THE GENTLEMEN'S CLUB CONCEPT Gentlemen's clubs developed in nineteenth-century Britain as a popular social convention that enabled men's social and business networks to be maintained. The concept quickly caught on in New Zealand and such clubs became popular throughout the country from the late nineteenth century. "The role of the clubs was of course much more than that of a haven for gentlemen to escape to. As today they were places where men could meet and talk 'off the record', where it is said many a career was made and many a cabinet decision decided over a lengthy dinner. They were places where those with similar interests could meet, where ambitious young politicians could make the acquaintance of the party leaders, artists could meet patrons and poets publishers. On a less elevated level the aspiring dandy could feast his eyes on the accredited beau, sportsmen could gamble, gluttons indulge and gossips chattel... "The clubs [in Britain] were similar in style, although each tried to retain its own distinctive flavour and each was governed by their rules of conduct and honour. The facilities they offered their members were predicated by comfort and privacy. The buildings were furnished like grand private houses, with thick carpets, marble fireplaces, rich upholstery, beautiful looking glassware and extremely comfortable chairs." Although less grand than its British counterparts, or indeed other more grandiose examples in New Zealand such as Auckland's Northern Club, the Gisborne Club was nevertheless an imposing building in its context with generous internal spaces and rich interior finishes, fittings and chattels including marble statuary commissioned in Italy by first Club President and prominent local businessman and philanthropist, William Barrington Miller. The building was no small achievement for a membership that even at its peak, did not exceed 440 in number. It is likely that the Gisborne Club building's survival in a substantially intact, original condition, owes much to its purpose. Members of such clubs tended to be conservative and to therefore retain those core elements of the building's interior and exterior fabric that reinforced the 'gentlemanly ambience' of such clubs. FORMATION OF THE GISBORNE CLUB The formation of the Gisborne Club is believed to have occurred at a meeting on 26 December 1895. The Club was destined to remain an integral part of Gisborne society for 109 years, being wound-up in December 2004. It was supported through both good times and bad; in its first century it endured a major fire, two World Wars, the Great Depression, various earthquakes and more minor annoyances such as Cyclone Bola. Many ex-members fondly remember the full Friday nights, playing cards and snooker and the great friendships that evolved between members. From 1904 the Club had its own premises in Lowe Street. The stately building of an "attractive appearance" was well received by its members, but burnt down in 1910. Plans for a replacement were quickly put in place for a similar building in style and scale and on the same site and footprint of the original building. These plans were in doubt when the costs for the design were received, but the grandeur of the replacement building eventually proceeded. The Club's centennial publication notes that the Honorable Sir James Carroll (1857-1926) wired the Club with an offer of financial support. Carroll was the MP for Gisborne, and New Zealand's first Maori-born Minister of Native Affairs at the time. The new building was formally opened with a dinner on 12 July 1911. The Club's association with the building ended in 2004 when the Club was wound up and the building sold. HISTORY The Gisborne Club is believed to have been formed at a meeting held on Boxing Day, 1895, starting with a modest subscription of 1s per week, an entrance fee of one guinea, and an outlay on furniture of £36 16s 6d. There were 31 members including well known Gisborne citizens such as the Adair brothers, Mr. DeCosta, the Pettie brothers, and Mr. Muir. The first Committee comprised Messrs Colebourne, Cole, Allan, H. Maude, Foster and Miller, with Mr. H. G. Watson as Hon. Secretary. The man generally accepted as being the driving force behind the foundation of the Club is William Barrington Miller. He followed in his father's footsteps and took over the family tobacconist's business on what became known as Miller's Corner, on the corner of Lowe Street and Gladstone Road, upon his father's death in 1897. Although unconfirmed, this may have been the venue for the meetings of the years prior to the erection of the Club's first building in 1904. Miller was drawn to the entertainment world and was the first to introduce moving pictures to Gisborne and the first person in the district to acquire a gramophone. In 1912 he left Gisborne for a successful career in theatrical management first in Australia and then Britain. During his time in Gisborne he made many generous gifts and was involved with a number of clubs and associations. His name is still associated with a trust helping young people, the 'Barrington Miller Educational Trust'. He was the first Gisborne Club President, remaining in the position from 1895 to 1909, and was made a life member in 1917. The founding of the Club was at a