Government House, Wellington is the official residence of New Zealand's governor-general, deputy head of state of New Zealand, Queen Elizabeth II. Dame Patsy Reddy, who has been Governor-General since September 2016, currently lives there with his partner. The present building, the third Government Building in town, was completed in 1910.
Video Government House, Wellington
History
Since Auckland was the capital from 1840 to 1865, the provision of official residence for governors was initially not a priority. It was only during the period of the fourth governor, George Gray, who was the official property provided.
The first Wellington Government Building is the villa of Colonel William Wakefield, located where the Beehive now stands. Wakefield is an Agent for New Zealand Companies; he built the house in 1840, but died in 1848. The residence was later used as a short-term hospital in 1848 after the Marlborough earthquake. The Wakefield House is a very simple Regency-style building with verandas, (Auckland Library, 4-1028) standing on a hill overlooking the harbor. There was a record of the first Government Ball House held in it, on 10 February 1849 during the first period of George Gray as governor.
Gray was replaced by Robert Wynyard, then by Thomas Gore Browne (and then Wynyard again). It is possible that neither of these people visited or stayed in Wellington during their tenure and thus the official status of Vila Wakefield is uncertain. Gray became governor for the second time in 1861 and he certainly used Wakefield House as his Official Wellington Residence.
In 1865 the capital was moved from Auckland to Wellington. The need to provide accommodation for various branches of government resulted in busy construction and encouraged the replacement of a rather modest Government Building with a more appropriate building. In 1868 it began. Since the new Parliament House is directly adjacent, it is not surprising that the new Government House should be of the same gothic style. As it happens the Italian style is chosen, perhaps because it is a cheaper option.
Although built of wood, the second government house is a magnificent structure distinguished by a tower; it is one of the few medieval houses influenced by Queen Victoria's Osbourne House. Designed by William Henry Clayton (1823-1877) and completed around 1871, the second Government Building commands a vast view of the city and harbor and provides a beautiful contrast with the adjacent Gothic Parliament building complex. The first inhabitant was Sir George Ferguson Bowen in 1873.
All successful governors lived in the new Clayton building, from Sir James Fergusson to Lord Plunkett from 1904. The social climate of the late nineteenth century required Viceroy to spend part of the year in other parts of the country - notably Auckland, although for some time the Government House third maintained in Christchurch. This pattern undoubtedly provides longevity for fabrics and decorations of any official residence, but relatively few furniture and other items are provided by the government - each successive governor must provide households with furniture, linen, porcelain etc. from his pocket own. (today the pattern is very different - with each new incumbent only required to provide personal items). During his 34-year career as a Government House, the Clayton House was redecorated and added but entering the 20th century largely unchanged.
After a fire at the Parliament Building of wood in 1907, Governor-General Lord Plunket then offered the use of Government House to accommodate both Houses of Parliament until a replacement building could be built. Meanwhile, Plunketts headed to Palmerston North between 1908 and 1910 where they lived in a house now called Caccia-Birch. Plunkett has lobbied for the larger and more recent residences that the Government will provide, hopefully further from Parliament and for more personal reasons. The Parliament House Fire offered the government to assign an existing Government Building to be built.
Maps Government House, Wellington
Current home
The current residence, in Newtown, is designed in Art & amp; Craft style by way of a half-timber Tudor house. Because it was meant to build a large British Country House, the rooms in the house were designed in various styles - from Elizabethan to Tudor, to Georgia and the District. The whole house is an example of what is considered good at the moment; marble fireplaces, parquet floors, oak paneling, mahogany doors, window headlights, bronze electric lights and neo-Georgian ceilings. Various portraits of the Governor in succession and other important people are featured along with New Zealand art collections, some of which have been donated by the previous Governor. This house includes 4,200 m 2 (45,000 sqÃ, ft).
The home page is much more private than the previous residence of 12 acres (30 acres). On one side of the park adjoining Alexandra Park and Mount Victoria Town Belt give a wider impression. The soil scale has enabled different landscapes to be developed; rockery, flower garden, grass area, and a beautiful collection of mature trees. All of this contributes to it now regarded as a National essential park, although interesting there are some ornaments or statues to be seen. The vast grounds contain tennis and squash courts, bomb shelters, four huts, and a visitor center.
One hundredth renovation and anniversary
The house closed in October 2008 for a large NZ $ 44 million conservation and rebuilding project, and reopened in March 2011. During the renovation, the Governor General stayed at Vogel House in Lower Hutt while in Wellington.
As part of the refurbishment, new carpets are provided for the public reception room. These are great works of art with their own right. Carpets and rugs are designed by some New Zealand artists; Gavin Chilcott, Andrew McLeod, Tim Main and John Bevan Ford. The weave is done by carpet manufacturer Dilana, in collaboration with Athfield Architects. Drawing Room carpet design by Gavin Chilcott comes from Silver Fern. What is interesting is the spectacular pattern of kowhaiwhai, which is composed into a large 4 meter (13 ft.) X non-repetitive single composition, designed by Andrew McLeod and inspired by Theo Schoon's image of the M design? Ori. This pattern is produced in three different color ways and appears in several reception rooms.
See also
- New Zealand Government House
- Home of the Royal Government of England
References
External links
- New Zealand Government House - Home and Land
- DPMC - Government House
- New Zealand Governor-General - Biography
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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