George Sumpter (1836-1900) was a significant figure in the commercial and political worlds of Victorian Oamaru. He was the first town clerk of Oamaru, later Member for Waitaki on the Otago Provincial Council. He was chair of the Oamaru Harbour Board for fifteen years. He conducted a large business as a grain merchant, land agent and auctioneer.
Sumpter erected a grain store on Harbour Street in February 1876 at a cost of £800. It was around 22ft [7m] high and had a storage capacity of 40,000 to 50,000 bushels of grain. F. Every completed the concrete work, and Mr Thomson the carpentry. He rebuilt it only two years later, replacing it with an ornately detailed two-storey building. The Timaru Herald reported that Sumpter had built a ‘fine Oamaru stone grain store of two flats…in connection with his concrete warehouse on the harbor block.’ The building could store 20,000 sacks of grain.
Art historian Conal McCarthy writes that the design was in a ‘brash, commercial vein’ with a ‘Venetian palazzo theme…with a rusticated ground floor, round-headed windows on the first floor, and Corinthian pilasters marking the end bays.’ McCarthy continues ‘the architect lavished attention on the decorative details, particularly the keystones, three varieties of which were used on the façade.’
In 1895 John Haddin Barr took over the lease of Lot 4. Scottish-born Barr (c.1828-1918) came to Dunedin in 1861 where he was elected to the first City Council. He later became a partner in Oamaru milling firm Hay and Barr. He remained in business there until he retired to Dunedin in 1906.
In 1916 the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand Ltd and William Darling and Robert McDowell took over the lease. In 1936 Darling and McDowell took over the lease, and remained long term tenants. In 1989 the Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust acquired the former grain store. Since that time it has housed a furniture manufacturer.
In 2013 Sumpter’s Grain Store (Former) remains a significant building in the Harbour/Tyne Historic Area (Register No. 7064).
List Entry Information
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 2
Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
4885
Date Entered
25th September 1986
Date of Effect
25th September 1986
City/District Council
Waitaki District
Region
Otago Region
Extent of List Entry
Extent includes the land described as Lot 4 DP 88 (RT OT18C/520, 800105), Otago Land District, and the building known as Sumpter's Grain Store (Former), thereon.
Legal description
Lot 4 DP 88 (RT OT18C/520, 800105), Otago Land District
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 2
Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
4885
Date Entered
25th September 1986
Date of Effect
25th September 1986
City/District Council
Waitaki District
Region
Otago Region
Extent of List Entry
Extent includes the land described as Lot 4 DP 88 (RT OT18C/520, 800105), Otago Land District, and the building known as Sumpter's Grain Store (Former), thereon.
Legal description
Lot 4 DP 88 (RT OT18C/520, 800105), Otago Land District
Construction Professional
Name
Forrester & Lemon
Type
Architectural Partnership
Biography
The architectural partnership of Forrester and Lemon was established in Oamaru in 1872. Thomas Forrester (1838-1907) was born in Glasgow and educated at the Glasgow School of Art. Emigrating to New Zealand in 1861 he settled in Dunedin and worked under William Mason (1810-97) and William Henry Clayton (1823-77) and later Robert Arthur Lawson (1833-1902). In 1865 he superintended the Dunedin Exhibition and from 1870 he became involved with the supervision of harbour works. Some time after 1885 he became Engineer to the Oamaru Harbour Board and in this capacity designed the repairs to the breakwater following storm damage in 1886 and later the Holmes Wharf. On his death in 1907 he was still in the employ of the Harbour Board. John Lemon (1828-1890) was born in Jamaica and travelled to England before emigrating to New Zealand in 1849. He settled in Oamaru in 1860 and with his brother Charles established a timber merchant's business. By 1869 he was in partnership with his father-in-law, George Sumpter calling themselves "Timber and General Merchants, Land and Commission Agents". This partnership was dissolved in 1872 and Lemon entered into partnership with Forrester. Lemon had no architectural experience at all, but had a wide circle of business contacts and was an efficient administrator. Buildings designed by the partnership of Forrester and Lemon include St Paul's Church (1875-76), the Harbour Board Offices (1876), Queen's (later Brydone) Hotel (1881), Waitaki Boys' High School (1883), The Courthouse (1883) and the Post Office (1883-84), all in Oamaru. Forrester and Lemon contributed greatly to Oamaru's nineteenth century character. On Lemon's death in 1890 the practice was taken over by Forrester's son, John Megget Forrester (1865-1965).
