Francis William Petre

Petre was born in Lower Hutt. He was the son of the Hon. Henry William Petre and grandson of the eleventh Baron Petre, Chairman of the second New Zealand Company. Petre trained in London as a naval architect, engineer and architect, returning to New Zealand in 1872. During the next three years he was employed by Brogden and Sons, English railway contractors, superintending the construction of the Dunedin-Clutha and the Blenheim-Picton railways.

He set up office in Dunedin in 1875 as an architect and civil engineer. He designed a house for Judge Chapman (1875), followed by “Cargill’s Castle” (1876) for E. B. Cargill, and then St Dominic’s Priory (1877), all constructed in mass concrete.

Peter is best known for his Basilica church designs, and for his pioneering use of concrete in these buildings. His church buildings include St Joseph’s Cathedral, Dunedin (1878-86); Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch (1904-05); Sacred Heart Basilica (now Cathedral of the Sacred Heart), Wellington (1901); and St Patrick’s Basilica, Oamaru, (1894 and 1903). Petre’s commercial buildings include the Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance Building (1882-82) and Phoenix House (now Airport House, c.1885), both in Dunedin.

 

 

Sources:
NZHPT Glossary
WCC Heritage Inventory 2001