Golder's House Food Store

The Golder family foodstore provides a rare glimpse of aspects of domestic life in late nineteenth-century New Zealand. It was one of several outbuildings built by John Golder, and is part of a complex of structures, which includes Golder's House (also registered as a Category II Historic Place). John Golder (1849-1902) was a road builder for the Provincial Council and, later, the Hutt City Council, eventually rising to prominence in the latter. He married Jane Martin in 1877 and together they were to raise 12 children. The property remained in the Golder family until 1985 when the house and associated outbuildings were acquired by the Upper Hutt City Council. In 1987 the Golder's Homestead Museum Society took over the management of the property. The Society undertook restoration work and now run the house and grounds as a museum.

The foodstore, built in the 1880s, is a simple timber structure that stands apart from the main house. It has plain lapped weatherboards with boxed corners, gauze covered windows, and a gable roof covered with corrugated iron. A meat safe is attached to the exterior wall. It was used to keep food cool.

Golder's House food store is a significant vestige of what was once a common feature of every day life in late nineteenth century New Zealand. It offers an opportunity to study domestic technology with regard to preservation and storage of food. Together with the Golder's House and other outbuildings, it forms part of an historic area which, as part of a community initiative, is run as a museum.

Construction Dates

Original Construction
1880 -

Completion Date

24th August 2001

Report Written By

Helen McCracken

Information Sources

Kelleher, 1991

J. A. Kelleher, Upper Hutt: the history, Upper Hutt, 1991

New Zealand Historic Places

New Zealand Historic Places

Christopher Moor, 'Cottage Museum', March 1996, pp.25-26

Other Information

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.