Truby King Mausoleum

• 1924
• King purchased the property at ‘Mount Melrose’
• 1924
• House and factory constructed
• 1936
• Legislation passed to allow King to be interred at Melrose. Vault constructed
• 1938
• King died and was buried at the vault, Isabella King’s remains were later reinterred in this vault.
• 1940
• Plunket sought government funding for a memorial to be added to the vault
• 1941
• Memorial added to the vault
• 1990
• WCC purchased Truby King’s house, mausoleum and part of the original gardens
• 1992
• Truby King Park Conservation and Management Plan prepared for WCC. Truby King Park established
• 1993
• onwards Restoration and management of Truby King Park

• 1936
• onwards Burial site for Sir Frederic and Lady Isabella King

Not assessed

The mausoleum sits at the top of a narrow plateau in the ridge that leads to Truby King’s house. From the southern or narrow end, a path winds its way to a set of stairs that rise to the top, where the mausoleum is sited. A considerable number of the stair risers are made from granite – the same used on the mausoleum. The latter portion of the path is straight and framed by yew trees, and this formal layout contrasts with the informality of the park grounds.

The mausoleum itself is in two parts. The vault is beneath, while the memorial is above. The vault was partly excavated and is accessed from the east, via steps down from the eastern path. The form of the structure is very simple, with solid concrete walls containing a rectangular space built to house the two coffins. The walls and ceiling are painted a dull yellow and the rendered surface is lined out to resemble stone construction. An inspection of the surface reveals that the render was tinted.

Above the vault is a slab of concrete, topped by pavers. On the northern side of this arrangement is an upright slab. The granite slab – composed of a number of separate pieces – contains an inscription and a relief of Truby King’s head. To the east and west are elegant bronze Art Deco-styled balustrades, incorporating the Plunket Society emblem.

Concrete

Granite

Bronze railings and plaques

The immediate setting for the mausoleum is the ridge that it occupies, along with the driveway on either side, which helps frame it in the landscape. The wider setting is the Truby King Park along with the former factory below and the gardens, drive and buildings of the Capital Centre, including the former Karitane Hospital, all once part of Truby King’s property. The seemingly random and informal layout of the garden and King’s idiosyncratic use of brick to construct walls, pergolas and other unusual structures, are key features of the property. The mausoleum is of a similar style and fits well into the landscape

The entire park sits high on the Melrose hills in a well established landscape and the trees that King planted are now near maturity. The trees partly screen, and partly frame views of surrounding suburbs, and this gives the mausoleum a sense of enclosure despite its location on an exposed, hill-top site.

• Architectural

  Does the item have architectural or artistic value for characteristics that may include its design, style, era, form, scale, materials, colour, texture, patina of age, quality of space, craftsmanship, smells, and sounds?

  The mausoleum is a good representative example of a c.1940s monument or tomb, and has aesthetic value for the design of the Art Deco-style bronze railings and plaques – particularly those that display the Plunket Society emblem.

• Group

  Is the item part of a group of buildings, structures, or sites that taken together have coherence because of their age, history, style, scale, materials, or use?

  The mausoleum sits within a group of buildings, structures and gardens associated with Sir Frederic and Lady Isabella King. These include the former family home and gardens (now Truby King Park), the nearby Karitane Products Society Building and the former Karitane Hospital. All of which are sited on land that was at one time owned by King.

• Townscape

  Does the item have townscape value for the part it plays in defining a space or street; providing visual interest; its role as a landmark; or the contribution it makes to the character and sense of place of Wellington?

  The mausoleum has some townscape value for its spectacular site on a Melrose ridgeline overlooking suburban Kilbirnie, but the structure is now partially screened by mature trees.

• Association

  Is the item associated with an important person, group, or organisation?

  The mausoleum has historic value as the final resting place of Truby and Isabella King who were well known for their achievements in the improvement of the health of women and babies in New Zealand; particularly for their role in founding the Plunket Society.

  The mausoleum features the symbol of the Plunket Society, an organisation that is currently New Zealand's largest provider of support services for the
  development, health and wellbeing of children under 5.

  
  

• Archaeological

  Does the item have archaeological value for its ability to provide scientific information about past human activity?

  Unknown risk

• Identity Sense Of Place Continuity

  Is the item a focus of community, regional, or national identity? Does the item contribute to sense of place or continuity?

  The mausoleum contributes to the identity and sense of place of Truby King Park, a local amenity that was purchased after a long public campaign.

• Public Esteem

  Is the item held in high public esteem?

  The mausoleum has public esteem for its association with Truby King and the Plunket Society. This can be seen by the public campaign that led to the acquisition of the site by the WCC in 1991 for use a public park.

• Symbolic Commemorative Traditional Spiritual

  Does the item have symbolic, commemorative, traditional, spiritual or other cultural value for the community who has used and continues to use it?

  The mausoleum has symbolic, commemorative and spiritual value as the final resting place of Truby and Isabella King.

• Authentic

  Does the item have authenticity or integrity because it retains significant fabric from the time of its construction or from later periods when important additions or modifications were carried out?

  The mausoleum remains in the use for which it was originally designed and is near original condition.

• Local Regional National International

  Is the item important for any of the above characteristics at a local, regional, national, or international level?

  The mausoleum and park have national significance for their association with the King family and as the place where Sir Frederic Truby King and Lady Isabella King were interred.  

  
  

• Rare

  Is the item rare, unique, unusual, seminal, influential, or outstanding?

  The mausoleum is a rare example of an interment of a private individual on a site outside of a cemetery and this allows some insight into esteem in which Truby King was held at the time of his death.

• Representative

  Is the item a good example of the class it represents?

  The mausoleum is a good representative example of monumental masonry of the c.1940s.

Not assessed

• Cochran, Chris. “Truby King House, Melrose, Wellington: Conservation Report” unpublished report prepared for the WCC as part of the “Truby King Park Management Plan” by Boffa Miskell Partners, Wellington (1992)
• CT vol.140 folio 23
• Evening Post, 26 October 1938, Page 18
• "Evening Post" Photo. The Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, unveiling the memorial to Sir Truby Ki... [truncated] Evening Post, 18 October 1941, Page 7
• Kelly, Michael. ‘Truby King Mausoleum, Truby King Park, Melrose: draft conservation plan’ an unpublished conservation plan prepared for the WCC in November 2006
• Letter from A.W. Blair to the City Solicitor dated 23 April 1940. WCC Archives ref TC 7/423
• Home and garden of Sir Truby King in Melrose, Wellington. Pascoe, John Dobree, 1908-1972: Photographic albums, prints and negatives. Ref: 1/4-000437-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
• Home and garden of Sir Truby King in Melrose, Wellington. S P Andrew Ltd: Portrait negatives. Ref: 1/1-018464-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
• SO19717
• Taylor, James. “Truby King House (former)”, NZHPT website accessed January 2012, report last updated 2006
• THE WORK AND THE MAN Evening Post, 15 May 1939, Page 8
• See Also
• Bevin, Gary and Ray Sleeman “Truby King House, Mount Melrose, Wellington: Future Uses of Truby King House” unpublished report prepared for the WCC, Wellington (1997)
• WCC & Boffa Miskell Partners, Truby King Park Conservation Plan, unpublished report prepared for the WCC, 1993.

Not available

Not available