Changing Tauranga Part 5: 108 Devonport Road

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

References

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[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.

Tauranga School

Tauranga School, c. 1890-1892
Carte de visite format albumen print by Stewart Bros., Tauranga
Collection of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-502

Tauranga School was first established as a Missionary School in 1835, on the site where the Elms now stands, as part of the missionary plan to educate young Maori. Soon after her arrival at Te Papa in August of that year, Sarah Wade, the wife of Reverend William Wade, started her school with 30 female students.

Tauranga School, c. 1905
Black-and white silver gelatin print, by unidentified photographer
Collection of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-493

By 1860 a two-storied gable building, with a belfry designed by Bishop Selwyn, was opened. This was to become a Mission Training Institute for sixty young Maori children. Owing to the conflict between Maori and Europeans, this closed in 1863 and was used as a hospital during the Gate Pa battles, eventually reopening as a school around 1866, with Mrs Dalziell as the teacher and fifty pupils on the roll. Not on a salary, in those days the teacher had to charge fees. When the Central Education Board took over the operation of the school in 1871 Mrs Dalziell was paid forty pounds a year with the community expected to match this.

In 1872 the school was moved onto land bounded by St John Street, Tenth Avenue and Edgecumbe Road, and officially opened on December 14^th as the Opepe Memorial and District School, known as No. 1 School. A soiree which appears to have consisted of a substantial tea followed by a concert was held. Those responsible for the function proudly announced that they had a proper road laid out to the school from Cameron Road, opposite Mr. Darby’s house.

Tauranga School, c. 1909-1913
Silver gelatin postcard print, photographed by R.W. Meers, Tauranga
Tauranga Heritage Collection, Ref. 0251/09

In 1873 the School Committee recommended that the Tauranga School district was to be comprised of the area within a radius of three miles from the school house. The Education Act 1877 established free, compulsory education for all Pakeha New Zealand children. Maori children could attend these schools if their parents wanted them to. Primary school education was made compulsory for Maori children in 1894.

In March 1878 a donation of seven pounds was made by the Dramatic Club and used to erect three substantial swings for the boys and girls. It was also decided that a competitive examination should be held at the end of the year, with prizes to be given at the annual festival. A magnificent copy of the Life of David Livingstone was also to be presented to the pupil most deserving of a reward for good conduct and proficiency. Under the new Education Act, provision was to be made for singing and drawing lessons. In order to obtain a library the school needed to raise fifty pounds and the government would supplement the grant with another fifty pounds. In June 1880 the Board of Education granted a sum of fifteen pounds for planting, repairing and painting.

 

Tauranga District High School, c. 1913-1915
Silver gelatin postcard print, photographed by W.T. Wilson, Auckland
Collection of Justine Neal

It was a long walk for small children from the more populated northern area of the town, so in 1880 the School Committee pressed for a second school at the Harington Street/Cameron Road corner – No. 2 School. After much heated discussion throughout the town, which included the resignation of the whole committee, their wish was granted, and by 1886 Tauranga had two schools.

By 1896, rather than do the extensive renovations needed on the No. 1 School, the committee suggested that it be demolished and that the No. 2 School be moved from Harington Street to a central site and enlarged. On March 13 1899 the Bay of Plenty Times ran an advertisement saying tenders were required for a post and wire fence around the boundaries of the Tauranga School Reserve, and for the erection of a shelter shed on the Tauranga School grounds.

The site of No. 2 School, Cameron Road, Tauranga, undated
Unmounted silver gelatin print (68 x 90mm) by an unidentified photographer
Tauranga Heritage Collection, Ref. 0449/08

It took eight years but eventually the No. 2 School replaced the No.1 School at Tenth Avenue. One more move six years later saw the much travelled school settled on the site where Tauranga Primary School stands today. At the time of all the moves Cameron Road was shell-paved and hilly. Bullock teams took weeks to move the tall buildings on huge drays with wooden wheels and axles. The original school provided seven classrooms, two large enclosed porches, headmaster’s study and staffroom. Children were taught up to primer seven. Secondary education was not provided until 1907 when District High School status was conferred on the school.

References

A Centennial History of Tauranga, by W.H. Gifford and H. Bradney Williams, publ. 1940

Tauranga 1882- 1982, edited by A.C. Bellamy, publ. 1982

Brown and the Elms, by C.W. Vennell, publ. 1984

Tauranga School Centennial, 1871- 1971, publ. 1971

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers

Tauranga Primary School Website https://www.tauranga.school.nz/our-school

Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Koroki https://paekoroki.tauranga.govt.nz/

Tauranga Heritage Collection https://view.taurangaheritagecollection.co.nz/