John Farrell (architect)

John Farrell
John Farrell
Born1868 (1868)
Auckland, Colony of New Zealand, British Empire
Died(1938-10-19)October 19, 1938
Devonport
OccupationArchitect
Years active1907–c.1931
OfficeMayor of Grey Lynn
Term1904–1097
Political partyReform Party
Other political
affiliations		Conservative
PracticeJ. Farrell, Son & Glover.

John Farrell (1868–1938) was a New Zealand architect, businessman, and politician who served as mayor of Grey Lynn from 1904–1907 and as the Auckland Education Board[a] architect from 1907–1924.

Farrell partnered with his son, Raymond Leslie Farrell, before partnering with William Henry Glover as J. Farrell, Son & Glover.

Several of Farrell's buildings have heritage registrations.

Early life

Farrell's plan for the Onehunga Manual Training School with future possible extensions shown. The extensions were never built

John Farrell was born in Auckland in 1868. He and his family moved to Thames where he lived until later returning to Auckland for university.[1]

Farrell married his wife in 1892.[1]

Farrell worked as a builder and contractor before working as an architect.[2]

Political career

John Farrell became a member of the Grey Lynn Borough Council in 1899[1] before serving as mayor of Grey Lynn from 1904–1907. He resigned from the mayoralty to serve as the Auckland Education Board architect.[3]

Farrell unsuccessfully ran for parliament on two occasions.[4] First as a Conservative in the Grey Lynn electorate in 1905,[5] and in 1922, as a Reform Party candidate for the Auckland West electorate.[6]

Auckland Education Board architect

Farrell's plan for the Ponsonby School building

Farrell wrote in his application for the Auckland Education Board's architect role that he had trained under Robert McKay Fripp, George Selwyn Goldsbro', and Robert Martin Watt.[2]

Farrell served as the Auckland Education Board architect from 1907–1924. Most his work in this role has not been identified with many of his buildings likely having been demolished for larger and more modern classrooms.[7] Farrell made designs for buildings in Northland, Auckland, the Waikato, and the Bay of Plenty during his tenure.[3]

Farrell's preferred style changed over his tenure; Farrell started with a 'floral Edwardian style' but by the inter war period his works were of a 'restrained stripped classical modernism' style. Farrell started designing more simpler and less detailed buildings in 1914 in line with contemporary architectural beliefs.[3]

In 1919 Farrell designed three manual training schools at Onehunga, Vermont Street, and Avondale.[7]

One of the last buildings Farrell designed as Auckland Education Board architect was the Ponsonby School at Curran Street. This building was innovative for the time with reinforced concrete posts and beam frames used to create large openings. This later became the standard for non-residential buildings.[3]

Farrell resigned from his role in 1924 to travel the world with his wife and son before returning to Auckland in 1925.[1]

Later career

John Farrell partnered with his son Raymond Leslie Farrell and later they partnered with William Henry Glover in 1925 to become J. Farrell, Son & Glover.[7][1]

In 1925 Farrell became the Auckland Hospital Board architect.[3]

Farrell later served as a director of multiple companies and firms.[1]

Farrell died at his home in Devonport on 19 October, 1938 at the age of 70.[1]

Personal life

Farrell played rugby for the Auckland University College and was a member of the Auckland Boxing Association. He served as a president of the Auckland Orphans' Club and was a life member of the Old Thames Boys' Association.[1]

Legacy

Many of Farrell's buildings have been demolished. One of Farrell's buildings is registered with Heritage New Zealand and several have registration with Auckland Council and the Waikato District Council as historic buildings.[3][8]

The Press Association of New Zealand described Farrell's designs as 'some of the finest school buildings in New Zealand'.[9]

