Crellow House 274 Taupo Quay, Whanganui Register Item Number: 444 Building Type: Residential Commercial Industrial Recreation Institutional Agriculture Other Significance: Archaeological Architectural Historic Scientific Technological Cultural Location: 274 Taupo Quay, Gonville, Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga Whanganui List Number: Nil Physical Description: This symmetrical, single storey, timber framed house has two main gabled wings facing the street with a smaller gabled central section joining the two main wings. The style of the house is a residential form of Carpenter Gothic known as Rustic Gothic and it has the characteristic steeply pitched roofs, traceried bargeboards, finials, and hood moulds following the shape of the unusual triangular pointed windows. Two or three windows joined together is also typical of the style. Rustic Gothic was more popular as a residential style. Largely derived from the cottage orné of the mid nineteenth century, Australasian examples abounded in the latter part of the nineteenth century influenced by pattern books such as those of Englishman, J C Loudon s Encyclopaedia of Cottage, Farm and Villa Architecture, and American, Calvert Vaux s Villas and Cottages. Thematic Context Early Settlement Residential Industry Agricultural Commerce Transport Civic/Admin Health Education Religion Recreation Community Memorials Military
Other known names: Crellow House Bed & Breakfast Current Use: Bed & Breakfast Former Uses: Dwelling house Heritage Status: District Plan Class: BR Architectural Style: Carpenter Gothic Date of Construction: c1901-2? Materials: Painted timber weatherboards, timber joinery, corrugated steel roofing Registered owner: Legal Description: Lot 5 DP 45846 History: Nowadays, this house is known as Crellow House Bed & Breakfast. However, the origin of this name has not been researched. Certificate of Title WN 235/22 was the earliest CT sighted for this property during this limited study. The number recorded on it for the previous CT proves to be incorrect. WN 235/22 was issued to The Wanganui Hospital and Charitable Aid Board in 1915 and covered Lots 3, 4, 5, and 6 of DP 3266, being a block of some five acres. The house site is on Lot 3. Amongst the outstanding interests brought forward on this CT was the Deed of Lease of Helen Mary Burnett for Lots 3 and 6 for a 20-year term, starting from 1 st January 1901. This perhaps marks the time of construction of this house. Lots 4 and 5 were leased from the same date for the same term to Constance Robinette Burnett. Constance Robinette Burnett was the natural daughter of Cornelius and Lily Marion Burnett of Oneida, at Fordell. Helen Mary Burnett was her adopted sister, the niece of Lily Marion Burnett. 1 If this house in fact dates to the Burnett leasehold (c1901), it is possible to see traces of Oneida within its design. Cornelius Burnett had inherited the Oneida estate from his father in 1893, and was living there at the time of Constance s marriage in 1901, and in 1907 when a garden party was held there to raise funds to build St. John s Church, Matarawa 2. However, by 1918 when his wife died, the couple were living in Wellington. Prior to retiring to Oneida to take up farming, Cornelius Burnett had 1 Wanganui Chronicle, 3 May 1918, p. 4 2 Maureen Naldrett-Jays, A History of a Country Church in New Zealand: St. John s, Matarawa: Its Life and Times 1863-2008 (Wanganui, 2010), p. 15
practiced as a solicitor in Wanganui for some thirty years. 3 The Wanganui Herald of 7 March 1901 (p. 2) covered the marriage of Constance Robinette Burnett and John Donald Welford McBeth which had just taken place at the Matarawa Church. In this, she was described as the only daughter of Cornelius Burnett, solicitor. Her adopted sister was not mentioned. In describing the wedding, the Wanganui Chronicle of 7 March 1901 (p. 2) described Constance as the eldest daughter of Mr C. Burnett of the firm Burnett & Gordon, solicitors. The Wanganui Chronicle of 31 October 1907 (p. 4) refers to Mr and Mrs C. Burnett, along with Miss Burnett, being on a visit to England, where they had met up with their son, B.W. Burnett. The couple Miss Burnett was not mentioned were due back in Wanganui by Christmas 1907. Lily Marion Burnett (nee Harris) died in 1918, survived by her five children and her adopted niece, erroneously named as, Miss Constance H. Burnett. Another brief obituary stated that Miss Burnett (i.e. Helen) then lived at Wellington. 4 There were two Miss Burnett s mentioned in the Wanganui newspapers in the early 1900s and this complicates identifying which is Helen. The second Miss Burnett was Josephine A. Burnett, the sister of Cornelius Burnett. However, one reference which might be significant is the To Let notice that appeared in the Wanganui Chronicle of 17 October 1902 (at which time the house at 274 Taupo Quay might have been newly built). This offers for immediate possession the dwelling house in St. Hill Street (containing 10 rooms and with 7/8-acre section) which until recently had been occupied by Miss Burnett. The house also had ornamental gardens, lawns etc. Applicants were to contact A. Burnett, Fordell, or C. Burnett, solicitor. That this may be Helen is supported by the birth notice of Cornelius and Lily s son Benjamin Ward Burnett, at home in St. Hill Street, Wanganui, in 1884. 5 CT WN 235/22 records that in 1916, Helen Mary Burnett leased Lots 3 and 6 for a further 7-year term backdated to start on 1 January 1914. In due course, 3 Auckland Star, 9 November 1926, p. 5 4 Wanganui Chronicle, 1 May 1918, p. 4, & 3 May 1918, p. 4 5 Wanganui Chronicle, 10 October, 1884, p. 2; Birth Registration: 1884/6454: https://bdmonline.dia.govt.nz/