time when the vast hinterland of the district including the East Coast and demanding areas such as Matawai and Motu and other remote parts were being brought into farming by determined and independent individuals. The small commercial community that had formed in the township seems to have provided the impetus for the original establishment of the club, but there is little doubt that many of the early members were farmers who were eager for social contact on their visits to town. In July 1902, the members authorized the purchase of a section of land suitable for club premises and the present site of two adjoining sections in Lowe Street was secured 12 months later. Prior to this members would gather at another venue for their meetings and social occasions. Starting from small beginnings, the record of the Club was one of steady progress. From 31 members to a roll of 120 in 1905, with a corresponding strengthening of finance. This speaks volumes for the popularity of an institution in a small isolated community and as a Club that had only been in existence for 10 years. The first Club building was completed in 1904 by Mackrell and Colley at a cost of £985-00, "The building is a roomy one of bold architecture, and has been subdivided in a way to thoroughly meet requirements in the way of private comfort, social companionship and amusement." Unfortunately, on 15 October 1910 the Club building was destroyed by fire. The fire broke out about 9am in the lavatory near the back of the building and within minutes the building was fully alight. As news of the fire spread, Club members quickly gathered on the spot, and assisted by others, all the contents of the front rooms were salvaged, including the handsome marble statuary presented to the Club by William Miller that he had commissioned in Italy while on tour (unfortunately now sold on). The club members were made honorary members of the Poverty Bay Club after the fire and allowed the use of a room. The Club wasted no time in holding a meeting to form a Building Committee and begin plans for the rebuilding of the Club. They decided to rebuild in the same location, and in a similar style and scale as the original building. Graham and Brown were employed as the architects, and the tender to build the Club was won by Messrs J. Colley and Co. for £1389. It was completed in 1911 and the formal opening dinner held on 12 July 1911. Soon after the Club was opened, extensions were added. These included a small billiard room at the back of the building in 1912 and a one-floor lean-to on the southern side of the Club in 1914 to serve as a supper room. At the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918), numerous members volunteered for active service with 77 names being listed on the Club's Roll of Honour. Many of these served at Gallipoli and some did not return. A founding member of the Club, Francis Twisleton, was awarded the Military Cross for his part in the Gallipoli campaign. He was killed in Palestine in 1917. During at least part of the inter-war period, subscriptions for men under 25 was half price with free entrance. At the outbreak of the Second World War (1939-1945), free entrance to the Club was extended to all those who volunteered for military service. Along with many other district organisations the Club went into a temporary decline during this period with so many members serving overseas. Over 100 individuals are mentioned on the Club's Roll of Honour from the Second World War. But with the end of hostilities they began to drift back, eager for the fellowship the Club offered. The years following the war could well be described as "the golden years" for the Gisborne Club, which enjoyed something of a renaissance, with growth in membership and associated prosperity that endured until the end of the century. A few of the many social reminiscences recorded in the Club's centennial publication and gleaned from recent interviews with long standing Club members create a strong sense of the social aspects of the Club, are worth highlighting. MEMBERSHIP The membership was made up of a diverse range of people. They were mainly business and professional members of the community - accountants, lawyers, shop owners, stock agents, and also a strong representation of farmers. In the Club's early days there were two categories of membership, country and town, with those living over 20 miles away obtaining a reduced subscription rate because of the traveling involved in coming to town. This diverse membership meant that it was common for members to see each other around town, resulting in many great friendships being forged. The members interviewed have all commented on the great friendships made, stating that this was the greatest asset of the Club together with the family atmosphere that it provided. As Eric Trafford put it, "When you met anybody else (who was also a member) you sort of felt like you were brothers, nothing special, but you just felt that way." The members were of various ages, although most did not join before they were 30. It was quite common to find within the membership two generations of the same family, for example a father and son. The Trafford family set a record within the club, as four brothers were members at the same time, and two