John Campbell Gilchrist (c.1830-1906), born in Argyleshire in Scotland, educated in Glasgow as a teacher, moved to Victoria, Australia in 1853. He settled in Oamaru where he turned his attention to agriculture and pastoralism. Gilchrist received the Crown grant for the land on which Brookfield was built in August 1865. He had 300 acres at Brookfield at Waiareka, just east of Oamaru. He also owned a sheep station known as Rosebedy, as well as land on Tyne and Itchen Streets in Oamaru.
According to architectural historian Conal McCarthy, Gilchrist first approached Dunedin architectural firm Mason and Wales to design his residence, with Mason and Wales requesting tenders in October 1878 for a ‘villa residence of stone, near Oamaru.’ This was never built, and Gilchrist next approached Forrester and Lemon. Sketches survive titled ‘J. Gilchrist, residence.’ According to McCarthy, in August 1879, Forrester and Lemon requested tenders for a ‘17 roomed house’, which he argued was probably Gilchrist’s residence, although the notice specifies the house would be built of wood. Gilchrist died at Brookfield in 1906, with the paper mourning the loss of ‘one of this districts earliest and most-valued residents.’
The Gilchrist family retained their association with Brookfield until 1965. In the 1960s, the house was incorporated into a function centre, with a supper room and entertainment hall built around two sides of the house, and the venue known as the Brookfield Reception Centre. An application to demolish these additions was made in 2005, to return the house to a residence. In 2015, Brookfield is a private home.
List Entry Information
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 2
Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
4886
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 2 DP 11329 (RT OT3B/1362), Otago Land District, and the building known as Brookfield thereon.
Legal description
Lot 2 DP 11329 (RT OT3B/1362), Otago Land District
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 2
Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
4886
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 2 DP 11329 (RT OT3B/1362), Otago Land District, and the building known as Brookfield thereon.
Legal description
Lot 2 DP 11329 (RT OT3B/1362), 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
Type
Modification
Description
Conversion to a function centre
Type
Modification
Description
Converted back to private house
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
Type
Modification
Description
Conversion to a function centre
Type
Modification
Description
Converted back to private house
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
6th November 2015
Report Written By
Heather Bauchop
Information Sources
McCarthy, 2002
Conal McCarthy, Forrester and Lemon of Oamaru, architects, Oamaru, 2002
Oamaru Mail
22 Mar 1882, p. 2.
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. 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. A fully referenced upgrade report is available on request from the Otago/Southland Office of Heritage New Zealand
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
6th November 2015
Report Written By
Heather Bauchop
Information Sources
McCarthy, 2002
Conal McCarthy, Forrester and Lemon of Oamaru, architects, Oamaru, 2002
Oamaru Mail
22 Mar 1882, p. 2.
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. 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. A fully referenced upgrade report is available on request from the Otago/Southland Office of Heritage New Zealand
Current Usages
Uses: Accommodation
Specific Usage: House
Former Usages
General Usage: Accommodation
Specific Usage: House
General Usage: Civic Facilities
Specific Usage: Conference centre
Web Links
description: Brookfield Park
Current Usages
Uses: Accommodation
Specific Usage: House
Former Usages
General Usage: Accommodation
Specific Usage: House
General Usage: Civic Facilities
Specific Usage: Conference centre
Web Links
description: Brookfield Park
Location
Sign up to hear more
Get the latest heritage news, features and events delivered
straight to your inbox.
