A Gradually Expanding Experience
Text for this tour has been kindly provided by Auckland Council. The City Campus has gradually spread out over a site that has a rich, multi-faceted history. A Maori kainga (village) called Rangipuke was originally situated on what is now the Albert Park hill. From 1840, European settlement intensified and the Princes Street/Waterloo Quadrant area began to acquire a diverse range of public buildings. From the 1870s, elegant, substantial private homes for the city's business and professional elite began to line both Princes and Symonds Streets. The Auckland University College, created in 1883, slowly began to colonise the area. But this process proved protracted, poorly funded and highly contentious. One persistent dispute was whether the University should acquire Government House and its grounds. Feelings ran high on the issue for almost a century. The New Zealand Herald's view 'that the University should snatch away this unique piece of land in the very centre of the city would be a robbery of the public' was widely endorsed. The often heated battle over a suitable university site continued unabated for much of the twentieth century. As late as 1944, the University planned to close down its central city campus and relocate to 44 acres of newly purchased farmland in Tamaki. However, the city site was not abandoned and in 1956 the Government finally offered the long coveted Government House to the University College. This acquisition proved decisive. From 1960 the University was able to embrace the central city site as its permanent home. A long overdue building programme rapidly ensued. As a result, the campus of New Zealand's largest university is now an attractive and intriguing blend of old and new buildings within easy walking distance of the heart of its largest city. The work on which we are engaged - placing the advantages of a university education within the reach of every man and woman in Auckland - is one the importance of which it is almost impossible to overestimate. It is a work that will, I trust, influence not merely the immediate neighbourhood and the present generation, but also indirectly the whole colony, and that for all time. - Governor Sir William Jervois, speaking at the formal opening of Auckland University College, 21 May 1883, at a ceremony in the crowded Choral Hall. They have a choice of sites, superior sites, offering advantages in area and locality, which Government House grounds cannot lay claim to. But like the companions of Ulysses they have stopped their ears with wax, and are deaf to the Sirenic strains that would lure them from their purpose. They have shut their eyes to the attractions of more distant fields, and thus blind and deaf they sit all day chanting in monotonous unison their unvarying demand: 'We want Government House site.' - New Zealand Herald columnist 'Mercutio', 24 August 1912. Students and graduates of the last thirty years have little comprehension of how appallingly The University College was housed in its earlier years. - Michael Fowler, Michael Fowler's University of Auckland, 1993Text for this tour is Copyright Auckland Council.
Alfred Nathan House (1882)
24 Princes StreetWas originally known as 'Wickford'. Designed by John Currie as a family home for Auckland businessman Nathan Alfred Nathan, it remained in the Nathan family until 1932, when it became a private hospital. The University acquired the building to house its registry in 1958. A fourth floor has been added, and the rear has been extended to provide meeting rooms and extra offices. Some of the original sandblasted glazing, moulded ceilings and carved mantlepieces still grace the interior. Nathan Alfred Nathan (1850-1931) was, along with brother and business partner Lawrence David Nathan, a managing director of the profitable family firm of L.D. Nathan and Company. Like his father David, Alfred Nathan was actively involved in the Auckland Jewish community, serving as President of the Hebrew Congregation in 1900 and from 1916 to 1931. He was a trustee of the Auckland Savings Bank from 1917 to 1931 and Vice-President in 1921. He was also a President of the Northern Club, a keen yachtsman and a member of the Auckland Racing Club committee for 36 years. In addition to his religious, business and leisure activities, Alfred Nathan served for many years as a trustee and chairman for the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, work which earned him the affection and respect of the blind, both children and adults.
