Unravelling the Wrigleys

Wrigley's Building, 52-54 Devonport Road, Tauranga
Photograph copyright Rodney Giddens and courtesy of Pae Korokī Ref. 15-227

Among the ghost buildings in Devonport Road where the name on the building has no connection to the present occupiers, stands Wrigley’s Building. Research quickly revealed that there were several families of that name in Tauranga in the nineteenth century. The Wrigley Building at 54 to 56 Devonport Road was built by Karl Johanson in 1933 for John Julius Wrigley who had owned the land since 1921. John J. a chemist, was born in Tauranga of a Yorkshire family. Ownership passed to Charles Frederick Wrigley in 1932 and the building remained with the Wrigley family until 1977.

Although the Tauranga City Council Heritage Study 2008 states its purpose, among others, “to provide recommendations for the protection and ongoing management of heritage in the Tauranga CBD area,” the need for earthquake strengthening has provided an excuse to demolish some of the buildings that make up the Art Deco 1920 and 30s streetscape. This building is a simple Art Deco style with some decoration on the two storied building. There is a fluted plaster band across the top of the building and design repeated below. The upper level has a projecting bay window. Painted a fading cream none of the decoration is outlined in a second colour which could have added to its appearance. The Wrigley Building has an air of neglect about it that could well be indicating its fate.

Star Hotel, 1902 (the Springwell Brewery is the two storied gable roofed building on right side of image. Cnr of Willow Street -2 white hitching (?) posts on corner.)
Photograph courtesy of Pae Korokī Ref. 02-363

Another Wrigley business family in Tauranga was that of Thomas Dale Wrigley, who with his son and later G Ellis owned the Springwell Brewery that stood on the north side of Spring Street on the west corner of Willow Street from 1873. It was located there because of the proximity to the spring that also provided water to the cordial or soft drink factory opposite on the corner of Spring and Grey Streets. Thomas Dale Wrigley was born in Manchester and came to Tauranga. Following an accident where he had broken his leg, the medical practices of the day were insufficient to save him and he died three months later in 1878 aged 48. His son John Dale Wrigley also died young when he drowned after falling from a yacht on a trip to Motiti Island from Tauranga.

Thomas Wrigley, Mayor of Tauranga
Image courtesy of Tauranga City Council

The third and earlier Wrigley was Thomas who in 1861 opened a store and trading post in Maketu before moving to Tauranga in 1863. His Tauranga store was destroyed by the 1881 fire that burnt out two blocks of the town. Thomas Wrigley held several positions in Tauranga including member of the Town Board, JP, Chairman of the County Council and Mayor of the Borough for three years.  He was a committee member of the Bay of Plenty Steam Navigation Company when it commenced in 1866. The company engaged Niccol, North Shore to build a steamer, the Tauranga that was launched in 1867 and christened by Miss Catherine Wrigley. Thomas Wrigley was one of the largest shareholders in the company. He was born in Stockport, Lancashire and died there on a trip home.

References

Tauranga Library, Vertical files/biographical.
Tauranga City Council Heritage Study (2008)
Papers Past: Daily Southern Cross, Bay of Plenty Times