House

61 Majoribanks Street, Mt Victoria, Wellington
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Image: Charles Collins, 2015
Image: WCC - Charles Collins, 2015
Cityview GIS 2013
Cityview GIS 2013
Map

  • Constructed

    1896

  • Architect(s)

    Unknown

  • Builder(s)

    Unknown

  • The building was removed from the schedule in the Wellington City 2024 District Plan.

    This house has been converted from a house, to a store/dwelling, and back again as well as being renovated from a Victorian cottage to an Arts and Crafts style villa. It has architectural value for the way in which its physical form has changed in relation to changing uses, and for its design, style, and craftsmanship.

    This house has had a fairly modest history representative of a typical inner city Wellington dwelling. It is associated with Robert de Montalk, a New Zealand architect who is responsible for its current appearance, and with his son, Geoffrey Potocki de Montalk, a poet who gained some fame during his lifetime. 

    This house has townscape value due to its prominent corner site and the visual interest that it contributes to the streetscape as a break away from the traditional Victorian villas that are the predominant building type in its setting. 

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  • close History

    • The house at the corner of Hawkestone and Majoribanks Streets is historically significant on a number of levels. Its physical form has been altered a number of times in response to changes of use from primarily a dwelling, to a store and dwelling, and back again. It also underwent a renovation from Victorian cottage to Arts and Crafts villa.

      It is difficult to ascertain exactly when this house was built, but Wellington rates books suggest that it was some time around 1886-87, when there was an increase in the value of the land. The original owner of the land was Henry Bodsworth Edwards, who subdivided the property in 1876. The first certificate of title was issued in 1884 and the land was owned by William Van Shot, a labourer, who died soon after.

      Little is known of the development of the house before 1911, which is when some alterations are recorded as occurring. That year, Edwards who was not living in the house, sold the property to Timothy Beggs, a grocer. Beggs constructed an extension to the southern end of the house, close to the road, and turned it into a shop.

      The house then quickly changed hands three times until 1918, when Robert de Montalk, a New Zealand architect, purchased it. He incorporated the shop back into the house and redeveloped it, giving it the Arts and Crafts style appearance that it retains today. The son of Robert de Montalk, Geoffrey Potocki de Montalk was a poet who has received some fame in particular for the Katyn Manifesto, which is considered to be his most important work. Published in 1943 and referring to the massacre of 15,000 Polish servicemen in the woods at Katyn by the Soviet Union, this was the only acknowledgement of the atrocity committed by Britain’s ally. The British government had tried to keep the event from becoming public knowledge, and for publishing the manifesto de Montalk was arrested and imprisoned. The full truth of the events would not emerge for a further 50 years.

      The de Montalk family lived in the house until 1921, when it was sold to Sarah Totty, who three years later sold it to John Walshaw, a draper. He and his wife Isabella were the house’s longest standing owners. John Walshaw died in 1944 and his wife in 1961, after which their daughter, Ruby, inherited the house. It left the Walshaw family in 1967 when Ruby sold the house to Terence Papp. Street directories indicate that Ruby was still a resident in the house until the early 1970s.

      The house then changed hands several timed before being purchased by Captain Michael Box, a shipmaster, and his wife Jillian who remained the owners until the mid 2000s. The house is now owned and occupied by the Crossways Community crèche.

    • Modifications close
      • 1886 - 1887
      • Original construction
      • 1916
      • 61 Majoribanks Street, partitions in shop (00053:186:10216)
      • 1981
      • 61 Majoribanks Street, repile (00058:1350:C56689)
      • 2010
      • 61 Majoribanks Street, new block retaining wall (00078:3760:215063)
    • Occupation History close
      • unknown
      • Not assessed
  • close Architectural Information
    • Building Classification(s) close

      Not assessed

    • Architecture close

      This house stands apart from its neighbours which are predominantly Victorian villas. It is designed in an Arts and Crafts style, with a rough cast concrete finish against smooth cement sheeting. It has a black trim and structure on a white background. It has a well established garden and several overhanging trees that make its difference to its neighbours less obvious. It has leadlight windows and iron gas lamps mounted on the entrance balcony.