Old Arts/Clocktower Building (1926)
22 Princes StreetWas designed by acclaimed Chicago-trained architect Roy Lippincott and his colleague Edward Billson. It is made of reinforced concrete, sheathed in Mt Somers stone. The picturesque 54-metre clocktower has come to symbolise the University. For many years the Old Arts Building housed all Arts departments, Architecture, Law, Music and the Library as well as the University Hall. The rear wing provided somewhat limited student amenities until the Student Union Building opened in 1968. The original architectural brief did not include room for any student-friendly features such as a cafeteria, student association room, lounges and the like. Fortunately, during the contract, funds were raised to add the rear wing, which is linked by cloisters to the main building. The Clocktower sparked considerable criticism and controversy in its early years. The Education Department architect criticised Lippincott's design as 'un-British and out of harmony with our national character'. The Minister of Education suggested that the tower could be happily omitted altogether. It was widely ridiculed as 'Maori Gothic', and denounced for resembling both a wedding cake and a cruet. The poet A.R. D. Fairburn suggested it would frighten old ladies in the park. Today, however, the building has many admirers and few detractors. A well-known feature of the city landscape, it has been affectionately regarded by successive generations of students. The Clocktower building currently houses a variety of student services and facilities. Roy Alston Lippincott, who was responsible for designing several of the University of Auckland's most acclaimed buildings, was a junior partner of Walter Burley Griffin, the designer of Canberra. He was also married to Griffin's sister. They had all relocated in Melbourne from the United States when Griffin won the Canberra competition. Both Lippincott and Griffin were involved in the 'Prairie School' and heavily influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright. Lippincott and his wife returned home for a visit in 1939, but the outbreak of war caused him to settle there permanently, after a brief return to New Zealand to close up his Auckland office. The building was carefully sited: the prospect from Symonds Street, to the east, was impressive, while from the west side of Victoria Street the tower seemed a crown to Albert Park. It is one of the few examples of successful architectural siting in the city. - Keith Sinclair, A History of The University of Auckland, 1983.
Five Victorian Merchant Houses
21, 23/25, 27, 29 and 31 Princes StreetSurvive as a reminder that this was once one of Auckland's most prestigious residential areas. These gracious old buildings were originally built as homes for the city's business and professional elite. Many were subsequently transformed into boarding houses, and then altered for use by the University and other institutions. They are now owned and maintained by Auckland City Council.'The advantages and luxuries of a suburban residence with the convenience of the city.' - Advertisement for the sale of Princes Street sections, Southern Cross, December 2, 1875. No. 21 Princes Street: home of Auckland chemist J.C. Sharland: (Sharland's New Zealand Jockey Club) 'This delightful and refreshing perfume is justly celebrated for its peculiar fragrance and durability on the handkerchief. Price 3s. And 5s.6d. A bottle.' Advertisement for one of Sharland's popular products, Southern Cross, July 14 1875.
University House (1885)
19A Princes StreetIs a special feature of inner city Auckland. Designed by architect Edward Bentley as a synagogue for Auckland's Jewish community, the building is an exuberant blend of classical and Moorish motifs. The exterior is plastered brick with a slate roof. The interior boasts a fine wood-panelled ceiling, Arabic arches and a stained-glass vault. In 1969 the Jewish community moved to a new more spacious synagogue and the old building was as left to decay. In 1989 however, it was skilfully renovated and developed as commercial premises for the National Bank. Since July 2003 the old synagogue has been leased by the University. Renamed University House, it is now home to the External Relations office.
Maclaurin Chapel (1964)
18 Princes StreetWas gifted by Auckland businessman and benefactor Sir William Goodfellow. It commemorates his son Richard Maclaurin Goodfellow, who was killed in World War II, and his uncle, Richard Cockburn Maclaurin, a distinguished mathematician. The non-denominational chapel seats 150. Its hexagonal shape draws worshippers together towards a single focus. Mullioned windows allow the changing seasons in the grounds outside to become part of the chapel interior. The Dutch- style organ is modelled on early baroque instruments of the late sixteenth century. William Goodfellow (1880-1974) began his working life as a hardware merchant. He went on to become a dairying industrialist and company director who made a vital contribution to shaping the developing New Zealand dairy industry. An energetic and skilled businessman, he was also a generous benefactor and philanthropist. An elder of the Presbyterian Church for many years, he was made a Knight Bachelor in 1953, the first to be conferred on New Zealand soil by the sovereign. In addition to the Maclaurin Chapel, Goodfellow funded the Richard Maclaurin Goodfellow Chaplaincy at the University and donated scholarships in memory of his brothers Eric and Gordon, both of whom were killed in World War I.
