Mitchelltown War Memorial

Heritage object, Aro Street War Memorial, Aro Valley War Memorial

Holloway Road (corner of Aro Street and Raroa Road), Aro Valley, Wellington
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Image: WCC, 2014
Image: WCC, 2014
image: WCC, 2014
Image: WCC, 2014
Image: WCC, 2014
Image: WCC, 2014
image: WCC, 2014
Image: WCC, 2014
Map

  • Constructed

    c.1920 - c.1920

  • Architect(s)

    Unknown

  • Builder(s)

    H. Glover

  • The Mitchelltown War Memorial has artistic value. A four-sided obelisk upon a concrete base with marble plaque, a feature of notable interest is the lemon squeezer hat that decorates all four sides of the memorial. The lemon squeezer hat is a symbol closely affiliated with New Zealand. It was rare for New Zealand World War 1 memorials to feature New Zealand iconography, so in this regard the Mitchelltown memorial is slightly unusual.

    The Mitchelltown War Memorial is associated with the 109 men from Mitchelltown who served in World War 1. Of those men nineteen died and thirty-nine were injured. It is their names that are inscribed upon the marble plaque.

    The Mitchelltown War Memorial is very historically significant. A commemoration of World War 1 and the 109 Mitchelltown men who served, were injured, or died in the conflict, the memorial is a marker of a major historical event, one which we still actively remember today. The memorial represents an important part of Mitchelltown’s, and New Zealand’s, history.

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  • close History

    • The Mitchelltown War Memorial commemorates the 109 men (or ‘boys’, as the memorial calls them) from the Mitchelltown school and district that served abroad in World War 1. The memorial has considerable historical value

      Mitchelltown is a name not often heard in modern Wellington. Named after the early settler family, the Mitchells, the suburb spanned from Highbury up on the hill at the top of Raroa Road, down to the back end of the Aro flat. It was predominantly a working class suburb.

      Wellington historian David McGill writes that Mitchelltown responded strongly to the call to arms in 1914.  His statement is clearly justified by the memorial roll, which shows that 109 men volunteered from the small suburb. Of those 109, nineteen were killed, and thirty-nine injured.

      Mitchelltown’s returning soldiers were welcomed home with a party at Mitchelltown School, which was also attended by school masters and members of Parliament. The school came to be central to the fundraising activities for the Mitchelltown War Memorial, hosting a series of euchre parties and dances 1918-20. Arthur Gordon, a resident at 123 Holloway Road and later convenor of the Mitchelltown Tennis Club, was the organiser of the euchre parties, and the compiler of the memorial names.

      We do not know the date of Mitchelltown War Memorial’s unveiling, but it does appear to have occurred during 1920. Perhaps as a sign of the area’s decline, the community did not erect a memorial for the World War 2 servicemen and fallen.

      An inspection in 2014 showed that the memorial has suffered some damage to the ornamental features on two sides, where the lemon squeezer hat feature has been removed.

  • close Architectural Information
    • Building Classification(s) close

      Not assessed

    • Architecture close

      The Mitchelltown War Memorial is a concrete four-sided tapering obelisk, enclosed by a concrete surround. The memorial sits atop three steps (an important feature for memorials because they need areas upon which wreathes can be laid). The concrete surround that runs the perimeter of the memorial is punctuated by smaller obelisks.

      Above each of the plaques on the main obelisk are triangles containing the only decoration on the memorial. Within the triangle is a rifle crossed with a sword, surmounted by a lemon squeezer hat. The hat is especially notable because it is a symbol commonly associated with New Zealand, and such icons are relatively rare on World War 1 memorials.

      Maker

      H. Glover was a Wellington monument mason. Glover worked in Wellington in the early twentieth century, evidenced by his advertisements in newspapers in the mid-1910s. Glover built the Mitchelltown War Memorial in 1920, and there is evidence that he built the Makara War Memorial a year later. Both memorials are very similar in design – a four-sided obelisk atop a square base. The similarity of the two monuments and the short period of time between their unveilings suggest that Glover could have sculpted both.

    • Materials close
      Concrete and marble.

