Old Government House is the former residence of the

Governor of New Zealand The governor-general of New Zealand ( mi, te kāwana tianara o Aotearoa) is the viceregal representative of the monarch of New Zealand, currently King Charles III. As the King is concurrently the monarch of 14 other Commonwealth realms and l ...

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

, New Zealand.

History

Origins

The present building is the second Government House on this site. The first one was a prefabricated wooden structure manufactured by Mannings of London, a firm which specialised in such structures. Apparently the Auckland house supplied to the first Governor of New Zealand was similar to the one sent to Saint Helena to house

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

(although he refused to move into it). Built for

William Hobson Captain William Hobson (26 September 1792 – 10 September 1842) was a British Royal Navy officer who served as the first Governor of New Zealand. He was a co-author of the Treaty of Waitangi. Hobson was dispatched from London in July 1 ...

, the first Governor, the Auckland House caught fire in 1848 during the Governorship of Sir

George Grey Sir George Grey, KCB (14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a British soldier, explorer, colonial administrator and writer. He served in a succession of governing positions: Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Go ...

and he and successive Governors occupied rented houses until the current structure was built; these included Scoria House on

Karangahape Road Karangahape Road (commonly known as K' Road) is one of the main streets in the central business district (CBD) of Auckland, New Zealand. The massive expansion of motorways through the nearby inner city area – and subsequent flight of resident ...

(later called St Kevins) and Hulme court in Parnell. The current building was designed by William Mason, and was completed in 1856 as one of the measures taken by Auckland to retain its status as New Zealand's capital. However, the house was used only sporadically after the seat of government was moved to Wellington in 1865. The wooden

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian ...

mansion endured criticism from architects and lay people alike, many disliked the flat, pasteboard effect of the façade and the dishonest imitation of stone masonry in wood. In the 1860s Governor Gore Browne lobbied for a new residence to be built in the nearby Auckland Domain. The intended building (possibly by Rumsey) was a stone Gothic castellated residence strongly resembling the one in Sydney. This sparked criticism partly because of what was perceived as extravagance but also because it would allow part of the Auckland Domain to be alienated from public use. There was also the possibility of the capital being relocated to Wellington which would make an Auckland Government House unnecessary. For these reasons the Weld administration refused funds for such a structure.

Move to Wellington

The Capital was relocated to Wellington in 1864 but Auckland wielded considerable clout and the Government found itself maintaining two residences for the Governor. Having more than one Government House in a country as small as New Zealand doubtless seemed extravagant but the Governor General continues to this day to alternate between Wellington and Auckland. There were even other Vice-regal residences for a while;

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

and a temporary one at

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

. The house in Christchurch was called Elmwood, was owned by Sir Heaton Rhodes and was in use during the time of Lord Ranfurly. The Palmerston North House, now called Caccia-Birch, was where Lord Plunket moved to after the disastrous fire in 1907 which gutted the Parliament Buildings. Lord Plunket lent the Vice-Regal residence in Wellington for Parliament to meet in (he had been lobbying for a larger Government House to be provided in any case). The Palmerston North House was the residence of the Governor General between 1908 and 1910 while the new Wellington Government House was under construction. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, House Garden Party (1953)

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, House Garden Party (1953)

Royalty have stayed at the house six times, and Queen Elizabeth II broadcast her Christmas speech from the House in 1953. Old Government House was registered by the

New Zealand Historic Places Trust Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (initially the National Historic Places Trust and then, from 1963 to 2014, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust) ( mi, Pouhere Taonga) is a Crown entity with a membership of around 20,000 people that advocate ...

as a Category I heritage structure on 24 November 1983.

University of Auckland

The Auckland House felt more and more hemmed in as the 20th century progressed especially after apartment blocks began to appear on Waterloo Quadrant. In 1969, Sir Frank and Lady Mappin donated the current

Government House Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and lieutenant-governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. The name is also used in some other countries. Gover ...

(Birchlands) which is located in

Mount Eden Mount Eden is a suburb in Auckland, New Zealand whose name honours George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland. It is south of the Central Business District (CBD). Mt Eden Road winds its way around the side of Mount Eden Domain and continues to weave b ...

. In the same year, Old Government House in Waterloo Quadrant became formally part of the

University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...

. The interior has been rationalised and altered over the years and although much original detailing remains in the main rooms the atmosphere of a palatial residence is conspicuously absent. All the spaces are fairly institutional in manner although the main rooms are decorated with a selection from the University's collection of New Zealand art. Various parts of the building are used as the Staff Common Room, Council reception suite, flats for visiting academics, rooms for the Federation of Graduate Women, while the former Ballroom is a lecture theatre. Various events continue to be held on the front lawn continuing the tradition of Vice-Regal Garden Parties. The garden contains many specimen trees planted by visiting dignitaries and Governors, in particular George Grey. There is also a rose garden which was planted and tended by successive Governors' wives. The site of the former Governor's Stable block was replaced in the 1960s by the Biology Department which is screened from the main, while the adjacent greenhouse complex and Tennis Courts have likewise been replaced by University buildings.

References

External links