Lodge, Old Government House
0/2 Princes StreetBuilt c. 1900 as a residence for the gatekeeper. The original lodge, a blockhouse of the old barrack wall, had been loopholed for musketry and lined with bricks to deter bullets. It was doubtless both less comfortable and less attractive than this wooden cottage, which is now used for visitor accommodation.
Kenneth Myers Centre (1935)
74 Shortland StreetA unique Art Deco building which played a significant part in the development of radio and television in New Zealand. Designed by Norman Wade and Alva Bartley as a home for IYA, Auckland's oldest radio station, its distinctive character reflects the demands of early radio broadcasting technology. Thick and windowless walls, for example, were necessary to block out unwanted sound. In 1960, conversion into television studios commenced. The building became an important centre of television broadcasting, but eventually closed in 1985. Purchased by the University from Television New Zealand in 2000, it has been extensively and authentically restored and renovated. The building now houses classrooms and other facilities for teaching and studying the creative and performing arts.
Newman Hall
16 Waterloo QuadrantBuilt in 1863 as a family home for David Nathan (1816-1886), one of Auckland's most successful and widely-respected business pioneers. It was originally called 'Bella Vista', because of its splendid harbour views. Made with imported bricks, and lavished with imported Bath stone for the portico, it was modelled on a house that David and his wife Rosetta had admired in London. Spacious, imposing, and centrally located in a prestigious neighbourhood, 'Bella Vista' was a fitting symbol of its owner's considerable wealth and status. By 1863, David Nathan had achieved spectacular success as a businessman. Originally from London, he had set up shop in New Zealand's first capital at Korororareka (Russell) in 1840. But when Auckland became the capital, he astutely decided to settle there. From humble beginnings as the owner of a store in a tent on the foreshore in 1841, he was soon presiding over a flourishing and expanding business empire that included an auctioneering and shipping agency, a large warehouse, gum store, bond store, several small trading vessels and substantial property holdings in the city. In 1868, having founded the firm L.D. Nathan and Company for sons Lawrence David and Nathan Alfred, he retired. Throughout his life, David Nathan was a generous benefactor of numerous Auckland societies and institutions and active in a range of public roles. A founder member of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce (1856), he was president in 1868. He played an important role for many years as a trustee and later vice-president of the Auckland Savings Bank, was an early commissioner of the port of Auckland, and served on the city council from 1854-1855. In addition to these extensive business and community service activities, David Nathan was active in Jewish community affairs and deeply committed to the Jewish faith. The first Jewish services in Auckland were held in a room set aside for the purpose in his Shortland Crescent store. With John Israel Montefiore he was instrumental in acquiring the land on the corner of Karangahape Road and Symonds Street for a Jewish cemetery, which commenced in 1843. He was President of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation in 1854, 1860 and from 1878-1883. In 1884, he had the honour of laying the foundation stone for the synagogue on the corner of Princes Street and Bowen Avunue (now University House). After David Nathan's death on 23 August 1886, his second wife, Edith, decided to return to England. In 1894, 'Bella Vista' was sold. It became a boarding house known as 'Glenalvon' until it was acquired c. 1960 by the Catholic Church. It was renamed Newman Hall and is now used as an Institute of Theology.