Constance Robinette McBeth (nee Burnett) extended her two leases for a further 21-year term starting on 1 st January 1921. On 1 st January 1921, the NZ Refrigeration Company Ltd. took over the lease of the small Lot 6, with Helen Mary Burnett extending her lease on Lot 3 for a 21-year term starting on 1 st January 1921. In 1925, she again took over the lease of Lot 6 from the NZ Refrigeration Company Ltd. - with that firm holding a mortgage on the property. Lot 6 is now 282 Taupo Quay with an early 1900s (perhaps c1921) house built on it. It is not clear when Helen Mary Burnett relinquished her leases however, by 1940 when CT WN 493/248 (see below) was issued, the lessee of Lot 6 was once again the NZ Refrigeration Company Ltd. No marriage, death or burial was found that could be confirmed as having been Helen Mary Burnett s. She may have left the country, been married overseas, or at some point reverted to her birth surname. However, she is not apparently buried with the Burnett family graves at Matarawa or Heads Road Cemeteries. She does not seem to have lived in this house for very many years, and it is also possible that this house served at the Burnett family s town house after they moved to Oneida, and then leased out their St. Hill Street house in 1902 if that was in fact the former family home. Further research - such as in the Burnett papers held at the Wanganui Regional Museum - may clarify some of these things. Certificate of Title WN 493/248 was issued to the Wanganui Hospital Board in 1942. This was still a block of over five acres containing Lots 3, 4, 5 and 6 of DP 3266. At that time Lot 3 was leased to Henry Stratford, who renewed the lease for a 21-year term starting on 1 January 1942. In late 1942, the lease was transmitted to Letita Anna Speedy and Frederick William John Oakley as executors, following Stratford s death. It was then transferred in 1948 to Ward John Stratford, a Levin farmer, and the aforementioned Frederick William John Oakley. In 1950, the lease was transferred to Terence Gregory Mullins. Certificate of Title WN E2/648 was issued to the Wanganui Hospital Board in 1966. At this time Lot 3 was still leased to Terence Gregory Mullins, who had renewed it for a 21-year term starting 1 January 1963. This lease was then transferred to Jutland Holdings Ltd. in 1969, and in 1974, ownership of the property was transferred to Jutland Holdings Ltd, with the lease then being merged. Until that time, the property stretched between Taupo Quay and Heads
Road (covering 8445m²). However, in 1976, Jutland Holdings Ltd. subdivided it into five Lots. Certificate of Title WN 16C/1402 was issued to Jutland Holdings Ltd., of Wanganui, in 1976. This was Lot 5 DP 45846 (761m²), and it, with 278 Taupo Quay, had been about half of the Taupo Quay frontage of the land subdivided in 1976. A modern house is now located at 278 Taupo Quay. Later in 1976, the property was transferred to Dale Robert Johnston, a Wanganui clerk, and his wife, Carole Ann Johnston. In 1982, it was transferred to Carole Ann Johnston alone. In 1986, it was transferred to Albert Noyes, retired, of Wanganui, and his wife Pamela Daphne Noyes. Then in 1995, it was transferred to Pamela Daphne Noyes alone. She remains its current owner. Bibliography Naldrett-Jays, Maureen, A History of a Country Church in New Zealand: St. John s, Matarawa: Its Life and Times 1863-2008 (Wanganui, 2010) Wises NZ Post Office Directory, 1925 Archival sources, newspapers and online articles as referred to in the footnotes Architect/Designer: History of changes: Date Period: ca 1901. Rarity / Special Features: The house is a good example of the Rustic Gothic style. Integrity: The condition of the house was not inspected. Representativeness: The house is designed with the typical characteristics, planning and materials of the Rustic Gothic style. Context/Group Value:
Diversity (Form and Features): Fragility / Vulnerability: As a timber house, it is potentially vulnerable to fire. Summary of Significance: Architectural Qualities The house has the characteristics of the Rustic Gothic style with steeply pitched roofs, traceried bargeboards, finials, and hood moulds following the shape of the unusual triangular pointed windows. Another typical detail of the style is two or three windows joined together. It is possible that the house has architectural associations with Oneida, as discussed below. Historic Qualities The house is historically associated with Constance Robinette Burnett, daughter of the Burnetts of Oneida. Technical Qualities The house is designed and constructed using typical techniques and materials of the period. Cultural Qualities The house has educational values as a good example of the Rustic Gothic style. Reference Source: Associated Pictures: Date of Survey: 2012 Prepared by: Ian Bowman and Val Burr