Kaiapoi House (Former)

17 Hood Street, HAMILTON

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Kaiapoi House (Former) is a significant part of the fabric of Hamilton Central Business District's (CBD) cultural south end. It is thought to be the earliest limestone building in Hamilton, and is the only known example of coursed random rubblework construction known to survive in the wider Waikato. New Zealand wide, and particularly in the North Island it is a rarely used building technique. That it was used for this building as late as the 1890s is also of interest, as by that time concrete and other masonry options were becoming popular . Strategically placed in c1896 on what was Ngatiwairere land at a key North Island transport node, the building was part of Hamilton's original militia settlement and growing commercial district. The two storied false-fronted pioneer (boomtown) shop is constructed using an uncommon limestone rubble method. Believed to have been built by Irish immigrant James (Jim) Robert Ellison (J.R.E) Hatrick for his successful drapery business, it was known initially as Kaiapoi House because of his agency for the Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Co. Ltd. He eventually left Hamilton to establish businesses for his older children, with the shop being taken over by another draper, Edward Hall. There have been many varied tenants and businesses operating from this building. Ownership for many years was with two Hamilton families of undertakers: the Hudners and the Scrimshaws. For almost 30 years much of the building was used by the New Zealand Chinese Association's Hamilton/Waikato Branch as a social and cultural centre (1938-c1965). During this period the ground floor shop front was also used by a Chinese herbalist and Chinese Association committee member, Davie Chang, whilst next door, in another Hatrick building, was a commercial laundry run by another committee member, Charlie Fong. Hamilton's role as an agricultural service centre is represented by tenants Osmond and Son, NZ Ltd (c.1939 - c1941) who were veterinary pharmacists and following their tenure, ballerina, Margaret Scrimshaw, provided ballet education from the building between 1943 and 1948, prior to her working in Europe. She was one of New Zealand's leading ballet talents at the time, doing work for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and performing for Queen Elizabeth II. Professional golfer Gerald W. Melvin ran a business repairing and manufacturing golf clubs from Kaiapoi House (Former) between 1948 and c1955. Petals Florist Shop operated out of the building from 1953 for nearly 50 years under three successive managers, becoming a Hamilton landmark. In 1966 major renovations were commissioned using plans by Angus and Flood architects, changing the frontage, roof and internal layout of the ground floor, including laying concrete over what had been an earth floor to the rear of the building. Bettle Advertising (c2000-c2005) used the building for their offices, before relocating further uptown. Under the name Zephyr (2005-2008), the top floor was used as gallery and the lower floor as a café, before further renovations of the internal partition walls for Singer Bar (2008- ), its name a nod to the building's beginnings as a drapery shop. Both the construction materials and construction method are unusual for the region. The building has a strong association with Hamilton's cultural, creative, and sporting industries and personalities. The south end area is a potential historic/cultural precinct, already featured in a heritage trail, increasing the streetscape value of the building.

Kaiapoi House (Former). Frontage of Singer Bar, Hamilton | K.Mercer | 05/03/2009 | NZ Historic Places Trust

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Place Category 2

Access

Able to Visit

List Number

2702

Date Entered

10th October 2009

Date of Effect

10th October 2009

City/District Council

Hamilton City

Region

Waikato Region

Extent of List Entry

Extent includes the land described as Unit 1 DPS 84579 (RTs SA67A/556, SA67A/560 (supplementary record sheet)), South Auckland Land District and the building known as Kaiapoi House (Former) thereon. (Refer to map tabled at the Board meeting on 31 October 2013).

Legal description

Unit 1 DPS 84579 (RTs SA67A/556, SA67A/560 (supplementary record sheet)), South Auckland Land District

Location Description

This property was previously described as 7 Hood Street.

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