Old Government House (1856)
It was the first mansion of its kind built in New Zealand, it was designed by architect William Mason in a classical style, with much of the timber facade cut to resemble stone. The house served as the seat of government until 1865, when the capital moved to Wellington. It was subsequently Auckland's vice-regal residence. Royalty stayed there six times and the present Queen broadcast her Christmas speech to the Commonwealth from upstairs in 1953. Since being formally transferred to the University in 1969, the house has been the Staff Common Room. It also contains a Council reception suite, flats for visiting academics, rooms for the Federation of Graduate Women and a lecture theatre. William Mason had wanted Government House to be made from stone. However, Governor Hobson insisted on timber because he viewed the 1856 building as temporary. He hoped that a 'permanent mansion' might be built elsewhere, and that Mason's building could then be used for public offices. In his view, the site was too valuable for a residence and should be given to other purposes. The original residents of Government House, Governor Colonel Thomas Gore Browne and his wife, held their first 'levee' in the not-quite completed building in May 1856, on the Queen's Birthday. Apparently, Gore Browne never liked the building, preferring the 'Old English style'. 'The weekly "At Homes" at Government House during the sitting of the Assembly are very pleasant. You meet everyone worth knowing, and have excellent music in one room while there is dancing in another. Mrs Gore Brown has weekly meetings in her drawing room for the practice of glees, madrigals and masses.' Jane Maria Atkinson enthuses about social life at Government House, October 1860. ...if the hundreds of officials employed by the Government could have their say and be allowed to settle the matter, it is exceedingly probable that Auckland would again be the capital before another yachting season could be opened.Cyclopedia of New Zealand, 1902, still regretful about Wellington's status as the capital city. A number of Heritage Trees in the grounds match Old Government House for antiquity. Two oaks at the north-western corner were probably grown from acorns brought from the Great Forest at Windsor and the Royal Oak at Boscobel, Shropshire, where Charles II hid after the battle of Worcester in 1651. The big coral tree and the Norfolk pine at the southern edge of the lawn are said to have been planted by Sir George Grey during his second term as Governor (1861-67).
Lippincott Cottage (C.1928)
Was designed by Roy Lippincott as a residence for the University custodian. The end of the cottage was incorporated into the Biology Building (also designed by Lippincott) in 1937.
Political Studies Houses (C. 1875-1880)
12, 14 And 16 Symonds StreetTypical of the kind of attractive Victorian houses that once lined this fashionable residential street. Their site was leased by the Crown for 99 years to the Auckland Grammar School Board, who in turn leased it to private individuals. These substantial masonry houses with their distinctive double hung windows have housed the Department of Political Studies since 1964.
School of Music (1986)
6 Symonds StreetOccupies one of the most striking buildings on the City Campus. It surrounds a tiled courtyard overlooked by balconies and screened from the street by a high curving wall. An ornate portico retained from previous buildings on the site forms the entrance. The School's facilities include a 154-seat Music Theatre (containing two grand pianos, a double harpsichord and a manual organ), performance studios, an electronic music suite and an extensive library. The lively arrangement of these spaces is heightened by imaginative use of colour throughout the interior. The building has received several architectural awards.
Classics and Ancient History
Two Houses at 1-3 Wynyard StreetNo. 1 Wynyard has an original brick portion, designed in the colonial Georgian street style, at the rear of the building. Built in 1850 as the manse for St Andrew's Church, this brick portion is one of the oldest houses in the central business district. Over the years, it has been owned by a number of notable Auckland citizens. One of the most distinguished and accomplished of these, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Balneavis, lived in the house from 1863 until 1873. An officer who had won renown in the northern campaign of the New Zealand Wars, Balneavis moved to Auckland in 1855. He married Meri Makarina Hineahua on 8 February 1859 and the couple had four daughters and one son. In Auckland, he quickly gained recognition not only as a war hero but as a highly skilled violinist and a founding member of the Auckland Choral Society. In addition to his soldierly skills and outstanding musical abilities, Balneavis was one of the most accomplished linguists in Australasia. Fluent in English, Arabic, Maltese, French, Italian and Maori, he could also converse in Greek, German and Spanish. He was actively involved with the colonial forces from the mid-1850s, serving as deputy adjutant general of militia and volunteers in New Zealand from 1859-1865. He became sheriff for the district of Auckland in 1865, and principal returning officer for the province in 1875. He also served for some time as the consular agent for the government of Italy. Balneavis was awarded the New Zealand War Medal in 1876, and died the same year. The timber addition at the front of the house is in the Queen Anne style of the Edwardian period. It was built by Auckland merchant John Reid, who lived in the house as a tenant from 1873, and after 1905 as the owner. John Reid and Company, a successful Auckland liquor retailing business, celebrated its centenary in 1969, a few years before being absorbed by the L.D.Nathan group. After the house passed from the Reid family in 1938, it was first used as a rooming house, 'Balneavis', and then for university purposes.
