Clark House (New Zealand)
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| Clark House | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Clark House from behind | |
 | |
| Etymology | Named after owner |
| General information | |
| Type | Private home |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Location | Hobsonville |
| Address | 25-29 Clark Road |
| Town or city | Auckland |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 36°47′57.250″S 174°39′6.275″E / 36.79923611°S 174.65174306°E |
| Current tenants | Royal New Zealand Air Force |
| Year(s) built | c. 1897-1902 |
| Owner | The Crown |
| Technical details | |
| Size | 723m2 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Rice Owen Clark II |
| Designated | 6 June 1990 |
| Reference no. | 126 |
Clark House is an early 20th century Italianate home in Hobsonville listed as a Category I building by Heritage New Zealand. The house was constructed in the late 1890s as the family home for Rice Owen Clark II, a wealthy owner of a nearby pottery business.
Description
Clark House is a two-storey villa that looks out over Limeburners Bay and the Waitematā Harbour.[1] The interior contains a curved staircase, stained glass windows, Art Noveau dado panels, Kauri wood features and decorative tiles. According to Heritage New Zealand Clark House was the first residence in New Zealand to use hollow ceramic blocks, before hollow concrete blocks were used.[1]
History
Background
Although Hobsonville had previously been surveyed by William Hobson, the first European to settle the area was Rice Owen Clark in 1854.[2] Clark had bought land and intended to farm it but after finding the land less than adequate for agricultural purposes he started creating drainage pipes from clay in the area. Clark originally started with 139 acres, by 1877 he had acquired more land and part of that land would later become the Clark House residence.[3] Clark had initially started with making the pipes for himself before moving onto requests from local settlers of Hobsonville, but by 1862 he had expanded his operations and in 1864 his pottery company had been officially established.[3][4] In 1876 Rice Owen Clark II, at the age of 21 began working alongside his father on the business. By 1879 Clark's and other local potteries had made local headlines and the area of Limeburners Bay became well associated with the pottery industry.[3] Despite the 'Long Depression' forcing many nearby pottery businesses to close Clark's pottery, under the ownership of Rice Owen Clark II, continued to produce ceramics and was boasting about being the largest pottery works in New Zealand.[3]
Construction
In 1896 Clark had died and Clark II became sole owner of the business. Clark II decided to build a home out of oblong ceramic blocks – hoping this would become a new building trend – and named the home Ngaroma. Construction started c.1897 and by 1902 it had finished. The hollow ceramic blocks did not catch on, as cinder blocks would come to New Zealand shortly after. Only a few houses would use the material, mostly in Hobsonville.[3]
In 1905 Clark II had died and the business and property was inherited by his sons: Thomas Edwin Clark and Rice Owen Clark III. The sons continued work on the business and property, with two new chimneys being built between 1905 and 1908. In 1909 Clark III had left the company to his brother.[3]
Starting in the 1920s the clay at Limeburners Bay had started running low.[4] In 1929 Clark's Pottery had merged with other companies to become the Amalgamated Brick and Tile Company, which would become Ceramco.[3] Due to the lack of clay and difficulty in transporting goods via the harbour the operations at Limeburners Bay were closed in 1931.[4]
RNZAF
In 1950, The Crown, on operating on behalf of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, purchased Clark House for 8000 pounds.[3][5] The RNZAF used Clark House for Cold War meetings and in 1955 hosted the South East Asia Treaty Organisation conference at the property. In 1967, after a decompression chamber had been installed, it would house the Aviation Medicine Unit. The property remained in use by the Defence Force until 2016.[6]
Modern use
In 2022 the RNZAF put the property on the market,[1] as of May 2024 the property is still on the market.[7]
References
- ^ a b c Hawkes, Colleen (14 October 2022). "King Charles III's heritage-listed mansion in Hobsonville is listed". Stuff. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ "Land Information New Zealand – Hobsonville Place Name Proposal Report". Archived from the original on 14 February 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Clough, Rod; Macready, Sarah; Plowman, Mica (January 2008). R.O. Clark's Pottery (1864-1931), Limeburners Bay, Hobsonville: Archaeological Investigation (PDF) (Report). Clough & Associates. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "Historic Heritage Evaluation Clarks Lane Historic Heritage Area" (PDF). Auckland Council. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ "King Charles III's Auckland mansion on the market". TVNZ. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ "Clark House". Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ "25-59 Clark Road, Hobsonville, NZ 0616". Harcouts, Cooper & Co. Retrieved 21 May 2024.