    • Setting close
      The Mitchelltown War Memorial is located on the peninsula of green created by the intersection of Aro Street, Holloway Road, and Raroa Road. The memorial is positioned so that the southern aspect faces down Aro Street, while the western faces up Holloway Road. The memorial is one of the few man-made objects in the area, and stands out, though not glaringly, for this reason.  Before Mitchelltown’s decline the memorial would have enjoyed a very prominent position at the entry to the community. Though the community has fallen away, the memorial’s spot still retains a high degree of dignity and poignancy.
  • close Cultural Value
    • The Mitchelltown War Memorial has artistic value. A four-sided obelisk upon a concrete base with marble plaque, a feature of notable interest is the lemon squeezer hat that decorates all four sides of the memorial. The lemon squeezer hat is a symbol closely affiliated with New Zealand. It was rare for New Zealand World War 1 memorials to feature New Zealand iconography, so in this regard the Mitchelltown memorial is slightly unusual.
    • The Mitchelltown War Memorial is associated with the 109 men from Mitchelltown who served in World War 1. Of those men nineteen died and thirty-nine were injured. It is their names that are inscribed upon the marble plaque.
    • The Mitchelltown War Memorial is very historically significant. A commemoration of World War 1 and the 109 Mitchelltown men who served, were injured, or died in the conflict, the memorial is a marker of a major historical event, one which we still actively remember today. The memorial represents an important part of Mitchelltown’s, and New Zealand’s, history.
    • 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?

        The Mitchelltown War Memorial has artistic value. A four-sided obelisk upon a concrete base with marble plaque, a feature of notable interest is the lemon squeezer hat that decorates all four sides of the memorial. The lemon squeezer hat is a symbol closely affiliated with New Zealand. It was rare for New Zealand World War 1 memorials to feature New Zealand iconography, so in this regard the Mitchelltown memorial is slightly unusual.

      • 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 Mitchelltown War Memorial is one of almost 500 World War 1 memorials in New Zealand, and it has some group connection to those. It also has group value stylistically to the many obelisk-type memorials popular in New Zealand at the time.

      • 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 Mitchelltown War Memorial does have landmark value for the back end of Aro flat. There are very few man-made structures in the immediate, especially of the sculptural variety, and the memorial stands out for this reason.

    • Historic Value close

      • Association

        Is the item associated with an important historic event, theme, pattern, phase, or activity?

        The Mitchelltown War Memorial is very historically significant. A commemoration of World War 1 and the 109 Mitchelltown men who served, were injured, or died in the conflict, the memorial is a marker of a major historical event, one which we still actively remember today. The memorial represents an important part of Mitchelltown’s, and New Zealand’s, history.

      • Association

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

        The Mitchelltown War Memorial is associated with the 109 men from Mitchelltown who served in World War 1. Of those men nineteen died and thirty-nine were injured. It is their names that are inscribed upon the marble plaque.

    • Scientific Value close

      Not assessed

    • 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?

        The Mitchelltown War Memorial is a focus of community identity.

      • 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 Mitchelltown War Memorial has high commemorative value as the main symbolic recognition of the Mitchelltown men that served in World War 1.

    • Level of Cultural Heritage Significance close

      • Rare

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

        The Mitchelltown War Memorial is unusual for the representation of the lemon squeezer hat on the memorial. New Zealand iconography such as the hat is not typically represented on World War 1 memorials. The Mitchelltown memorial shares this rare feature with the Makara War Memorial.

      • Representative

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

        The Mitchelltown War Memorial is a good example of a World War 1 memorial. The choice of the obelisk reflects how popular this style was at the time.

      • 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 Mitchelltown War Memorial does not appear to have had alterations made to it, and thus has a high level of authenticity.

      • Importance

        Is the item important at a local, regional, national, or international level?

        The Mitchelltown War Memorial is important at a national level.

    • Local / Regional / National / International Importance close

      Not assessed

  • close Site Detail

    • District Plan Number

      11/2

    • Legal Description

      Pt DP 10541

    • Heritage New Zealand Listed

      2/Historic place 4123

    • Archaeological Site

      Risk unknown

    • Current Uses

      unknown

    • Former Uses

      unknown

    • Has building been funded

      No

    • Funding Amount

      Not applicable

    • Earthquake Prone Status

      Unknown

  • close Additional Information

Last updated: 9/25/2017 8:41:47 PM