Cultural Significance

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Cultural: Rowandale reflects the lifestyle enjoyed by members of the landed elite in Canterbury in the early part of the twentieth century.

Physical Significance

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Aesthetic: The design of Rowandale presents a clear and competent interpretation of the principles of the English Edwardian Domestic Freestyle Revival. Architectural: The design of Rowandale is a well resolved essay in the Edwardian Tudor Revival style, incorporating Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts features characteristic of the period 1890-1914 in its construction.

Detail Of Assessed Criteria

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. The following comments are made in relation to the criteria identified under S.23(2) of the Historic Places Act 1993. b) The association of the place with events, persons, or ideas of importance in New Zealand history: The Thacker connection with O'Kains Bay dates back to September 1856. According to Ogilvie, John Edward Thacker and his wife Essy arrived in Canterbury in 1850, their daughter Elizabeth Agnes becoming "the first of the Pilgrim Children to be born after the arrival of the First Four Ships." He retired form Christchurch in 1856 after a colourful career as a timber merchant, ship-owner and briefly, as a newspaper proprietor. he purchased a 24 hectare property in January 1857 and prospered so much that his holdings eventually increased to 3,038 hectares. His sawmilling operations resumed there, and he opened a steam saw mill in 1872, also purchasing coastal vessels to support the trade. He won several government contracts and imported timber from Australia and shipped his own from O'Kains Bay around New Zealand. He owned the bay's only hotel, served on the Road Board and was famous for engaging in litigation. John Robert was one of ten children and it is from him that the present generation of Thackers are descended. He married Rosa Mason in 1900, having taken over the estate in 1888. Thacker, either individually or in consort with other family members, also acquired other properties in neighbouring bays such as Duvauchelle. g) The technical accomplishment or value, or design of the place: Rowandale was designed in the Art Nouveau style produced during the Edwardian Free Style period in domestic architecture which lasted from c.1890-c.1914. Rowandale possesses many of the characteristic features of the Edwardian Free Style including the large sweeping roof and half timbering on the first floor. The timber is used in combination with a brick infill on the first floor with brick walls on the ground floor. It also features characteristic Free Style timber attachments in the form of balconies and shingles in the gable ends, verandahs; an oriel window, an Art Nouveau side wall window, bay windows, a large country house floor plan including a laundry and coal house attachment, metal casement windows with diamond pattern leadlight design in timber frames; a terracotta tile roof, a dormer window and exposed rafters under wide overhanging eaves. This house is a rare survivor of the architect's, Cecil Wood, early period before the First World War and its uniqueness is enhanced by the fact it is a large country house design of high quality. The exact date of construction is unknown. After his return from the War, Wood moved away from Domestic Revival and specialised in the neo-Georgian style for which he is best known. Conclusion: Rowandale, O'Kains Bay, Banks Peninsula, is recommended for registration as a Category II as a place of historical and cultural heritage significance and value. Rowandale is of historic significance as the homestead of J.R. Thacker, a member of a family that has played a major role in the affairs of O'Kains Bay since 1856. It was designed by prominent Christchurch architect Cecil Wood and is a rare example of his earlier work in the Edwardian Free Style.