te Hotereni and Wirope Hotereni, Maori transliterations of Shortland s name. Pollen Street was named after Dr Daniel Pollen ( ), a provincial and central government politician, who served as Premier of New Zealand for a brief time ( ). As Deputy Superintendent of Auckland Pollen, with James Mackay, helped to negotiate the opening of the Thames goldfield. This section of Queen Street, named for Queen Victoria (reigned ), was originally known as Eyre Street. Originally Eyre and Queen Streets met at the Pahau Street junction of Grahamstown and Shortland. According to local history sources, there are two possible origins for the naming of this street. It is named for either Mary Ann Polkinghorne, the daughter of a prominent early settler, or for Mereana Mokomoko of Ngati Awa, the first wife of Wirope Hotereni Taipari. Sealey Street is spelt Sealy on at least one historic map. It may have been named for Edward Percy Sealy ( ), a provincial surveyor after whom a mountain range near Mt Cook is also named. Richmond Street was named after James Crowe Richmond ( ), who at the time of the opening of the Thames goldfield was minister in charge of native affairs within the Stafford government. The origin of Walter Street is unknown at this time. Fig. 10. Dr Daniel Pollen, c Source: Alexander Turnbull Library, 35mm f-F 8

9 The Significance of the Area: The heritage significance of this area lies in its history of continuous commercial, civic and residential use since the late 1860s and its cultural value as a place of commemoration and community. The area s architectural value is largely derived from its late 19 th and early 20 th century commercial and residential buildings. The technological values of all the building types in the area are generally typical of the period in which they were constructed. Archaeological and scientific heritage values may be present given the pre-1900 development of Shortland and the potential for encounter history research. Archaeological Significance: Having been established as a goldfields settlement in 1867, the Shortland Heritage Area has the potential to reveal archaeological resources relating to its early growth and development. Both the roads and the pattern of building development owe their genesis to the colonial surveyors of the mid-19 th century. Where modern buildings have replaced 19 th century structures it is possible that archaeological material has survived from the earlier period. There is at least one recorded archaeological site located within the area (T12/1091), which is recorded as a burial site at the intersection of Sealey and Queen Streets. A range of archaeological finds may be expected in view of the mixed-use history of the area. Fig. 11. JP Backhouse Shortland, Thames goldfield in December 1868, from the road near Karaka Creek. Sketchbook dated Source: Alexander Turnbull Library, E-400-f-001. Note: The archaeological and cultural heritage values of tangata whenua in relation to this part of Thames are outside the scope of this report. 9

10 Architectural Significance: The area embodies architectural values typical of a colonial settlement, wherein commercial buildings often evoke a classical aesthetic and restrict their embellishments to the façade. Similarly residential buildings embody the popularity of the villa and bungalow styles for working and middle class homes at the time in which they were built. Pollen Street s commercial buildings achieve a collective architectural significance given their general consistency of height, construction to the front of the lot and provision of a veranda. Although no building exceeds two storeys within the Heritage Area some of the commercial buildings have large parapets above the first floor, which gives them greater prominence within the streetscape. The Imperial Hotel and the Chief Post Office are good examples of mid-1930s commercial and government architecture, the latter having been designed by the Government Architect, JT Mair. The façades of the former Miller & Poulgrain Chambers [DP scheduled item # 35] and of Halsbury Chambers [DP Scheduled item # 36] should also be noted for their quality and contribution to the streetscape. Elsewhere on Pollen Street some original ground floor shop fronts have survived, see for example 534 Pollen and Danby s at 578, and these make an important contribution to the architectural values of the street. The houses in Queen Street and in some of the cross-streets within the area span a range of styles from Carpenter s Gothic to California bungalows and English Cottage state houses. A cluster of workers cottages in Walter Street have group significance, while several large twostoreyed houses at 411 Pollen Street, 408 and 300 Queen Street provide evidence of the architectural tastes of some of Shortland s wealthier residents. The former JE Macdonald residence at 302 Queen Street (c.1867/8), while somewhat modified, is a rare survivor of a number of houses built by leading figures during Thames establishment period. Fig. 12. Arbury s Buildings, 574 Pollen Street, Shortland, Thames. Source: A McEwan, 15/9/

