Fairfield House, Nelson

Fairfield House in 48 Van Diemen Street, Nelson, New Zealand,[1] is registered with Heritage New Zealand as a Category I structure. Originally built in 1849, today's house was constructed as a residence for Arthur Atkinson in 1872. It was at some stage owned by the Nelson College for Girls, who used it as a boarding house. After the 1929 Murchison earthquake, boarders from Nelson College also moved in, as their hostel got damaged.[2] The house was given to Nelson City Council in 1979 and was threatened with demolition. A community group formed that had the objective of saving the house. Alan Stanton (1945–2014), a local toy-maker, moved into the derelict building as a squatter and started restoring it.[3][4] Today, it is a community centre.[5]

Atkinson, who was the brother of Premier Harry Atkinson, had an observation tower built onto the house in 1883, as his hobby was astronomy.[5] He was tasked by the Royal Society to observe the transit of Venus in 1882.[2] The tower had at one point been demolished,[5] but a replica has since been built.[2]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fairfield House, Nelson.
  1. ^ "Fairfield House". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Chapman, Caitlin. "Fairfield House". The Prow. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  3. ^ Arnold, Naomi (13 December 2013). "The jewel on the hill". Stuff.
  4. ^ Arnold, Naomi (22 April 2014). "Community mourns Fairfield's Stanton". Stuff.
  5. ^ a b c "Fairfield House". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 21 June 2012.

Further reading

  • Stanton, Alan (2013). Anything Is Possible: The Resurrection of Fairfield House. ISBN 9780473267483

41°17′02″S 173°17′00″E / 41.283894°S 173.283463°E / -41.283894; 173.283463

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