Saturday, May 25, 2019

Thames (NZ): When is a building classified as 'Heritage'?

The Thames Coromandel District Council maintains a plan / register of buildings (and trees) that are considered worthy of being listed as a heritage item. There is a consultation process involved, along with a lot of red tape before an item goes on the heritage register. (see end of article for the items from the Thames Heritage list - Draft 2018 Plan)

It was interesting to read this week of a restoration project launched by the Thames Business Association - beautification of a building labelled "The Foundry". While the sentiments are great in beautifying a building that has long seen better days, to call it a historic or heritage building is a considerable stretch of the imagination!

 
Google maps view of the building. Left from Pollen Street, and Right from Queen Street. The lot is recorded as 904 Queen Street, sadly the TCDC online consents to do not have the records available for the building.

The first that is mentioned of a 'Building' on the land south of old Abraham Street, is in the late 1940s when a textile factory was started and seen as a new and exciting asset for the town.  (photo below) This was north of the Fishing Co-op Factory established and built in 1911.

In the 1946 aerial view below, you can see that there was the bones of a building in place, and that alterations took place. Whether that old building was demolished and the one that stands today was built is not clear, and council records would need to be checked for clarification.

Above: 1946 View of the buildings at the north end of Queen Street.

Above: 1954 View of the Textile factory at the north end of Queen Street.
Below: 1972 View of the building, then used by A & G Price Ltd. 

The company operating in the building in early 1950s, traded as Thames Textiles Ltd. They were a wholesale manufacturer, under the brand name San Jose Sports Wear. The Companies Office has records for the company in the archives - trading from 1949 to 1955. Note there was another clothing factory (apart from Hauraki Clothing / Claxtons) from 1954 to 1969 known as Jamesfield (Thames) Ltd. Does anyone know if they took over the Thames Textiles building?

