The Moorings

31 Glenbervie Terrace, Thorndon, WELLINGTON

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The Moorings stands on land which was granted to Edward Toomath in 1873 and which changed hands a number of times before it was taken up by Swan in 1905. He built himself a family home on it. Swan had a passion for the sea. He was Commodore of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club (1906-7) and owned one of the world's largest collections of photographs of ships. Following his death in 1936 the house was leased as a boarding house and gas rings were installed in the bedrooms. Guy and Hubertina Famularo bought the building in 1964 and in 1965 sold it to the present owners who continue to use it as a family home. A major upgrading has been undertaken as a result of which it is now structurally sound. A motorway proclamation was issued in 1966 and as a result ten nearby houses were bought and demolished by the Ministry of Works and Development. Had the owners of the Moorings given way under pressure to sell the building would certainly be gone now and the Residential E Zone would be without one of its most important buildings.

The Moorings, Thorndon. CC BY-SA 4.0 Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org | Tom Ackroyd | 15/04/2023 | Tom Ackroyd - Wikimedia Commons
The Moorings, Thorndon | Elaine Marland | 25/06/2020 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
The Moorings, Thorndon. Billiards Room | Michelle Horwood | 24/06/2020 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
The Moorings, Thorndon. Interior feature window | Elaine Marland | 25/06/2020 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Place Category 1

Access

Private/No Public Access

List Number

1437

Date Entered

6th June 1990

Date of Effect

6th June 1990

City/District Council

Wellington City

Region

Wellington Region

Legal description

Lots 1 & 2 Deeds Plan 5 & Pt Secs 520 521 Town of Wellington

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