(Former Vienna Cafe)
17 Beswick St
LN: 2077 C:2
1910
Architect Black & Dunning
Builder P Foster
Much of the region’s early grain production was shipped to the UK. When the 1880’s grain market was yielding low returns, William Evans and investors set up the Atlas Roller Flour & Oatmeal Milling Company in 1888 on Station St. This followed the Timaru Milling Company which set up NZ’s first roller mill in 1882. Architects Black & Dunning designed a 3 story office in 1909 in a Edwardian with Flemish baroque influence style. The top floor was leased, Atlas offices were on the ground floor, with a restaurant in the basement.
It is constructed of brick and concrete with white Oamaru stone facings and a slate roof.
Significant elements are the Viennese Baroque glazing, hood moulds, cornice, classical parapet detailing and cartouche.
The style of the building is the modern English renaissance architecture, it was faced with Oamaru stone and red brick. It is currently painted and I imagine that various owners over the years have had lots of fun choosing colour schemes. The facade of the building has large and neatly-planned windows, relieved with hood-moulds, prominent cornices, an effective centre gable, and small Ionic columns supported on an outstanding pediment and having carved ornaments nicely distributed all over and adding to its glamourous appearance. It was set back from the street front a little. Learn more
Renaissance style places emphasis on symmetry, proportion, geometry and the regularity of parts, as demonstrated in the architecture of classical antiquity and in particular ancient Roman architecture, of which many examples remained. Renaissance architecture was a major influence on building design, and it is an era that modern architects still regularly study, as a part of their course. The creation of great churches, monuments, and buildings filtered down to even modest residences, as shown by Palladio and his villas.
Can you find? Arts and crafts window garlands carved in Oamaru stone?
Philip Foster (1856-1938) was the builder and contractor and also updated shop fronts between T. and J. Thomson's and the Old bank Hotel 1913. Mr. Foster was born in Deal, Kent, England, in 1856, and accompanied his parents to Lyttelton, when he was three years of age. He was educated in Timaru. His father, who was one of the Deal boatmen, came out to work the surfboats at Timaru, and died in 1900, at the age of seventy-six. His widow still survives. Mr. P. Foster was apprenticed to the building trade, and found employment as a journeyman in Timaru till 1882, when he went to Australia and worked in connection with buildings in Melbourne till 1894, when he returned to his native town, and established his present business. The premises in Stafford Street consist of a substantial brick workshop, standing on a quarter of an acre of freehold land. Mr. Foster has erected a good many buildings in the district, and had the contract for re-instating the High School's woodwork, which was destroyed by fire. He served for three years as a volunteer in the old battery of Artillery, and as a Freemason he is connected with Lodge Caledonian, N.Z.C. Mr. Foster was married, in January, 1882, to a daughter of the late Mr. H. Thornton, builder and contractor, Timaru, and has one son and three daughters. His grave is at the Timaru Cemetery General Row 29 Plot 203. Learn more
Philip Jarvis Foster, was a replacement boatman for the Timaru Landing servicemen. They lived in a cob house in Arthur St. opposite Sutter St. It was his task to run down to the foreshore and light the tar signal barrel as necessary. He was also a sailmaker and later made tents and horse covers. After the harbour works had destroyed the boating industry Mr Foster carried on the business of sail and tentmaker until incapacitated by failing health about two years ago. He was a highly respected and valued member of the Wesleyan congregation. He leaves a widow and numerous grown up family of children and grandchildren.
Timaru Herald, 12 April 1910, Page 6
The Atlas Chambers in Beswick street, erected to the order of the Atlas Milling Company, are now wearing completion, and are already adding to the appearance of this business portion of the town, a large central up-towering gable standing out in impressive prominence. As a building it has more than one worthy feature; it is of fire-proof construction, the floors and partitions being of ferro-concrete. Light and ventilation, were insisted on, and the instructions regarding these matters, as others, have been faithfully and capably carried out. To gain the desired end the building has been set back in line with, the C.F.C.A's. fine block, and this arrangement has proved specially beneficial on the ground floor. The chambers are entered through a pretty and well-proportioned porch, which turns to the right, and a flight of stone steps descends to the base floor, which is intended for either a cafe or a restaurant, measuring 26ft. by 80ft. The light admitted from front and back and by a large lantern light in the centre comes into the room in generous fashion, while a protecting area on the street has a handsomely wrought hand-rail. Ascending from the basement one goes up four marble steps into the vestibule of the main building and is admitted by swing doors to a. corridor, featured by nice dados of figured rimu. The ground floor has been divided into a suit of offices, with strong rooms. Here again first attention has been paid to lighting facilities, all the partitions having lead-light screens, placed 9 ft. from the floor, and giving an effect, pleasing and novel. The stair-case well is in the centre of the building, from it is an artistic stair-case, set off by square-turned newels, and chastely finished handrails and bannisters in kauri and rimu. The top floor has been so planned that it can be divided into single apartments or into one suite of fine offices and a studio. The style of the building is the modern English renaissance architecture, faced with Oamaru stone and red brick, and having carved ornaments nicely distributed. The details, which have a Spanish tendency, have been worked out on the most refined lines, and the facade of the building has large and neatly-planned windows, relieved with hood-moulds, prominent cornices, an effective centre gable, and small Ionic columns supported on an outstanding pediment. Messrs Dunning and Black, were the architects, and Mr P. Foster, the builder, and the building, which will be ready for business purposes on July 1st, stands a substantial credit to their painstaking labours.
Beswick Street, Timaru, circa 1990. Provides a view of Beswick Street from opposite the intersection with Stafford Street looking east past the 'new' ANZ Bank (on the left) South Canterbury Museum - L2012/007.022
The Beswick Street frontage of the CFCA, Timaru, during demolition of the building which took place between September and November 1989. South Canterbury Museum 2012/005.15