Construction Details
Start Year
1878
Type
Original Construction
Construction Materials
Stone
Construction Professional
Name
Forrester & Lemon
Type
Architectural Partnership
Biography
The architectural partnership of Forrester and Lemon was established in Oamaru in 1872. Thomas Forrester (1838-1907) was born in Glasgow and educated at the Glasgow School of Art. Emigrating to New Zealand in 1861 he settled in Dunedin and worked under William Mason (1810-97) and William Henry Clayton (1823-77) and later Robert Arthur Lawson (1833-1902). In 1865 he superintended the Dunedin Exhibition and from 1870 he became involved with the supervision of harbour works. Some time after 1885 he became Engineer to the Oamaru Harbour Board and in this capacity designed the repairs to the breakwater following storm damage in 1886 and later the Holmes Wharf. On his death in 1907 he was still in the employ of the Harbour Board. John Lemon (1828-1890) was born in Jamaica and travelled to England before emigrating to New Zealand in 1849. He settled in Oamaru in 1860 and with his brother Charles established a timber merchant's business. By 1869 he was in partnership with his father-in-law, George Sumpter calling themselves "Timber and General Merchants, Land and Commission Agents". This partnership was dissolved in 1872 and Lemon entered into partnership with Forrester. Lemon had no architectural experience at all, but had a wide circle of business contacts and was an efficient administrator. Buildings designed by the partnership of Forrester and Lemon include St Paul's Church (1875-76), the Harbour Board Offices (1876), Queen's (later Brydone) Hotel (1881), Waitaki Boys' High School (1883), The Courthouse (1883) and the Post Office (1883-84), all in Oamaru. Forrester and Lemon contributed greatly to Oamaru's nineteenth century character. On Lemon's death in 1890 the practice was taken over by Forrester's son, John Megget Forrester (1865-1965).
Construction Details
Start Year
1878
Type
Original Construction
Construction Materials
Stone
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
13th May 2013
Report Written By
Heather Bauchop
Information Sources
McCarthy, 2002
Conal McCarthy, Forrester and Lemon of Oamaru, architects, Oamaru, 2002
North Otago Times
North Otago Times
Otago Daily Times
Otago Daily Times, 1 Jun 1915, p.10.
Timaru Herald
Timaru Herald, 30 Mar 1915, p.3.
Other Information
This place was identified as significant under previous legislation with different information requirements. It remains significant under the current legislation. There is opportunity under our legislation and policies to add to this information. Further information about this place may be available from the Otago/Southland Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. A fully referenced Upgrade Report is available from the Otago/Southland Area office of NZHPT. This registration is also included in the Harbour/Tyne Street Historic Area (Record no. 7064). Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
13th May 2013
Report Written By
Heather Bauchop
Information Sources
McCarthy, 2002
Conal McCarthy, Forrester and Lemon of Oamaru, architects, Oamaru, 2002
North Otago Times
North Otago Times
Otago Daily Times
Otago Daily Times, 1 Jun 1915, p.10.
Timaru Herald
Timaru Herald, 30 Mar 1915, p.3.
Other Information
This place was identified as significant under previous legislation with different information requirements. It remains significant under the current legislation. There is opportunity under our legislation and policies to add to this information. Further information about this place may be available from the Otago/Southland Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. A fully referenced Upgrade Report is available from the Otago/Southland Area office of NZHPT. This registration is also included in the Harbour/Tyne Street Historic Area (Record no. 7064). Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.
Current Usages
Uses: Manufacturing
Specific Usage: Manufacturing - other
Former Usages
General Usage: Trade
Specific Usage: Warehouse/storage area
Current Usages
Uses: Manufacturing
Specific Usage: Manufacturing - other
Former Usages
General Usage: Trade
Specific Usage: Warehouse/storage area