List of buildings

Name Date Image Note Ref
Beresford Street School 1907 Likely the first building designed by Farrell in his role as Auckland Education Board architect. Registered as a category B building with Auckland Council. The building is now part of Auckland Girls Grammar [7][10]
Remuera Primary School 1909 Now demolished [7]
Stanley Bay School 1909 Farrell designed an alteration c.1916 and the date of construction falls within his tenure as Auckland Education Board architect. Registered as a category B building with Auckland Council [7]
25 Kerr Street Before 1911 Was Farrell's private home from 1911 until his death. Modified significantly by Farrell. Registered as a category B building with Auckland Council [7]
Edendale School 1909 Demolished [3]
Grey Lynn School 1910 Demolished [3]
Hamilton High School 1911 Demolished [11]
Mt Eden School 1912 Demolished in 1963 [3][12]
Gordonton School teacher's residence 1914 Registered as a category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand and category B building with Waikato District Council [13]
Glen Massey School 1914 Registered as a category B building with the Waikato District Council [8]
New Lynn School 1914 Demolished [3]
Maungawhau District School 1914 Demolished in 1976–1979 [14][15]
St Heliers School 1915 [16]
Meadowbank School 1916 Demolished [3]
Ohaupo School 1916 Demolished in 2015 [17]
Horotiu School 1917 [18]
Te Papapa School c.1920 Demolished [3]
Belmont School 1920 Demolished in 1978 [3][19]
Pipiroa teacher's residence 1920 [17][20]
Waitahanui school building 1920 [17][20]
Woodlands school building 1920 [17][20]
Goodwood school building 1920 [17][20]
Onehunga Manual Training School 1922 Registered as a Category B building with Auckland Council [7]
Vermont Street Manual Training School Designed 1919 No longer in situ, presumed demolished [7]
Avondale Manual Training School Designed 1919 No longer in situ, presumed demolished [7]
Ponsonby Primary School 1922 Registered as a category B building with Auckland Council [3]
Takapuna Primary School War Memorial Gates 1923 Registered as a category B building with Auckland Council. [21]
Hillcrest School 1923 [22]
M.H. Walsh shops and dwellings 1926–1927 Registered as a category B building with Auckland Council [7]
Wilson Home bath house Designed 1937 [23]
Mt Eden Normal Primary School War Memorial Gates 1924 Possibly the work of Farrell. Registered as a category B building with Auckland Council. [21]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Citizen's Death". New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXXV, no. 23173. 20 October 1938. p. 17.
  2. ^ a b "Education Board Architect". Auckland Star. Vol. XXXVIII, no. 199. 21 August 1907. p. 9.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Burgess, Graeme; Knight, Lilli (June 2016). "Historic Heritage Evaluation Ponsonby Primary School" (PDF). Auckland Council Heritage Unit.
  4. ^ "Obituary". Nelson Evening Mail. Vol. LXXII. 19 October 1938. p. 8.
  5. ^ "The General Election, 1905". Journals of the House of Representatives: 3. 1906.
  6. ^ The New Zealand Official Year-Book. Government Printer. 1924. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Boyer, Anna (January 2017). "Historic evaluation Onehunga Manual Training Centre (former)" (PDF). Auckland Council Heritage Unit.
  8. ^ a b "Historic heritage items" (PDF). Waikato District Council. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Mr Farrell Resigns". Waipa Post. Vol. XXIV, no. 1451. 17 January 1924. p. 5.
  10. ^ Francesco, Cara (August 2017). "Historic Heritage Evaluation Papakura Old Central School and Memorial Peace Oak Tree" (PDF). Auckland Council Heritage Unit.
  11. ^ "Hamilton High School (Hamilton, N.Z.)". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Mt Eden School, Valley Road, 1963". Auckland Libraries. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  13. ^ McEwan, Ann (3 February 2017). "Memory box". Waikato Times.
  14. ^ Laurenson, Helen (1 May 2019). The History of Mt Eden - The District and its People. Epsom & Eden District Historical Society. p. 168. ISBN 9780473460013.
  15. ^ "Maungawhau School". New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15632. 11 June 1914. p. 5.
  16. ^ "St Heliers District School". Auckland Star. Vol. XLVI, no. 46. 23 February 1915. p. 8.
  17. ^ a b c d e Simmons, Alexy; Tanaka, Daniel (2015). Ohaupo School Final Archaeological Report (Report).
  18. ^ Heritage Consultancy Services (31 May 2014). "Ngaruawahia Structure Plan Built Heritage Assessment" (PDF). p. 112.
  19. ^ Davis, Brian (2016). "John Davis: builder, contractor, councillor" (PDF). Prospect. 15. Epsom & Eden District Historical Society Inc: 2–17.
  20. ^ a b c d "Page 13 Advertisements Column 3". New Zealand Herald. Vol. LVII, no. 17609. 23 October 1920. p. 13.
  21. ^ a b The Heritage Studio Limited (May 2018). "Historic Heritage Evaluation Remuera Primary School War Memorial Gates" (PDF).
  22. ^ McEwan, Ann (11 August 2023). "Memory Box: Happy Birthday Hillcrest Normal School".
  23. ^ "Crippled Children". Otago Daily Times. No. 23324. 16 October 1937. p. 16.

Notes

  1. ^ The Auckland Education Board's boundaries are equivalent to the former Auckland Province and not the modern Auckland region or urban area.