Over later years, several factories have operated from the site and also the building has been used as residential flats. The ground to the front was a boat sales yard for many years. Of late the building and grounds have become increasingly rundown, so we look forward to seeing the final product once the restoration of this old site is complete - Heritage or not!
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Further Reading
Buildings on the Thames Heritage List
Source: TCDC District Plan
Table 5 - Thames Historic Heritage Items
Item number
Overlay planning map
 Historic Heritage item
Location
New Zealand List/Rārangi Kōrero
101
31A
Former John Brown house
750 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames
Category 1 Item 711
102
31A
Former Thomas Brown house
746 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames
Category 1 Item 710
103
31A
Former Torrens house
727 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames
Category 2 Item 709
104
31A
Former St John's Anglican Church
715 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames
Category 2 Item 723
105
31A
Former Thames North School / Tararu Cultural Centre
600 Tararu Road, Tararu, Thames
Category 1 Item 133
106
31B
Hauraki Prospectors' Association ('Goldmine Experience' complex)
1000 -1004 Queen Street, Thames
107
31B
Former Golden Crown Mine Battery
103 Owen Street, Thames
Category 1 Item 4643
108
31B
A & G Price Foundry
208-210 Beach Road, Thames
Category 1 Item 128
109
31B
World War One Memorial
War Memorial Reserve, 111 Monument Road, Thames
Category 2 Item 4658
11031BHouse402 Williamson Street, Thames
111
31B
Former Royal Hotel (Corner Williamson and Brown Street, Thames)
103 Williamson Street, Thames (Corner Williamson and Brown Street, Thames)
Category 2 Item 2668
112
31B
Victoria Park Coronation Band Rotunda
Victoria Park, Beach Road, Thames
Category 2 Item 4609
113
31B
South African War Memorial
Category 2 Item 4610
114
31B
Sunkist Hostel
(Former Lady Bowen Hotel)
506 Brown Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 2667
115
31B
Former Holmes' Wharf Hotel / Park Hotel / Lady Bowen Hotel
501 Brown Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 713
116
31B
Former Crown Hotel / Former Thames Borough Council building
401 Albert Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 4668
117
31B
Albert Street Pumping Station and Works Yard
409 Albert Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 4650
118
31B
Former Miners' Union Hall
727 Queen Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 4653
119
31B
Former Police Station
730 Queen Street, Thames
120
31B
Former Courthouse
726 Queen Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 4981
121
31B
Levinge type pillar box
Road berm on frontage to 700 Queen Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 9791
122
31B
Former Thames School of Mines, Mineral Museum and Fire Bell
101 Cochrane Street, Thames
Category 1 Item 132
123
31B
Former Thames Free Library
The Treasury, 705 Queen Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 718
12431BHouse202 Kirkwood Street, Thames 
125
31B
Former Cornwall Arms Hotel
Thames Workingmen's Club, 407 Cochrane Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 702
126
31B
Former Livery Stables
Corner Cochrane and Kirkwood Streets, Thames
Category 2 Item 4624
127
31B
Former Loyal Charles Bruce Lodge of Oddfellows Hall
126 Kirkwood Street, Thames
128
31C
Levinge type pillar box
Footpath on frontage to 711 Pollen Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 9791
129
31C
Former Corinthian Lodge
133 Martha Street, Thames
13031CHistoric shops (eastern side of Pollen Street, between Pahau and Cochrane Streets)770 Pollen Street, Thames
13131C758 Pollen Street, ThamesCategory 2 Item 2675
13231C754 Pollen Street, ThamesCategory 2 Item 2678
133 Former Charles Palmer's Sweet Shop750 Pollen Street, Thames Category 2 Item 2680
13431C742 Pollen Street, ThamesCategory 2 Item 2681
13531C 738 Pollen Street, ThamesCategory 2 Item 2679 
13631C734 Pollen Street, ThamesCategory 2 Item 2677
13731C728 Pollen Street, Thames
138 31C Former William Wood's Central Cheap Stores726 Pollen Street and 113 Martha Street, Thames Category 2 Item 2682
13931C724 Pollen Street, ThamesCategory 2 Item 2683
14031C720 Pollen Street, ThamesCategory 2 Item 5482
 14131C Former Battson Plumbers Ltd building714 Pollen Street, Thames Category 2 Item 2684
14231C710 Pollen Street, ThamesCategory 2 Item 5481
143
31C
Former King's Theatre / Embassy Cinema
704 Pollen Street and 103 Martha Street, Thames
Deficient registration Item 2685
144
31C
Junction Hotel
700 Pollen Street and 101 Martha Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 712
14531CHouse300 Pahau Street, Thames
146
31C
Former Thames-Hauraki Pumphouse and Quadrants / Thames Museum of Technology
212 Bella Street, Thames
Category 1 Item 4682 (quadrants) Item 724 (pumphouse)
147
31C
St James' Union Church and Church Hall
202 Pahau Street, Thames (Corner Pollen and Pahau Streets, Thames)
Category 1 Item 131 (church) Category 2 Item 722 (hall)
148
31C
Former Vicesimus Lush residence / Thames Club
601 Mackay Street, Thames
149
31C
St George's Anglican Church and 
St George's Church Hall
602 Mackay Street, Thames (Corner Mackay and Mary Streets, Thames)
Category 1 Item 721 (church)
604 Mackay Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 2672 (hall)
150
31C
Levinge type pillar box
Footpath on frontage to 580 Pollen Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 9791
151
31C
Salutation Hotel
400 Mary Street, Thames
152
31D
Westpac Bank Building / formerly Bank of New South Wales
515 Pollen Street, Thames
153
31D
Former Miller Poulgrain Chambers / former Rural Bank
457 Pollen Street, Thames
154
31D
Halsbury Chambers
433 Pollen Street, Thames
155
31D
Imperial Hotel
476 Pollen Street, Thames (Corner Pollen and Sealey Streets, Thames)
156
31D
Former Lodge Sir Walter Scott No. 15
415 Mackay Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 4652
157
31D
Thames High School (four items)
  • Former Kauaeranga Boys' School building;
  • 1925 addition to 1914 Thames High School building;
  • Belltower from 1914 building;
  • World War One memorial.
300 Sealey Street, Thames
15831DHouse 306 Richmond Street, ThamesCategory 2
Item 5384
159
31D
Former Kilgour house
300 Queen Street, Thames
160
31D
Brian Boru Hotel
200 Richmond Street, Thames (Corner of Pollen and Richmond Streets, Thames)
Category 1 Item 129
161
31D
Former Thames Railway Station and Goods Shed
Queen Street, Thames (adjacent to intersection with Willoughby Street)
Category 2 Items 719 (station) and 4646 (shed)
162
31D
Former Stationmaster's house
200 Queen Street, Thames
Category 2 Item 4633
163
31D
Former William Culpitt saddlery and residence
218 Pollen Street, Thames
164
31D
Sisters of St Joseph Convent and Chapel
302 Willoughby Street, Thames
165
31D
Former Butt House
200 Hape Road, Thames
166
31D
Former Methodist Parsonage
200 The Terrace, Thames
167
31D
Shortland Wharf and cargo shed
Adjacent to Jellicoe Crescent (State Highway 25) and Thames Branch Railway Line
Category 2 Item 4672 (wharf)
168
31D
Former Kauaeranga Girls' School / Parawai School / Thames South School belfry
307 Rolleston Street, Thames
169
31D
Former Hogg residence
316 Rolleston Street, Thames
170
31D
Former FS Miller residence, 'Coniston'
201 Heale Street, Thames
171
31D
Former Read residence
305 Banks Street, Thames
172
31D
Former Hetherington residence, 'Thurlston'
300 Banks Street, Thames
173
31E
Koro Koro Villa (former Marshall residence) / Brunton House
210 Parawai Road, Thames
Category 2 Item 706
174
31E
Māori Church of the Holy Trinity
329 Parawai Road, Thames
Category 2 Item 705
175
31L
Old Kopu Bridge
Waihou River, State Highway 25, Kopu
Category 1 Item 4681
176
31L
Captain Cook Monument
23 Kopu Road, Kopu
177
32
Former Kauaeranga Valley School / Kauaeranga Hall
437 Kauaeranga Valley Road, Kauaeranga
Category 2 Item 9278
178
32A
Former Matatoki Dairy factory
9220 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Matatoki
179
32A
Matatoki Hall
9217 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Matatoki
180
36C
Puriri Hall
8872 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Puriri
181
36C
Former shop / residence
8854 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Puriri
182
36C
Puriri Methodist Church
8848 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Puriri
183
36D
Former Corbett residence
8088 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Hikutaia
Category 2 Item 4635
184
36D
Catholic Church of St James and St John
8082 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Hikutaia
185
36D
St Mary's Anglican Church and memorial gates
8059 Paeroa-Kopu Road, State Highway 26, Hikutaia
186
32
Devcich Farm 
764C Kauaeranga Valley Road, Thames
Category 1 Item 9497