The Bank of New South Wales (Former), designed by pre-eminent architect Robert Arthur Lawson in 1882, stands as a landmark building on Thames Street in Oamaru.
The first Bank of New South Wales opened in Tyne Street, close to the bustling harbour precinct in the mid-1870s, and by the early 1880s had negotiated for a new and prominent site in Thames Street, adjoining Lawson’s earlier architectural masterpiece, the National Bank (1870). Designed with the commercial operation on the ground floor, with an additional basement level, and manager’s level on the first floor, the Bank of New South Wales operated in these premises until closure in 1979. The bank building found new life as the Forrester Gallery, named after prominent architect John Meggett Forrester who had bequeathed a generous amount to establish an art gallery in his home town. The Forrester Gallery opened in May 1983.
The bank was designed by Dunedin architect R.A. Lawson, who was renowned for his church architecture but who also completed substantial commercial commissions as well, including the Bank of Otago, next door to the Bank of New South Wales site. The contractors were Philpot and Matheson of Dunedin, while the stone carving was probably by one of Dunedin’s renowned Godfrey brothers.
The Bank is designed in Neo-classical style with a hexastyle portico originally surmounted with a balustraded parapet, now replaced by a more solid structure. The ground floor windows are square headed and those on the first floor are semi-circular. A floriated band of carved stonework marks the level of the first floor. The side elevations are treated in the same manner as the front with fluted pilasters with carved capitals. The rear elevation is plain with a small timber-framed extension to the ground floor. The beautiful exterior ornamentation and the interior ornamentation and fittings make this a special building.
The Bank of New South Wales (Former) is one of Oamaru’s most distinguished buildings, sitting alongside the National Bank, also designed by R.A. Lawson. It is a key building in the history of New Zealand bank architecture by an architect of national importance. Historically it was constructed at a time when Oamaru was expanding and illustrates the importance of banking within the commercial life of the town. The building is an essential component in the impressive array of Oamaru stone public and commercial buildings in Thames Street.
The Gallery’s twenty-fifth year of operation was celebrated in 2008 with an exhibition from the collection by Colin Wheeler and Colin McCahon, and closed with an exhibition focused on the with the exhibition Future present, past- Lawson architectural drawings (of the building) and drawings of the proposed Dunedin architects McCoy Wixon architectural concept for a new addition to the east of the building.
In 2012 the former Bank of New South Wales in its reincarnation as the Forrester Gallery ‘overarches’ the collection and ‘acts as a linchpin and magnet’ for visitors to Oamaru, a landmark building in this town notable for its Victorian townscape.
The first Bank of New South Wales opened in Tyne Street, close to the bustling harbour precinct in the mid-1870s, and by the early 1880s had negotiated for a new and prominent site in Thames Street, adjoining Lawson’s earlier architectural masterpiece, the National Bank (1870). Designed with the commercial operation on the ground floor, with an additional basement level, and manager’s level on the first floor, the Bank of New South Wales operated in these premises until closure in 1979. The bank building found new life as the Forrester Gallery, named after prominent architect John Meggett Forrester who had bequeathed a generous amount to establish an art gallery in his home town. The Forrester Gallery opened in May 1983.
The bank was designed by Dunedin architect R.A. Lawson, who was renowned for his church architecture but who also completed substantial commercial commissions as well, including the Bank of Otago, next door to the Bank of New South Wales site. The contractors were Philpot and Matheson of Dunedin, while the stone carving was probably by one of Dunedin’s renowned Godfrey brothers.
The Bank is designed in Neo-classical style with a hexastyle portico originally surmounted with a balustraded parapet, now replaced by a more solid structure. The ground floor windows are square headed and those on the first floor are semi-circular. A floriated band of carved stonework marks the level of the first floor. The side elevations are treated in the same manner as the front with fluted pilasters with carved capitals. The rear elevation is plain with a small timber-framed extension to the ground floor. The beautiful exterior ornamentation and the interior ornamentation and fittings make this a special building.
The Bank of New South Wales (Former) is one of Oamaru’s most distinguished buildings, sitting alongside the National Bank, also designed by R.A. Lawson. It is a key building in the history of New Zealand bank architecture by an architect of national importance. Historically it was constructed at a time when Oamaru was expanding and illustrates the importance of banking within the commercial life of the town. The building is an essential component in the impressive array of Oamaru stone public and commercial buildings in Thames Street.
The Gallery’s twenty-fifth year of operation was celebrated in 2008 with an exhibition from the collection by Colin Wheeler and Colin McCahon, and closed with an exhibition focused on the with the exhibition Future present, past- Lawson architectural drawings (of the building) and drawings of the proposed Dunedin architects McCoy Wixon architectural concept for a new addition to the east of the building.
In 2012 the former Bank of New South Wales in its reincarnation as the Forrester Gallery ‘overarches’ the collection and ‘acts as a linchpin and magnet’ for visitors to Oamaru, a landmark building in this town notable for its Victorian townscape.
