Thomas Stoddart Lambert

Thomas Stoddart Lambert served articles in Selkirk and studied in Edinburgh and London before arriving in New Zealand in 1866.  Lambert worked as a carpenter, builder, wheelwright and undertaker near his brother’s farm in Marton. He went bankrupt in 1872 after a problematic building contract for Sir William Fox, was discharged from bankruptcy in 1873, and moved to Christchurch in 1874.

 
Thomas Lambert worked for three years as a draughtsman in Frederick Strouts' office, and set up his own Christchurch practice from 1877 to 1892. He designed a variety of structures including churches, warehouses, business premises and schools (serving as Education Board architect for four years). He was the architect for Christchurch's second Theatre Royal in 1876 gaining valuable experience for his commission to design the Tuam Street Hall five years later. The Odeon is now one of only few surviving examples of his many prominent inner city buildings. The Synagogue, 1880, Canterbury Farmers' Association Building, 1882, United Services Hotel, 1883, and Young Men's Christian Association Building, 1884, have all been demolished. In 1893 he moved from Christchurch and continued his practice in Dunedin and then Wellington.

Image: Mr T S Lambert of the Wanganui Rifle Volunteers, with lettered cap. Harding, William James, 1826-1899 :Negatives of Wanganui district. Ref: 1/4-004907-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/22345988

Sources:
Mew, Geoff & Adrian Humphris. “Raupo to Deco: Wellington Styles and Architects 1840 – 1940” (Wellington: Steel Roberts Aotearoa, 2014) 

“Odeon Theatre,” Heritage New Zealand website accessed August 2015 http://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/3140

WCC Heritage Inventory 2001