95 Stafford St
LN:327 C:1
1874
William Williamson
The Gladstone Board of Works moved into their bluestone and plaster office in 1874, where they developed major public works for the region.
This board was a precursor of the Timaru Borough Council, one of the political divisions that led to the disintegration of the Provincial system in 1876. Gladstone was one of the two electoral districts which returned members to the House of Representatives 1866-1881. This is one of the few remaining bluestone buildings in Timaru, it is two-storey and rectangular in plan with a shallow hipped roof. Recent unobtrusive additions have been made to the rear of the building.
Significant elements include quoins, dressed window facings, window and door details, string course and cave detail.
The Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works were also responsible for the formation of a section of railway from Timaru to Temuka, not originally with the idea of completing a section of the South Island Main Trunk line, but rather for the purpose of providing a needed feeder line to link with the main railway. This section was opened on 26 October 1875. Timaru was proclaimed a borough on 13 July 1868 and became a city on 11 November 1948. Learn more here
Fun fact: Timaru started as two towns Government Town and Rhodes Town, which is why the roads are out of line at intersections along North Street. In 1856 Timaru was gazetted as a proposed town site by Canterbury Provincial Government. Land was reserved for town south of the present day North Street. Government town was laid out by Samuel Hewlings, he was our first Mayor 1868-1870. The centre of town was to be Alexander Square. Here you can see Hewlings laid the streets in Government town to run parrallel with the beach. The others are at right angles.
The Rhodes brothers had their free hold area surveyed by Edwin Henry Lough incorporating the well worn bullock wagon tracks which followed the easier route through the hil-and-gully area. - Streets of Timaru.
As you can see in the map below it dosn't look like either surveyor collaborated.
Here you can also see Alexander Square named in honor of the Alexandra of Denmark the wide of King Edward II.
1909 Photograph taken by an unidentified photographer employed or contracted by 'The Press' newspaper of Christchurch.Stafford Street, Timaru, with carts, horses and people in the street. The Press (Newspaper) :Negatives. Ref: 1/1-008815-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/29944621
A colour printed map of Rhodes Town, circa 1885. Shows properties owned by W B Rhodes, R H Rhodes, and G Rhodes, as well as local railway lines, the harbour, streets, and notable buildings. Covers the area bordered by Wai-iti Road in the north, North Street in the south, and from the coast as far as William Street in the west. The original blue and red tints were used to designate let and unlet properties held by the Rhodes Brothers. The lower left corner gives the credit: "Compiled by McIntyre and Leur's Authorised Licensed Surveyors Christchurch". Scale 3 chains to 1 inch. South Canterbury Museum M0001