    • Materials close

      Exposed adzed timber beams

      Corrugated iron roofing

      Rough cast stucco

      Timber joinery

      Leadlight windows

    • Setting close

      This house occupies a prominent corner site on the busy intersection of Hawkestone and Majoribanks Streets. The surrounding buildings are a mixture of houses of different ages and design, predominantly Victorian villas, but some modern high density apartment buildings are also found in the immediate setting of the house.

  • close Cultural Value

    This house has been converted from a house, to a store/dwelling, and back again as well as being renovated from a Victorian cottage to an Arts and Crafts style villa. It has architectural value for the way in which its physical form has changed in relation to changing uses, and for its design, style, and craftsmanship.

    This house has had a fairly modest history representative of a typical inner city Wellington dwelling. It is associated with Robert de Montalk, a New Zealand architect who is responsible for its current appearance, and with his son, Geoffrey Potocki de Montalk, a poet who gained some fame during his lifetime.

    This house has townscape value due to its prominent corner site and the visual interest that it contributes to the streetscape as a break away from the traditional Victorian villas that are the predominant building type in its setting.

    • Aesthetic Value close

      • 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?

        This house has been converted from a house, to a store/dwelling, and back again as well as being renovated from a Victorian cottage to an Arts and Crafts style villa. It has architectural value for the way in which its physical form has changed in relation to changing uses, and for its design, style, and craftsmanship.

      • 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?

        This house has townscape value due to its prominent corner site and the visual interest that it contributes to the streetscape as a break away from the traditional Victorian villas that are the predominant building type in its setting.

    • Historic Value close

      • Association

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

        This house has had a fairly modest history representative of a typical inner city Wellington dwelling. It is associated with Robert de Montalk, a New Zealand architect who is responsible for its current appearance, and with his son, Geoffrey Potocki de Montalk, a poet who gained some fame during his lifetime.

    • Scientific Value close

      • Archaeological

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

        Parts of this house were constructed pre 1900, making it of archaeological value, but the risk of discovery is unknown.

    • Social Value close

      • 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?

        This house has become a focus of community identity as the new home of the Crossways Community Centre. It contributes to a sense of place and continuity for its long standing place in the street.

    • Level of Cultural Heritage Significance close

      • 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?

        Few major modifications have been made to this house since it was redeveloped in 1918 by Robert de Montalk. It retains a significant amount of original material and has a high level of authenticity of materials, craftsmanship, and setting.

      • Level Local National International

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

        This house is of local importance due to its architectural and townscape values, its historic associations, for the sense of place and continuity that it contributes to its setting, and for its authenticity.

      • Representative

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

        This house is a good representative of the Arts and Crafts style, built in materials and using methods typical of the time in which it was constructed. It is also a good representative of the adaptability of smaller dwellings.

    • Local / Regional / National / International Importance close

      Not assessed

  • close Site Detail

    • District Plan Number

      16/ 206

    • Legal Description

      Lot 1 DP 383641

    • Heritage New Zealand Listed

      Not Listed

    • Archaeological Site

      Pre 1900 building

    • Current Uses

      unknown

    • Former Uses

      unknown

    • Has building been funded

      No

    • Funding Amount

      Not applicable

    • Earthquake Prone Status

      Not Earthquake Prone

  • close Additional Information
    • Sources close
      • de Montalk, Stephanie. Unquiet World: The Life of Count Geoffrey Potocki de Montalk. Victoria University Press: Wellington, 2001.
      • Historic Places Trust. ‘Robert de Montalk’. Professional Biographies. Accessed 9 October 2013,
      • Wellington City Council. ’61 Majoribanks Street’. Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Unpublished heritage assessment. Wellington City Council, 2001.
      • 1916 61 Majoribanks Street, partitions in shop (00053:186:10216)
      • 1981 61 Majoribanks Street, repile (00058:1350:C56689)
      • 2010 61 Majoribanks Street, new block retaining wall (00078:3760:215063)
    • Technical Documentation close

      Not available

    • Footnotes close

      Not available

Last updated: 4/29/2025 3:02:40 AM