Buildings which have been part of our cityscape for many years continue to disappear without fanfare. A prime example is 108 Devonport Road, an unremarkable structure without any architectural merit that most Tauranga residents are likely to have forgotten already.[i] Regardless, its departure in January-February of this year (2024) is worth noting and, at the eleventh hour, perhaps it has an interesting story or two left to tell?
 |
| 108 Devonport Road in the process of being demolished,
late January 2024 Image courtesy of Fiona Kean, private collection |
While 108 Devonport Road is listed in the 2008 Central Tauranga Heritage Study, frustratingly the document gives no further details. In the hopes of narrowing down the building’s age, I consulted G. Duncan’s CBD plan completed in April 1934 and immediately found a candidate – circled below.[ii] However, on closer inspection, these two shops with dwellings upstairs appear too far from the corner of Devonport Road and Elizabeth Street and too close to the Tauranga Club.[iii]
 |
| Plan of Tauranga CBD completed by G. Duncan, April 1934 Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. tcl-map-21-002 |
A photograph taken of roadworks at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Devonport Road, published in the Bay of Plenty Times in November 1963, offers a glimpse of 108. At the time, the building was occupied by Camerons Appliances who, according to their sign, sold ‘Electrical’, ‘Prams’, ‘Toys’ and ‘TV’. A second image reveals that the property was auctioned by Dalgety Real Estate in 1969. The owner, Charles Cameron, was a qualified electrician operating in Tauranga in the early 1940s.[iv] On his return from the war, Charles established Camerons Appliances and in the early 1950s, as his business grew, the building was extended.[v]
 |
| Road works – Eastern corner Elizabeth Street & Devonport Road. Published BOPT 20 November 1963 Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. gcc-5114 |
 |
| Premises to be auctioned by Dalgety Real Estate. Published BOPT 8 December 1969 Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. gca-18838 |
Happily, this information narrows the building’s construction date to between April 1934 and 1946. A search of the Bay of Plenty Times was now manageable. Using the terms ‘Devonport Road’ and ‘Lot 244’ approximately two thousand results were generated in PapersPast.[vi] In June 1936 the subdivision of Lot 244, Section 1 was debated by Borough Councillors, the issue being what, if anything, should be built on the ‘nice corner section’.[vii] The owner of the section was Miss Ruby Norris - a member of the well-known Tauranga family who were in the land trade. In June 1938 Norris & Bell advertised they had a corner section in Devonport Road available for sale which was ‘ideal for shops or flats.’[viii] Sadly, having scrolled through the results, this was the only information possibly relating to 108 Devonport Road that I could find. Perhaps a future researcher will have better luck, or this blog will inspire a knowledgeable resident to come forward and share that hoped-for story.
 |
| Lot 244 (circled) was subdivided, and 106-108
Devonport Road is identified with a star Image courtesy of the Tauranga Heritage Collection |
[i] The address is 106-108 Devonport Road. For simplicity I will refer to it as 108 in this article.
[ii] Tauranga City Libraries Map 21-002. https://paekoroki.tauranga.govt.nz/nodes/view/58684?keywords=Duncan+plan
[iii] Currently the site of Devonport Towers – January 2024.
[iv] His war record states his enlistment address as Devonport Road, Tauranga. https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/search?n=charles+cameron&plc=tauranga
[v] Bay of Plenty Times, 11 July 1946, p.5.
[vi] PapersPast https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers
[vii] Bay of Plenty Times, 12 June 1936, p.3.
[viii] Bay of Plenty Times, 25 June 1938, p.2.
No comments:
Post a Comment