Springhead

55 Russell Road, Kensington, WHANGĀREI

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Originally constructed in c.1856, Springhead is a striking Whangārei residence located in the Western Hills overlooking the city which incorporates part of the oldest surviving house in the settlement. Built for Sir Samuel Osborne Gibbes, 2nd baronet of Springhead, Barbados, who was an important figure in both local and national civic affairs, the place has historical significance for its association with Gibbes and for the way in which it reflects the development of Whangārei from a small settlement to being the largest town in Northland. The timber house was constructed in two sections, first as a relatively simple cottage style residence before the addition of a Regency Revival influenced villa extension in 1902-8. Springhead has archaeological and architectural significance as a place which demonstrates how early residences were constructed and lived in and how they have been adapted with the external and internal alterations at Springhead reflecting the changing expectations for houses during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Whangārei was widely settled by Māori as evidenced by the rich archaeological and cultural history before the first permanent European settler, William Carruth came to the region in 1839. Carruth purchased a large tract of land and later sold portions to later settlers including 259 acres to Sir Samuel Osborne Gibbes, 2nd Baronet of Springhead, Barbados who came to the small settlement in c.1856. Shortly after purchasing the land Osborne Gibbes built his residence and named the property Springhead, after his baronetcy. This residence was a square two level residence, likely with a steeply pitched roof, that was likely based on a double box cottage layout. It was constructed with an Australian hardwood timber frame and kauri timber. The residence had every convenience and was arranged around a central hallway with the living rooms on the ground level along with a bedroom and further bedrooms upstairs. It was clad with vertical board and batten cladding and had double-hung windows with six pane sashes. The kitchen was located in an outbuilding. In the years after initial construction the residence was extended with a lean-to on the south side. Osborne Gibbes held a number of civic positions in growing settlement which he also represented on the Legislative council. Springhead was sold in a mortgagee sale in 1864 to Reverend Henry Wyatt Cottle, an Anglican minister from England who came to Whangārei with his wife and ten children. In the following decades the place was sold a number of times and was used as a large farm by its owners. In 1902 the property was purchased by Benjamin George Hall who bred chickens and sold their eggs from Springhead which he named Springhead Poultry Yards. Hall sold the majority of the property in 1906 to James Edmund Holmes and also made significant alterations to the residence between 1902-8. Hall lowered the residence to be a single story building and added a prominent regency revival influence villa extension onto the eastern side with a long decorated verandah. Hall also renovated the interior of the residence in a contemporary villa style. The next owner of Springhead, Arthur Duncan Lambly, made some further changes to the rear portion in 1915. In 1922 Holmes purchased the remaining section of Springhead from Lambly in order to undertake a large subdivision during the 1920s. The land between Springhead and the newly formed road was subdivided into residential lots which were built on in the years after the Second World War. Springhead was rented for a number of years before becoming an owner occupied residence again from 1950. During the 1970s the owners of the place made internal changes including modernising the kitchen and bathroom and building a garage. In 1988 the current boundaries were established and recent owners have undertaken further restoration of the place.

Springhead, Whangārei | Alexandra Foster | 28/01/2020 | Heritage New Zealand

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Place Category 2

Access

Private/No Public Access

List Number

9638

Date Entered

6th June 2020

Date of Effect

7th July 2020

City/District Council

Whangārei District

Region

Northland Region

Extent of List Entry

Extent includes the land described as Lot 1 DP 126790 (RT NA74A/77) North Auckland Land District and the buildings known as Springhead thereon. (Refer to map in Appendix 1 of the List entry report for further information).

Legal description

Lot 1 DP 126790 (RT NA74A/77) North Auckland Land District

Location Description

NZTM Easting: 1718378.6 NZTM Northing: 6047343.45 (this is the approximate centre of the residence).

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