New Zealand Shipping Company Offices and Wool Store
Date of birth
1912
Date of death
1963
Place of birth
Place of death
Biography
The NZ Shipping Company Building operated as an office block for the ships calling at Tokomaru Bay to take away frozen carcases, wool and livestock. It was also the store for wool waiting to be exported.
Taking advantage of the newly built wharf and export opportunities generated by the new freezing works, the New Zealand Shipping Company Offices and Wool Store was built in 1912, soon after the Tokomaru Bay Harbour Board was set up in 1911. The store was used for ’dumping’ bales of wool, two into one for shipment overseas. The imposing red brick building has aesthetic, historical and social significance. The company itself was one of the largest industries on the East Coast and was nationally significant, being one of the primary frozen meat transport firms. And the building shows how commercial activity relied on good shipping links in the area. Napier company Bull Bros. won the contract to erect a large ‘wool-shed’ for the New Zealand Shipping Company in June 1911 and by October was under way with construction. In May 1912, after a labour shortage impeded early progress, Captain Hemming of the Rimutaka ceremonially laid the first brick for the wool store. The marble foundation stone can be seen on the north east corner where a wooden office block was built. On 25 September 1912, the offices of the Tokomaru Bay Board were officially set up in this corner alongside the New Zealand Shipping Company offices. The wool store and adjacent New Zealand Shipping Company Manager’s House and stables block are all believed to have been completed in 1912. All three are registered Category 2 with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. The building also housed offices for the Tokomaru Harbour Board. The wool store was soon pressed into service as a function room, hosting a dance and supper in aid of the English Church fund in July 1913. Further social functions were held on the premises later in the year. The Bishop of Waiapu used the building as a place to preach in 1914 and that same year a Reform Party candidate held a committee meeting there. In 1927, the Tokomaru Harbour Board bought all the New Zealand Shipping Company property at Waima, including the New Zealand Shipping Company Offices and Wool Store. A lean-to, which no longer exists, was erected in 1942 on the southwest of the building and a door cut in the side of the building. The harbour board continued using the building until 1963 when the board was dissolved. The building had a various subsequent uses. Waiapu County Council installed a maize dryer, Chaffey’s Transport used it for superphosphate storage and Brian McCarthy used it for making concrete tanks. The building was sold in 1992 and is used by locals for storage and a workshop.
accessed 03/12/2019 from: file:///C:/Users/mhansen-knarhoi/Downloads/15-421-Appendix-1-Part-1.pdf
Bull Brothers (H.J. and E.J. Bull)
H.J. and E.J. Bull were ‘Builders, Contractors, Timber Merchants’, and proprietors of the Napier Brickyard. The brothers were apprentice builders to Mr John McColl, of Newmarket. They relocated to Hawke's Bay in 1887 and two years later they established Bull Bros. Later the firm took over the Napier Brickyard and employed about 100 people. Bull Brothers constructed many large projects in Napier including the government offices and large wool stores at Port Ahuriri, both of which were destroyed in the Napier earthquake. Remaining known examples of their work are the Hastings Municipal Theatre (Record no. 1096) and Scinde Building, Napier (Record no. 4814).
Source: Information Upgrade Report for New Zealand Shipping Company Offices and Wool Store (Former), Linda Pattison, NZHPT, 13 Jun 2013
accessed 03/12/2019 from: https://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/3480
Taking advantage of the newly built wharf and export opportunities generated by the new freezing works, the New Zealand Shipping Company Offices and Wool Store was built in 1912, soon after the Tokomaru Bay Harbour Board was set up in 1911. The store was used for ’dumping’ bales of wool, two into one for shipment overseas. The imposing red brick building has aesthetic, historical and social significance. The company itself was one of the largest industries on the East Coast and was nationally significant, being one of the primary frozen meat transport firms. And the building shows how commercial activity relied on good shipping links in the area. Napier company Bull Bros. won the contract to erect a large ‘wool-shed’ for the New Zealand Shipping Company in June 1911 and by October was under way with construction. In May 1912, after a labour shortage impeded early progress, Captain Hemming of the Rimutaka ceremonially laid the first brick for the wool store. The marble foundation stone can be seen on the north east corner where a wooden office block was built. On 25 September 1912, the offices of the Tokomaru Bay Board were officially set up in this corner alongside the New Zealand Shipping Company offices. The wool store and adjacent New Zealand Shipping Company Manager’s House and stables block are all believed to have been completed in 1912. All three are registered Category 2 with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. The building also housed offices for the Tokomaru Harbour Board. The wool store was soon pressed into service as a function room, hosting a dance and supper in aid of the English Church fund in July 1913. Further social functions were held on the premises later in the year. The Bishop of Waiapu used the building as a place to preach in 1914 and that same year a Reform Party candidate held a committee meeting there. In 1927, the Tokomaru Harbour Board bought all the New Zealand Shipping Company property at Waima, including the New Zealand Shipping Company Offices and Wool Store. A lean-to, which no longer exists, was erected in 1942 on the southwest of the building and a door cut in the side of the building. The harbour board continued using the building until 1963 when the board was dissolved. The building had a various subsequent uses. Waiapu County Council installed a maize dryer, Chaffey’s Transport used it for superphosphate storage and Brian McCarthy used it for making concrete tanks. The building was sold in 1992 and is used by locals for storage and a workshop.
accessed 03/12/2019 from: file:///C:/Users/mhansen-knarhoi/Downloads/15-421-Appendix-1-Part-1.pdf
Bull Brothers (H.J. and E.J. Bull)
H.J. and E.J. Bull were ‘Builders, Contractors, Timber Merchants’, and proprietors of the Napier Brickyard. The brothers were apprentice builders to Mr John McColl, of Newmarket. They relocated to Hawke's Bay in 1887 and two years later they established Bull Bros. Later the firm took over the Napier Brickyard and employed about 100 people. Bull Brothers constructed many large projects in Napier including the government offices and large wool stores at Port Ahuriri, both of which were destroyed in the Napier earthquake. Remaining known examples of their work are the Hastings Municipal Theatre (Record no. 1096) and Scinde Building, Napier (Record no. 4814).
Source: Information Upgrade Report for New Zealand Shipping Company Offices and Wool Store (Former), Linda Pattison, NZHPT, 13 Jun 2013
accessed 03/12/2019 from: https://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/3480