Marae (1988)
16 Wynyard StreetPart of the Maori Studies teaching complex. Representing all the major tribes, it provides a focal point for the Maori students on campus. The whare whakairo (meeting house) Tane-nui-a-Rangi (great Tane of the skyfather) is used for teaching, hui and formally welcoming University visitors. The elaborate carved figures, tukutuku (woven flax panels) and kowhaiwhai (painted rafter patterns) embrace the cosmic genealogies and mythology of the Maori people. Hospitality is dispensed in the whare kai (dining room) alongside.
Arts-Commerce Complex (1984)
Symonds Street and Grafton RoadWas designed by JASMAX to create a transition in scale between the five former houses retained along its street frontages and the bulky Human Sciences Building behind. The S-shaped three-storey block 19 (Commerce C) is stepped down the slope from the corner with the eight-level tower block (Arts) forming an L across the paved courtyard. The buildings are sheathed in cream brick with roof coverings of red tiles. Panels of multi-coloured glass enliven the exterior. The complex received a national award from the NZ Institute of Architects.
Old Tuck Shop (C.1870S)
9 Grafton RoadThis distinctive wedge-shaped building, has played a number of roles over the years. Having served as a tuck shop for Auckland Grammar School (which was originally on Symonds Street), it was later used as a grocer's shop and then as the office of the editor of the Auckland University Press. It currently houses part of the University's Anthropology Department.
Old Choral Hall (1873)
Corner Symonds and Alfred StreetsIncorporates the oldest permanent building on the University site. For four decades this hall served Auckland as a meeting place, concert chamber and unofficial town hall. In 1907, the Crown provided 4000 pounds for the Auckland University College to buy the Old Choral Hall, to augment its insufficient accommodation. The building was an appropriate acquisition, not just because of its capacious size and suitable location, but because it had furnished the venue for the inaugural ceremony of the infant University in 1883. A two-storey brick building erected around the original hall was opened in 1919 and housed Science departments for the next 50 years. Old Choral Hall has withstood numerous conversions and renovations over time. It is now home to a range of University services and facilities, from student centres and administrative offices to lecture theatres.I was an undergraduate in 1891. I remember well the Capping Day that year. The students had a great time up in the gallery at the back of the Old Choral Hall. We rehearsed songs, and the only instrument which accompanied the singing was my clarinet. . . All sorts of songs were composed especially for the event, such as 'Senior Wrangler Aldias Leaving College' and 'Do You Ken the lads of the AUC?' to the tune of 'Old John Peel'. - Eliot Davis, A Link with the Past.
Albert Barracks Wall (1847)
Runs for 85 metres from the rear wing of the Old Arts Building (now the Clocktower) to the back of Old Choral Hall. It is the only remnant of the wall which enclosed the nine hectares - including Albert Park - where a thousand British troops were stationed until 1870. The basalt stone was quarried from the slope of Mt Eden in an area now known as Eden Garden. The officers and other soldiers stationed at the barracks became an important part of the social life of early Auckland. The Barracks Square in particular was a popular place to walk through, watch the parade and chat to friends. A Military Theatre in the Barracks involved both soldiers and civilians, and there were popular cricket matches - Auckland Civilians vs. the Military- as well as regimental dinners and dances. In those days the Albert Barracks occupied the position of the present Albert Park: it was surrounded by a high stone wall some twenty feet high with flanking angles, and really would have been an impregnable fort against an enemy not provided with artillery. It was built under the direction of Mr George Graham by Maoris mostly. It was here we used to drill every morning before breakfast . . . We wore a uniform consisting of a light blue tunic with velvet cuffs and collar, and dark trousers with a red stripe. -Percy Smith recalls his time as a member of the Royals Volunteers, c. 1858.More than once, when Auckland has been threatened with annihilation by fire, the town has owed its salvation to a swarm of gallant fellows who poured out from the barracks. . . . Those who ride or drive the shortest road to the Manukau should remember that the Khyber Pass was formed by the 58th Regiment spade and pickaxe in hand. - Governor Gore-Brown paying tribute to the departing men of the 58th Regiment, 3 November 1858. 1.) Any sober, well conducted person may pass through the barrack-field, from gate to gate, when the gates are open.Civilians, when passing through, are required to abstain from smoking tobacco, especially near the powder magazine; to walk either on the footpaths or on the road, and not to loiter.They are not permitted to ride or drive through the barrack field, unless they have to transact business at the barracks. Nor is the carrying through of any bulky materials, or of merchandise, furniture or other burdens, allowed. Regulations relative to the admission of the public to the Albert Barracks, February 1868.
