Fire 1888  published September 2000

RAMBLINGS

Today when we look and admire the street frontages of Victoria Road we could imagine that this is what it must have looked like when Devonport was first developed as a town.  Except for the rather ugly replaced ASB building, all appear to have stood there forever.  If you look at the date on the building where the Chemist is you will see that it is only dated 1888.       

The grand Esplanade Hotel was built in 1904, the Post Office building now the old Council Offices in 1908.

  The street has changed considerably over the years since Flagstaff was originally settled.  The biggest change happened, not due to the expanding size of the township, but because of fire.

The original commercial area that occupied the western side of Marine Square stretched north from the wharf to Clarence Street.  Originally the buildings were of wooden construction, containing both shops and dwellings.  Some of the commercial premises were houses whose fronts had been modified to form shops.  These early businesses were typically those services essential to any small community and included for example, drapers, bootmakers, fruiterers, grocers, plumbers, tobacconist, blacksmiths and stationers.

In February 1888 a large portion of the block was destroyed by fire but one that did survive was the two-storey brick building erected for Oliver Mays around 1882. This is now the Jack Scott arcade .

It was reported in the Auckland paper as follows:

 THE FIRE FIEND RAGES ON VICTORIA ROAD.   The biggest “blaze” recorded in Devonport occurred in the early hours of February 19 1888 and destroyed the business block on Victoria Road from about the location of Messes Gee and Beck’s shop on the corner of Clarence Street.  Nine shops and seven dwellings were completely wiped out and the premises at either end of the scene of destruction were badly scorched.  The fire broke out in the tobacconist’s shop of Mr Alixis Geath and spread north and south; a heavy rain had fallen just prior to the outbreak and possibly delayed the spread of flames. The alarm was given by Mrs Mcguiness who ran to the Pattersons  and Mrs Patterson rang the fire bell and aroused the people in the adjourning property thus saving the lives of some who were asleep.   Many buildings and businesses were destroyed.  Patterson’s block where the fire started contained eleven rooms.  The next building, John Jervis the grocer had seventeen rooms.  Two buildings destroyed belonged to Oliver Mays and one partially destroyed on the corner of Clarence Street belonged to Mr Buchanan.

 Shops destroyed were Mrs Guiness, Dressmaker; Alixis Geath, Tobacconist; James Holmes, Fruiterer; H E Fenton, Draper; Mrs Tye, Fruiterer; Frank Baker, Bootshop; John Jervis, Grocer; Groombridge Robinson, Bootmaker; H Lennard, Fruitshop; Spinley Stationer; Spinley and Howell, Plumbers; Cogan, Blacksmith. The estimated loss was 8000 pounds. They were insured along with stock for only about 1600 pounds.

The Oliver Mays Building which was built in 1882, survived because it had brick side walls.  This stopped the fire reaching two shops and the large wooden structure of the Flagstaff Hotel (replaced by the Esplanade in 1904).  In the midst of the conflagration  the horses in Paterson’s Stables were turned loose…..Paterson’s big stables were saved by the efforts of the bucket brigade, assisted by the fortunate fact that the stables had an iron roof.

So what was there before the fire?  On the corner opposite the wharf was the large wooden structure of the Flagstaff Hotel, built by Holmes around 1864 to complement the ferry service the brothers were running across the harbour.  Next door was a two storey wooden house with a veranda facing the street and dating probably from the 1870’s.  It is possible that this was the residence of the policeman of that time.  In 1903 Wise’s recorded that the building housed Mr Wadell’s confectionery business and in 1906 Benjamin Lane’s bakery.

Around 1907 the wooden house was removed or demolished to make way for a new post office

Next up  Lots 29,. was probably constructed for Oliver Mays as a General Store and Post office. Mays also owned some of the allotments facing Wynyard Street. Next the two storied brick building It was built in 1873 for Oliver Mays who had the distinction of being Postmaster, Schoolmaster and merchant. The bakehouse and the larger of the two stable blocks were located on part of this land.The building was increased in size in a similar style after the fire and still stands today.

Further up towards Clarence Street was the building known as Buchanan’s.  It was occupied by Mr Coogan, a smithy.  Next door was Allotment 26 (the Dunning’s estate) originally occupied by a wooden building with a shingle roof which contained a shop with a dwelling above.  The value was listed as being 350 pounds.  Mr Paterson was the owner of the block and the occupier was listed as being, Geath. This was where the fire started and it was destroyed in the fire.

Allotments 23 – 25 which are now part of the Dunning’s Estate was originally owned by James Mays.  It was a wood and shingle shop with dwelling above.  The value of the building was listed a s 500 pounds and was occupied by Fenton’s Drapery. 

Allotment 23 was occupied by a dwelling with a large stable building behind. The front portion of the building was constructed of wood with a shingle roof the rear was of wood and corrugated iron as was the stable. It is thought that Peel and Company occupied the premises. They are listed as “beer bottler”. The building was owned by Davis.

The stables were run by Pattersons and survived the fire. Later when they were demolished Parsons operated stables from the site.

Allotment 21and 22 The two allotments were owned by Mr John Jarvis. Four dwellings with shops below again constructed of Wood, some with shingle roofs and others with iron occupied the site. There were 17 rooms. One shop was run by Mr. Jenkins one by Mr Robinson, Bootmaker, and presumably by Mr John Jarvis Grocer. All were lost in the fire. The large brick building with the date 1988 on its façade now occupies the site and was constructed after the fire.

The next allotment 20 was occupied by Mr Cogan a Smithy, The business was set back from the street with a small shop facing the street on the southern end of the section.

The last building was single storied hip roofed building dating from about 1870. The business in this building was run by Mess Gee and Beck and was spared the fire. It was replaced around 1905. Fords wood yard was also on this site.

As a result of the fire the Council required all buildings being replaced to be of fire proof construction ie brick masonry. The area became popularly referred to as the “Brick area”.

Many of these building are still standing today and give that distinctive Edwardian look to this part of our main street. In another article I will describe the construction of these buildings.