334-336 Stafford St
LN:2053 C:2
1912
Architect Lusk & Moriarty
Mr J Reilly owned the Melville hotel, which originally occupied this site. In 1912 he had the hotel completely rebuilt and renamed it the Dominion.
The neo classical hotel was designed by Lusk and Moriarty in 1912-1913 with brick, concrete and plaster. The exterior was Oamaru stone. The original Dominion Hotel, dates back to the 1870s. There was a knock three times on the rear door policy to gain admission after hours back in the era of the six o’clock swirl. The current Dominion Hotel opened in 1912, though a hotel has stood on the corner of Stafford and Sefton Streets in Timaru since the 1870s. The 1500 square metre building has an Oamaru stone exterior. See pink decoration at top. 1930s. The first proprietor of the Dominion was J. REILLY. The façade features a centrally-positioned recessed entrance and balcony on the two storeys above, flanked by two columns. The windows on the street façade were of the ‘latest casement’ type. Pediments at the northern and southern ends of the façade contain cartouches showing the date of the building’s construction (‘1912’) and the names ‘Dominion Hotel’ and ‘J Reilly’ are featured in relief below the cornice.
Significant elements include rusticated pilasters, ionic columns, window details, cornice, pediments and cartouches.
The buildings remodeling work was by architect Thomas Lusk (LUSK & MORIARTY, architects) who was also involved in Building Stores & Offices, George Street, for Dalgety and Company, Limited (1905). His daughter Doris Lusk, the well known New Zealand painter was born in 1916 Learn more here
Ian James Lochhead, PhD in Art History, on behalf of Timaru Civic Trust wrote in December 1916: At a time when the practice of architecture in New Zealand was less concentrated in the main centers of population, Hall was one of a group of prominent Timaru architects, including Percy Watts Rule and Lusk and Moriarty, who gave Timaru its distinctive architectural character as a Edwardian town characterized by buildings of a scale and sophistication that belied the relatively small size of the City.
Did you know? Social reformers who argued that alcohol fuelled poverty, ill health, crime and immorality nearly achieved national prohibition in a series of hotly contested referendums. Six o'clock closing which was a way of life for 50 years when war time efficiency measures become permanent in 1918. In the short period between the end of the working day and closing time at the pub, men crowded together to drink as much beer as they could before bar service ended and the ‘supping-up’ time of 15 minutes was announced.
William Ferrier took this photo of Reilly's Dominion Hotel. Website Hocken Snapshop. hocken.recollect.co.nz/24064
If you look closely you can see the wreck of the Benvenue stranded against the cliff. Timaru, 1880s, Timaru, by Burton Brothers studio. Purchased 1991. Te Papa (O.034179) This is looking over the Bay Hill to Caroline Bay which looked much different then.
Timaru, 1800s, Dunedin, by Burton Brothers studio. Purchased 1999 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa (O.034093)
Looking in a northerly direction down from a terrace towards Caroline Bay. The beach and a large low building are in the middle distance. The Southern Alps are in the background. Barton, Cranleigh Harper, 1890-1975 :Caroline Bay, Timaru. [ca 1950?]. Barton, Cranleigh Harper 1890-1975 :[Scenes from Geraldine to Oamaru] [ca 1950?]. Ref: A-227-335. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22757671
Creator New Zealand Herald Beattie, W B 1941. 'Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1370-464-04' when re-using this image.