Situated on northern corner of Moray Place and Great King Street, Stephens Inks Building (Former) was designed by Salmond Anderson Architects in 1908 as a warehouse for W.J. Meek and Co., an Ink Manufacturing Company. The building is of architectural and historical significance and forms a prominent position of a corner of Moray Place and Great King Streets amongst one of Dunedin’s main shopping areas and bus hub.
Both iwi history and archaeological evidence show Māori occupation in the Ōtākou / Otago region since the 12th century. Today, Kāi Tahu mana whenua is recognised over a large part of Te Wai Pounamu. Kāti Māmoe and Waitaha shared occupation are always acknowledged. The hapū Kai Te Pahi, Kāti Moki, and Kāti Taoka still maintain their presence and responsibility as kaitiaki in this region. While there were no permanent settlements around George Street, the area near the Toitū Tauraka waka (List No. 9774) was known as Ōtepoti.
Section 26, Block XVI, Town of Dunedin first appears in the 1860 Town Board Ratesbook owned by the Municipality and occupied by Thomas Calcutt. In 1874 G. Munroe’s Monumental Works were moved from their previous site in George Street to the corner of Moray Place. Whilst rates records for this period are unavailable from 1862-1874, photographic evidence suggests that the occupation on the site largely consisted of isolated buildings and open yards.
Walter J. Meek (ink manufacturer) leased and operated out of part of Town Sections 25 and 26 from 1891 onward. Meek purchased parts of Section 26 from George Munro Estate in 1905 and the existing buildings were demolished to make way for a large brick two storey warehouse which was erected in their place in 1908. It originally consisted of a warehouse/factory of two floors, and an office and a small store, which were advertised for lease by Walter Meek from November 1908. Today the building is wedge shaped and is constructed of painted brick with plaster quoining at the corners and around the windows. The door on the Moray Place façade is flanked by columns with Corinthian capitals- that stand in front of an arched quoined doorway. The interior has been modified significantly because of fire damage in 1977. In 1992 a small canopy was added over the Moray Place entrance.
There is no clear documentary evidence of who designed the building but it was constructed by Orr Campbell who also built the Early Settlers Hall the same year as well as many other notable public and private buildings. The firm of W. J. Meek, Ltd., ink manufacturers was established in Wellington in 1886, and in 1890 the business transferred to Dunedin, and the name of Meek’s ink became a household name. Meek’s marketing throughout the early 1900s focused on kiwi nationalism to support New Zealand made products over imported inks and Meek’s ink was advertised as “the brand used by the Government”. By 1915 an addition was added to the building.
In 1932 Henry C. Stephens Ltd acquired Meeks Inks Company and took over the Dunedin factory.
Stephens Ink experienced incredible growth in the 1960s going from a staff of 11 in 1959 to a staff of 46 in 1969. A fire broke out in the premises on 10 June 1977, but the ink factory continued production and the building was reinstated with the internal damage demolished and repaired. Stephens Ink last permit for the building was in 1982 and by 1983 Otago Wines and Spirits Ltd were making alterations. The building also housed Wilson Neill, Noel Leeming and Harcourts Real Estate before being purchased by The Dunedin Community Trust in 2000 to provide non-profit agencies with a central city location.
Both iwi history and archaeological evidence show Māori occupation in the Ōtākou / Otago region since the 12th century. Today, Kāi Tahu mana whenua is recognised over a large part of Te Wai Pounamu. Kāti Māmoe and Waitaha shared occupation are always acknowledged. The hapū Kai Te Pahi, Kāti Moki, and Kāti Taoka still maintain their presence and responsibility as kaitiaki in this region. While there were no permanent settlements around George Street, the area near the Toitū Tauraka waka (List No. 9774) was known as Ōtepoti.
Section 26, Block XVI, Town of Dunedin first appears in the 1860 Town Board Ratesbook owned by the Municipality and occupied by Thomas Calcutt. In 1874 G. Munroe’s Monumental Works were moved from their previous site in George Street to the corner of Moray Place. Whilst rates records for this period are unavailable from 1862-1874, photographic evidence suggests that the occupation on the site largely consisted of isolated buildings and open yards.
Walter J. Meek (ink manufacturer) leased and operated out of part of Town Sections 25 and 26 from 1891 onward. Meek purchased parts of Section 26 from George Munro Estate in 1905 and the existing buildings were demolished to make way for a large brick two storey warehouse which was erected in their place in 1908. It originally consisted of a warehouse/factory of two floors, and an office and a small store, which were advertised for lease by Walter Meek from November 1908. Today the building is wedge shaped and is constructed of painted brick with plaster quoining at the corners and around the windows. The door on the Moray Place façade is flanked by columns with Corinthian capitals- that stand in front of an arched quoined doorway. The interior has been modified significantly because of fire damage in 1977. In 1992 a small canopy was added over the Moray Place entrance.
There is no clear documentary evidence of who designed the building but it was constructed by Orr Campbell who also built the Early Settlers Hall the same year as well as many other notable public and private buildings. The firm of W. J. Meek, Ltd., ink manufacturers was established in Wellington in 1886, and in 1890 the business transferred to Dunedin, and the name of Meek’s ink became a household name. Meek’s marketing throughout the early 1900s focused on kiwi nationalism to support New Zealand made products over imported inks and Meek’s ink was advertised as “the brand used by the Government”. By 1915 an addition was added to the building.
In 1932 Henry C. Stephens Ltd acquired Meeks Inks Company and took over the Dunedin factory.
Stephens Ink experienced incredible growth in the 1960s going from a staff of 11 in 1959 to a staff of 46 in 1969. A fire broke out in the premises on 10 June 1977, but the ink factory continued production and the building was reinstated with the internal damage demolished and repaired. Stephens Ink last permit for the building was in 1982 and by 1983 Otago Wines and Spirits Ltd were making alterations. The building also housed Wilson Neill, Noel Leeming and Harcourts Real Estate before being purchased by The Dunedin Community Trust in 2000 to provide non-profit agencies with a central city location.