Student Union/AUSA Building (1895)
4 Alfred StreetWas for many years a doctor's surgery. From 1897, the house was owned by Dr Joseph Somerville and his half-brother Dr William McDowell. Both were distinguished medical practitioners and grandsons of New Zealand Herald founder William Chisholm Wilson. In 1911, McDowell sold his interest in the house to Somerville. The latter sold the property in 1924, but was still practising medicine on this or the adjacent (now demolished) house in the 1940s. After serving as an apartment for a time, 'Dr Somerville's house' was acquired by the University in 1961.
Kate Edger Information Commons and Student Commons (2003)
Corner of Symonds and Alfred StreetsForms a striking new gateway to the University. Two parallel five-storey buildings are connected by a large atrium with two major staircases. The glass Information Commons features a distinctive stainless steel, mesh shade screen along its Symonds Street facade. The Student Commons, clad in anodised aluminium panels, contains service, food and retail spaces. The building received a NZ Institute of Architects award, which praised it as 'a skilfully crafted contemporary icon'. Kate Edger, (1857-1935] On 11 July 1877, Kate Edger became the first women in the British Empire to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree, and the first New Zealand woman to earn a tertiary qualification. When the Bishop of Auckland presented her with the degree, he also gave her a white camellia, which he said symbolised 'unpretending excellence'. A small, slightly built woman with a quiet and reserved manner, Kate Edger was the daughter of a Baptist minister, who had emigrated to New Zealand with his family from London in 1862. After university, Kate went on to become a leading pioneer for women's education, serving for many years as the principal of Nelson College for Girls. Following her marriage to Welsh Congregational minister William Albert Evans in 1890, she continued to work as a teacher in Wellington, and was actively involved in causes such as female suffrage, the Women's Christian Temperance League, and the New Zealand Society for the Protection of Women and Children. Kate Edger's life and work personified a woman who had achieved a tertiary qualification, a distinguished career, and a devoted family life. Let us hear no more about the intellectual inferiority of women. - Article in the New Zealand Herald on the occasion of Kate Edger's graduation, 1877.
Recreation Centre (1978)
17 Symonds Street. The Recreation Centre is a large multi-purpose complex for students, staff and graduates. The building, much of it below ground, has received several awards including the gold medal of the NZ Institute of Architects. The main hall, 918 square metres with seating for 500 people, is used for badminton, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, table tennis, and indoor hockey and soccer. The centre also has health and fitness, dance and martial arts studios, and squash courts.
Engineering Atrium (2003)
20 Symonds StreetCreated an impressive communal hub for the School of Engineering. The tall composite steel and timber structure fills previously open space between two large wings of the Engineering School. It provides a generous common room area with an expanded cafeteria below. There is a 250-seat lecture theatre at one end while a long glass-enclosed colonnade runs alongside Symonds Street. A steel disc suspended from the roof 12 floors above overhangs the main entrance to form a futuristic entry canopy. The disc is part of an overall circular theme of punched holes in the floor and the walls.
Auckland University of Technology "B Block" Building
Made of ferro-concrete, including the floors and ceilings. Situated on a busy thoroughfare that feeds into the heart of Auckland city, it was designed by Education Board architect John Mitchell to provide classrooms and offices for the expanding Auckland Technical College. Construction commenced in 1909 and the building officially opened in June 1913. Although it was confidently anticipated that more storeys would be added to the flat roof when funds became available, it was not until 1931 that an additional floor was added.The institution that commissioned the building has undergone many changes over the years. From 1895 onwards, the Auckland Technical School in Rutland Street provided evening classes in vocational education and the trades. In 1906, when a day technical school was added, it became known as Auckland Technical College, and from 1912, Seddon Memorial College. In 1960, the college was divided into a technical high school and a polytechnic division. In 1963, the polytechnic division became known as Auckland Technical Institute or ATI. It soon became a leader in the expanding polytechnic sector. In 1989, the institute again changed its name to Auckland Institute of Technology. In 2000, it became the first polytechnic in NZ to be given university status and is now the Auckland University of Technology.Vitae non scholar discimus (We learn for life, not for school) School motto, adopted in 1928.