were made Life Members. ASSOCIATIONS WITH PROMINENT CITIZENS There have been many prominent members of the Gisborne community that have had associations with the Gisborne Club and who contributed to the town's growth and development. There were lawyers and businessmen, many of whom became the chairman of the Club, and who were involved in a number of other clubs and organizations, locally and nationally. For example F. Wrey Nolan, the first crown prosecutor appointed in Gisborne, Keith Woodward, chair for more than three decades, also a local lawyer, for whom the Woodward Lounge was named. Other members included Alan Harry (Bill) De Costa, who had huge involvement in the community and was awarded the MBE in 1971 for his many services to the community; Arthur Toye, now a well-known name throughout New Zealand for his retailing endeavours, Dick Kearney, a local lawyer and various members of the City Council including Noel Bull, Gisborne Mayor from 1941-50. Gisborne's current Mayor, Meng Foon was also a member. There have also been well known visitors to the club, such as the Governors General Sir Dennis Blundel and Sir Bernard Fergusson. THE CLUB'S SPORTING ASSOCIATIONS Throughout its history the Gisborne Club has been closely associated with the game of snooker, and the tables, sold on closure of the club, were a focal point for both serious and friendly games for many years. Some of the country's finest players have enjoyed a game at the Club's tables, along with world-class professionals. In the 1960s and 70s the club played host to the professional players who toured the country, often visiting annually. Touring professionals that played at the Club included Paddy Morgan, Eddie Charlton, Hurricane Higgins, Ray Reardon, Clark McConachie and Walter Lindrum. In the last few years a highly popular mercantile teams' snooker dash gave many locals the chance to take up the game and enjoy the unique atmosphere of the billiards room with its giant red couches, high ceilings and ornate paneling. The club had four billiard tables and most members were avid players, each having their own cue that would grace one of the wall brackets. The Club has strong associations with rugby football at a local and national level with several members who became All Blacks, including Maori All Black Kahu Bullivant, Keith Bagley, Ian Kirkpatrick, John Collins, Hamish McDonald and Mike Parkinson. Club member and international referee Birnie Wolstenholme, later became president and then patron of the NZ Rugby Union. Other life members of the "Union" from the Gisborne Club were the late Judge Geoff Jeune of the Maori Land Court and Martin Lynch who served as treasurer of the "Union". In 1995 Club member Richard Harris was the chairman of the "Union" and Richard Crawshaw was elected to the council of the NZ Rugby Union. On an equestrian front, three Gisborne Club members were part of the 1964 Olympic Games team to go to Tokyo. Gisborne's Bruce Hansen lead a team consisting also of his brother Graeme and Charlie Matthews along with Hawkes Bay equestrian Adrian White. Competition between the Gisborne and Poverty Bay Club members was friendly but intense in snooker but also in other sports. An annual cricket match that was played between the two clubs, was another serious affair with players appropriately attired in cricket whites and striped blazers and all the protocol of the great game properly followed. The Club also had a long association with the Gisborne Rowing Club, many members involved in the racing and breeding industry and in game fishing. The Club has hosted a number of dinners to farewell district sportsmen. Many members remember the one for All Black captain Ian Kirkpatrick in the 1960s and the presentation that was made to him. THE CLUB'S NAVAL ASSOCIATIONS An interesting social aspect of the Club was its association with both the New Zealand Navy and naval personnel visiting from other countries. The Club established a strong rapport with visiting navy vessels that often tied up in the Gisborne harbour while on duty or carrying out other tasks such as surveying. The officers were often made honorary members, and so would be invited to attend the Club for drinks, and the premises were free for their use if requested. They often stayed in port for a few days or as long as a week. Several plaques from the visiting navies that were in Gisborne for the 1969 bicentenary celebration were given to the Club and displayed on the walls. ADAPTING TO CHANGING SOCIAL PATTERNS By 1985 the membership of the club was 440 with a waiting list of people wanting to join. Changes in the licensing laws and shop closing hours however were soon to have an effect. The change in licensed premises closing times from 6 pm to 10 pm, followed by legislative changes that saw many sporting clubs obtain bar licences, took members away from the club. Stricter enforcement of drink driving laws also encouraged people to relax at home. A steady decline saw the membership drop to just over 250 members during the 1990s. Over the last 10 years the Club's administration endeavoured to take a progressive approach and showed a willingness to change and be innovative. In 1987 it was decided that members' wives and partners should be allowed into the club at all times with