Waimate: Quinn's Arcade Restoration

LARGE IMAGE OPENS IN A NEW WINDOW

What is believed to be New Zealand's first indoor shopping mall is now entering another stage in a plan by a Waimate group to return it to its former glory.

• Built between 1905 and 1907.

• Original owner William Quinn, Makikihi landowner and businessman, born 1828 in Northern Ireland, died July 1, 1914, at Makikihi.

• Building has 296,970 bricks from Quinn's own brickworks.

• Converted to Arcadia Theatre between 1918 to 1920.

• Fire destroyed the theatre on June 29, 1955.

• First floor converted to flats in 1964-65.

• Rest of building used for various purposes, including storage.

• Purchased 2008 by Pro-Ject Waimate.

• October, 2008, conservation and concept plan prepared.

Further Reading: Otago Daily Times - Friday, 31 October 2008.

Photo by Geof Wilson

Historic Waimate Building for Demolition

The 1890 Empress Flour Mill on Queen Street is category C industrial heritage building, which means that its removal is a permitted activity.

There are two plaques on the front of the building, one relating to the 118 year old structure and the other to the 1921 grain silos.

With a height of 35 metres the category B listed heritage silos are the town's most prominent landmark. They're still in use and will not be demolished.

Waimate is renowned for its Edwardian buildings, but the Empress Flour Mill building is one of the few left from the Victorian era.

Photo by Geoff Cloake

Obit. David Studholme

The second child of Edgar Studholme (1866-1949), Michael David Studholme was the last surviving grandchild of Michael Studholme (1833-1886), the first European settler at Waimate.

David was born at Te Waimate and his early schooling was at home and later at Christ's College. He left school in 1929 to commence a 50 year a farming career. An early pioneer of Border Romney sheep, in 1968 David went into partnership to buy Braemar Station in the Mackenzie country, which he farmed until 1975.

On his retirement David became an enthusiastic and widely recognised expert on the restoration and construction of earth buildings. In recognition of this he was awarded the Queen's Service Medal in 1992, a Rotary foundation Paul Harris Fellow medal and NZ Historic Places Trust certificate of meritorious service in 2004.

David supervised the restoration of The Cuddy, built in 1854 in the grounds of Te Waimate. This was soon followed by the restoration of other buildings including the original Molesworth Station homestead, Acheron accommodation house, Top House (Nelson), Paterson's cottage in Kurow and the Waimate museum's new earth building.

The last years of his life were spent at the Bishopspark Retirement Village in Christchurch. David's farewell service was held on a warm autumn day at his birthplace in the garden he loved so much. He is survived by his children Jane, Nicola and Michael, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Further reading:

Death of leading historian and South Canterbury farmer, The Timaru Herald, 06 June 2008

Profile: David Studholme, Heritage New Zealand, Winter 2005

Restored School Re-opened at Waimate

Douglas school was once a centre piece of the small community 17km South-west of Waimate. The school opened with a roll of 20 in 1912, closing in 1951. The old building was donated by Timothy Mehrtens, whose father Martin was a former pupil of the school.

Moved in 2005 by the Lions Group to the grounds of Waimate Museum, the Mayor addressed a crowd in a top hats and coat tails yesterday at the re-opening of the restored School.

The Timaru Herald, Monday, 18 February 2008

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