Albert Park
Owned and maintained by Auckland City Council, but has long been an integral (if unofficial) part of The University of Auckland City Campus. It remains ever popular with students as a place to stretch out and relax on a sunny day. The origins of the park date back to 1870, when fifteen acres of land that had formerly furnished the site for the Albert Barracks were set aside for a public recreation ground. In 1872, the City Council held a competition for the best park design, but the winning plan was never adopted. In 1881, a new competition was held. James Slator and William Goldie received a princely ten pounds for their winning design, which was carried out faithfully and survives substantially intact today. An elegant iron fountain was ordered from England. Kelly's Foundry in local Freemans Bay manufactured the iron fence that surrounds the park and as a finishing touch, city valuer and architect Henry Wade designed the charming Keeper's Lodge near the Princes Street gate. By the early 1880s Albert Park was a popular enclave from the bustle of Queen Street. However, local newspapers were indignant in denouncing the 'half-drunken loafers' who made use of the park's facilities. There was also widespread condemnation of those who stole plants from the park. This vice apparently tempted all sectors of the community. In 1888 Sir Charles Burdett, a baronet, was convicted of this crime in the Police Court and sentenced to 14 days imprisonment with hard labour, without the option of a fine. James Slator (1834-1921), who produced the winning design for Albert Park, utilised his many talents in the course of a long and impressively varied working life. Born at Rippingdale in Lincolnshire, he completed an engineering apprenticeship, then took to sea for several years. After working as a miner in South Africa, California, Australia and finally, Thames, he married at the age of 26 and settled permanently in Auckland. He connected the first gas service in Auckland to the New Zealander newspaper and printing office in Shortland Street in the early 1860s; imported and worked the first steam threshing plant in Mangere District, and used the engine for a sawmilling plant at Hunua. A Parnell resident, he served for many years on the Parnell Borough Council and was clerk of works at the construction of the Ponsonby Reservoir, before becoming Head City Gardener. While occupying this position he won the competition to design Albert Park. In addition, Slator was a talented creator of illuminated addresses, creating documents that were presented to King Edward and later King George. For eight years, he was draughtsman for the New Zealand railways at Auckland and was appointed a life member of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. An enthusiastic yachtsman and father to a family of six children, he died in 1921. Slator's obituary described him as one of those pioneering citizens of Auckland who helped in no small way to advance the growth of the city.Victorian and Edwardian CharmsAlbert Park has several notable features dating from Victorian and Edwardian times that add considerably to its charms. These include, among others, the Band Rotunda, the Queen Victoria Statue, and the statue of George Grey.
The Band Rotunda (1901)
Designed by James Slator, the man who in 1881 won the competition to design Albert Park. An earlier rotunda, built in 1882, occupied the site where Queen Victoria's Statue now stands. Band concerts were a popular form of entertainment in Victorian and Edwardian Auckland. The first concert in the new Rotunda, which took place in March 1901, attracted an impressive crowd of 5000-6000 people. The programme featured Hunter's Garrison Band performing marches and selections from Gilbert and Sullivan. It ended with a rousing rendition of God Save the King, in honour of the newly crowned Edward VII.
The Throwback Sculpture (1988)
Commissioned to mark the centenary of the Auckland City Art Gallery. Sculptor Neil Dawson's imposing semi-circular structure frames the surrounding trees and presents changing views of the park from different angles. This unique work of art is located in a group of trees at the top of a pathway that commences beside the gallery building. In 1883, a corner of the park was taken for the building which now houses the gallery. Designed in the French Renaissance style by Melbourne architects Grainger and d'Ebro, it opened in 1887 and originally housed the public library and the Auckland City Council offices, as well as the first permanent art gallery in the country.