the use of all facilities except for the billiards room. In 1989 members were asked if they wanted to introduce gaming machines into the club and whether they would accept more relaxed dress standards. A questionnaire produced strong support for a more liberal dress code and the gaming machines proved a useful source of revenue as well as providing entertainment. The more relaxed dress code meant people could come straight from work, instead of going home to change beforehand. One success was the introduction of a mercantile snooker competition that allowed many other people to become aware of what the club has to offer. As times changed so did the attraction of the club. It became less and less common to see people eat lunch at the club every day and to read the papers in the morning - later the club did not open until 4pm. The front door became permanently locked for security reasons and members' access was through the back doors. The Gisborne Club closed in December 2004, after 109 years with its closure being attributed to the declining membership combined with the state of the building itself. Maintenance costs were becoming too high and were not able to be covered by the club. The roof was leaking and because of the loss of income from subscriptions there was nothing to cover the costs and so the Club was wound up and the building sold. By 2004 the Club's membership had declined to 95 members.

Context The present building sits on the footprint of the original building (1904) in Lowe Street, Gisborne in a block of eleven surviving and significant heritage buildings, including the Poverty Bay Club (five of which are on the NZHPT Register). This block is one of the earliest commercial blocks in Gisborne with close links to the wharf, early shops and residential areas. Today the block continues to be occupied mainly by commercial premises. Regrettably, a number of heritage buildings have been lost in this area. The Club is vacant. The car park for the Club to the south side is believed to have sealed the archaeological remains of a timber building, which may have been the stables for both the Poverty Bay and Gisborne Clubs. Exterior The exterior design and footprint of the club is intentionally very similar to that of the original Gisborne Club building (1904-1910). The structure incorporates the original two-storey timber-framed building fronting Lowe Street and at least three timber, concrete block and steel framed single storied basic lean-to additions to the east and south. Its appearance is a mixture of styles and periods, but the original building is still the dominant structure both visually and physically. [Note: some of the additions - lying outside the boundaries of the proposed registration - were demolished in late 2005]. The main elevation is to Lowe Street and features the original building with the subordinate additions evident to the south. The dominant element from the street is the main body of the building with the projecting entry tower thrusting forward. There has been no change to the original fenestration on either floor facing Lowe Street. There has however, been alteration to and removal of the more decorative features of the building. The building has steep pitched corrugated iron roofs, exposed rafters, double hung timber windows, window eyebrows, wooden rusticated weatherboards and facings, but has lost ornate chimneys, spires, roof ventilators, external wall shingles and lead light windows that gave the building its character. The Italianate style is still evident, but much of the detail has gone. Interior The ground floor comprises an entry, offices, two spacious billiard rooms, service rooms, toilets, a dining room, bars, chiller space and storage rooms. There are side and rear entrances in addition to the main entry off Lowe Street. The upper floor comprises a spacious meeting room and toilets. There are no corridors. The main spaces are the two central double height billiard rooms and a side bar and dining facility. The original building featured one billiard room, offices and service rooms and the upper floor meeting room. The building has seen many alterations over the years, but in the original part the essential character and detail remains. The original staircase has been relocated but was well positioned to maximize use of the lower and upper floor spaces. The building is a series of large linked spaces generally without corridors. It is two storied only in the original part that fronts Lowe Street. There has been interior re-planning, with the relocation of the staircase being the main change. Service rooms to both sides and the rear are also more recent additions. The original building is substantially intact and features two impressive billiard rooms. The upper floor is a large open meeting room and toilets. Significant internal features include the fine wooden staircase (relocated from its original position) exposed trusses, coffered ceilings, wooden glazed doors and joinery, the original Club honours boards (First and Second World Wars), painted wall paneling, fireplace surrounds, large ceiling beams, paneled and pressed steel ceilings, generous wooden skirtings, some of the well proportioned lead light windows, steel grilles and traditional, quality ironmongery.