11 Cultural Significance: The Thames War Memorial Civic Centre, although a post-world War II complex, has commemorative significance as a war memorial and cultural value as a place of assembly. The premises of the Hauraki Herald building in Sealey Street and Wintec s satellite campus in Queen Street, formerly the home of the Returned Services Association, also have cultural significance within Thames and the district as a whole. Historic Significance Shortland, as a colonial government settlement arising out of the opening of the Thames goldfield in August 1867, has significance as a place of business and residence for more than 144 years. Pollen and Queen Streets are major Thames thoroughfares and since the late 1860s these streets have accommodated shops, houses, hotels, civic and religious buildings, and light industrial structures. Landmark Thames retailing concerns have been part of the streetscape in this area for over 100 years. The notable contribution made by Alfred Court, Samuel Hetherington, John Danby, and JW Arbury to the prosperity of Thames is embodied in this section of Pollen Street, particularly in those buildings that still carry the name of their early proprietors (see Court s buildings at 580 & 600, Arbury s at 568 and Danby s at 578 Pollen Street). Of more recent vintage the area is also associated with Jessie Hetherington ( ), daughter of Samuel and New Zealand s first female Inspector of Secondary Schools, and local historian David Arbury. The close proximity of residential properties on Queen, Sealey and Walter Streets to the commercial centre of Pollen Street provides an indication of the early scale of Shortland, within the wider Thames setting. Queen Street housing associated with the Macdonald and Kilgour families is particularly significant both historically and architecturally. Since the 1870s the area has accommodated a number of light industrial activities, including the Lamb Brothers timber yard, the Thames Gas Works and, more recently, a number of car sales yards and service stations. While the latter may appear to be somewhat out of place within the historic streetscape of Shortland, they do in fact contribute to its mixed-use historic heritage value. Fig. 13. Walter Street cottages. Source: A McEwan, 19 July

12 Scientific Significance The area has potential scientific research value as it provides an opportunity to study the encounter history of the Thames goldfield, wherein local Maori negotiated, witnessed and accommodated the influx of European settlers who arrived in the district from 1867 to seek their fortune. Fig. 14. Unidentified Maori woman photographed by the Foy Brothers, Thames. Undated. Source: Alexander Turnbull Library, PA Technological Significance Some of the buildings in the area, among them the former Kilgour house at 300 Queen Street, the Chief Post Office, Arbury s Buildings, and the double bay villa at 205 Mary Street, demonstrate a higher standard of construction and craftsmanship than the majority of the building stock. The c.1871 Levinge pillar-box mounted on the footpath outside 580 Pollen Street [DP scheduled item # 43B] is also significant as it embodies Victorian foundry technology. Fig. 15. Pollen Street pillar-box. Source: A McEwan, 18 July

13 Fig. 16. Pollen Street, looking south with Chief Post Office at centre left. Source: A McEwan, 19 July Historic Heritage Management Comment The section of Pollen Street between Mary Street and the Karaka Stream was included in the Pollen Street Conservation Area, which was identified in the report titled Thames Coromandel District Plan Heritage Overlay Zone (1993). At the same time the southern boundary of the Grahamstown Heritage Zone (Grahamstown Heritage Policy Area) was set at Mary Street. The Heritage Zone was bounded to the west by Brown Street and to the east by Karaka Road. To better recognise and more effectively manage the historic heritage values of Grahamstown and Shortland, the Grahamstown Heritage Area has now been accurately mapped according to Robert Graham s 1869 survey plan. The boundaries of the Shortland Heritage Area have been set to reflect the development of central Thames and the concentration of heritage resources and values within the locality. Principal References Althea Baker Businesses of Thames Street Directories Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand The Cyclopedia of New Zealand The Streets of Thames: Old & New ( The Treasury, Thames: David Arbury Collection and TW Hammond Archive 13

14 Papers Past Digitised Newspaper Archive Zelma and John Williams Thames & the Coromandel Peninsula 2000 Years (Thames, 1994) See also J McEnteer & T Turoa Maori Heritage of Thames Nga Taonga o te Kauaeranga (Thames, 1993) Authorship Dr Ann McEwan, Heritage Consultancy Services 4 November 2011 Fig. 17. Detail from 1947 aerial view of Thames, looking south with Walter Street in the foreground and Richmond Street at the top of the photograph. Pollen Street centre-left and Queen Street on the right. Source: VC Browne & Son Collection. 14

15 Image Gallery Fig. 18. DP 869, Thames Gold Field showing settlement of Shortland, undated. 15

16 Fig. 19. Detail of Thames Illustrated Mining Map, c.1870, showing heritage area. Source: Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, NZ Map Fig. 20. SO 36151, dated June

17 Fig. 21. SO 36143, dated June Fig. 22. SO 36135, dated June

18 Fig. 23. SO 36133, dated June Fig. 24. SO 36141, dated June

19 Fig. 25. SO 36149, dated June

20 Fig. 26. Cleave s Streets Map of the Thames and Suburbs. c Source: Auckland City Libraries. 20

21 Figs. 27 & 28. Foundation and Opening Day Plaques, Thames Chief Post Office, Pollen Street. Source: A McEwan, 19 July

22 Fig. 29. ML Plan of the Township of Shortland or Thames, Borough of Thames. Undated. 22

23 Appendix: Item Record Forms for Shortland Heritage Area 23