The Statue of Governor Grey (1904)
A memorial to one of Queen Victoria's most loyal and distinguished servants. Sir George Grey (1812-1898) was Governor of New Zealand from 1845-1853 and from 1861-1868. He also served as Superintendent of Auckland Province 1875-1876, a Member of the House of Representatives and Premier of New Zealand from 1877-1879. Upon his death in 1898, it was resolved to create a memorial in his honour. However, it was not until 1902 that London sculptor F. J. Williamson (who had recently completed Victoria's statue) was commissioned to undertake the work. The statue, which depicts Grey as he appeared in 1868, was originally placed on a pedestal at the intersection of Grey's Avenue and Queen Street. However, it was eventually deemed a traffic hazard in that location, and in 1922 moved to Albert Park. On Waitangi Day 1987, the statue's head was removed as a protest against perceived violations of the Treaty of Waitangi. A replacement was designed and sculpted by Ron Burgess. Today, head intact, Grey continues to gaze approvingly at the many now large and established trees which he originally donated to the park in 1882. Soldier, Statesman, Lover of his Fellowmen, whose wisdom, eloquence, and strong personality gave to the people of this colony a large measure of the liberties they now possess. - Inscription on the base of the statue of George Grey in Albert Park.
The Queen Victoria Statue (1897)
Commissioned to mark the 60th jubilee of Victoria's long and acclaimed reign. The first statue of the Queen in New Zealand, it was the work of noted London sculptor F. J. Williamson. The official unveiling, by Lord Ranfurly, Governor of New Zealand, took place on 24 May 1899, the Queen's 80th birthday. According to the Cyclopedia of New Zealand, this ceremony 'evoked enthusiastic demonstrations of delight and satisfaction from a very large assemblage of loyal citizens.' One saw the Imperial power of our race, the Royal Standard of Britain wreathed round the statue, the Queen's representative seated on the dais, and behind him, in full uniform, representatives of the Queen's Navy - the greatest power in the world - guarding New Zealand waters. - A writer in the New Zealand Herald describes, with considerable ardour, the unveiling of Queen Victoria's statue in Albert Park, 1 June 1899.
The Floral Clock (1953)
One of Albert Park's more unique attractions, it is electrically powered. The flowers that make up the clock-face are laid out in a different design, usually twice a year. The clock was donated to the City in 1953 by Mr and Mrs Robert Laidlaw, to mark the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II's first visit to New Zealand. Throughout her tour, the young Queen was met with a warmly enthusiastic welcome from crowds of well-wishers. Robert Alexander Crookston Laidlaw (1885-1971), the founder of the Farmers' Trading Company, was an astute businessman, philanthropist, and a Christian speaker and writer. His generosity has become legendary: from 1910 onward, he began to donate 50% of his earnings to a range of largely evangelical causes and charities. He served as a Field Director of the Army Scripture Readers and Soldiers' and Airmen's Christian Association in Britain and France during World War II. Honoured in 1946 with an MBE for his wartime services, he was a recipient of the 1953 Coronation Medal and made a CBE for community services in 1955.
About this Tour
The University of Auckland Business School is proud to establish the University Heritage Trail through the Business History Project as our gift to the City of Auckland in 2005, our Centenary year.In line with our mission to be recognised as one of Asia-Pacific's foremost research-led business schools, known for excellence and innovation in research, we support the aims of the Business History Project to identify, capture and celebrate the stories of key contributors to New Zealand and Auckland's economy.The Business History Project aims to discover the history of Auckland's entrepreneurs, traders, merchants, visionaries and industrialists who have left e legacy of inspiring stories and memorable landmarks. Their ideas, enthusiasm and determination have helped to build our nation's economy and encourage talent for enterprise. The University of Auckland Business School believes it is time to comprehensively present the remarkable journey that has seen our city grow from a collection of small villages to the country's commercial powerhouse. Capturing the history ofthe people and buildings of our own University through The University Heritage Trail will enable us to begin to understand the rich history at the doorstep of The University of Auckland.Special thanks to our Business History project sponsors; The David Levene Charitable Trust DB Breweries Limited Barfoot and Thompson.And thanks to our Heritage Trail supporter: Tourism Auckland
