Former John Street Doctors’ Surgery Building

• 1872 - 1872
• Herbert Gaby’s soap works first established at the rear of Town Acre 760 (WCC ratebooks)
• c.1876 - 1877
• Dwelling constructed on the site
• 1894 - 1907
• Two-storey lean-to constructed on the east elevation of the building.
• unknown
• Interior alterations, including a waiting room with a side entrance and consulting room (between 1907-1924).
• unknown
• A two-storey lean-to (unrecorded) was added to the east elevation. An office occupied the ground floor of this addition, the first floor (supported in one corner by a post according to later plans) was used as a bedroom. The row of casement windows still visible on the east façade was constructed at this time. The cladding was lapped weatherboards. Architect: Norman Lightbody; the permit card lists him as the builder too. (00056:157:B14052)
• 1935 - 1935
• Another two-storey lean-to was added to the east elevation, alongside the extension described above. This allowed for an extension of the upstairs bedroom, which later became a sunporch, but covered over most of one of the dormer windows. The wall cladding was lapped weatherboards and the roof corrugated iron. (00056:157:B14052)
• 1946 - 1946
• Surgery expanded to a group practice, after this time the first floor was turned into a flat that accommodated doctors and nurses associated with the practice. Another addition, an extension to the office, was made to the east elevation; a single storey structure with a slightly pitched corrugated roof and lapped weatherboards. An exterior stair was added to the east elevation. Windows were added to the top of the internal, east wall of the surgery. Architect: Norman Lightbody. (00056:318:B24911).
• 1956 - 1956
• Yet more additions made to the east elevation. The existing surgery and office were extended with another, slightly-pitched roof extension with a corrugated iron roof and lapped weatherboards. Architect: Norman Lightbody. (00058:24:C1201)
• 1957 - 1957
• Minor changes made to kitchen.
• 1960 - 1960
• Alterations (to accommodate the group practice) (00058:142:C6730)
• 1965 - 1965
• Two new toilets were added to the east elevation, alongside the existing. (00058:390:C16700)
• unknown
• Addition of garages to west elevation
• 2003 - 2003
• Demolish rear lean-to and concrete garages, additions and internal alterations (00078:1442:104163)

• 1872 - c.1878
• Herbert Gaby, soap factory, dwelling constructed c1876-77
• c.1878 - 1893
• Kitchen & Sons, candle and soap manufacturer
• 1893 - 1894
• New Zealand Candle Company (house occupied by the manager of the company, while the factory was demolished).
• 1894 - 1907
• Dr William Copeland Alexander, medical practice
• c.1907 - 1924
• Dr Frederick Thomas Bowerbank, medical practice
• 1924
• Dr William F. Shirer, medical practice
• 1946
• Group medical practice, from 1954 known as John Street Doctors
• 2001
• Child Cancer Foundation (CCF)

Not assessed

The John Street Doctors’ Surgery building is fairly complex in form as befits a building that has been modified so many times over the years in the service of different residential and commercial requirements. At the core, it is a two-storey timber-framed bay villa with a wing to the south side and, formerly, a double-storey lean-to at the east side. It has a corrugated iron roof, wide rusticated timber weatherboards, and mostly timber joinery. The remains of a brick chimney can be seen at the north side.

At the street front, the building retains some of its original form; the main gabled two-storey box has a large three-sided bay window at the ground floor, fitted with double-hung windows with elegantly curved heads and a heavy moulded facing, surmounted by a paired double-hung window at the first floor. A two-storey wing extends to the right with two gabled dormer windows facing the street. A modern roof deck extends to the right (south side) of the two dormer windows. At the ground floor, an L-shaped lean-to roof appears to be an enclosed verandah and is glazed with more modern casement windows.

At the rear (east) end of the building, an unfortunate modern addition has obliterated the former two-storey lean-to and significantly altered the overall form of the building. Fitted with aluminium windows and colour steel cladding and featuring prominent large flat eaves, this lump is not remotely compatible with the building. Fortuitously for the immediate townscape character of the building this is not greatly visible from the street.

The interior was not inspected, however, given the history of change, it is expected that little original fabric survives in its original location, although several of the main rooms remain in their original locations as do some fire-places.

Despite alterations, the building retains architectural value as it represents two distinct stages in the operation of community medical practices in New Zealand. First, the building is an early example of a doctor's residence and surgery. Its layout and chattels provide considerable insight into the working conditions of the live-in doctor typical of the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century. Second, the building is one of the very first in the country to be used to house a 'group practice', a revolutionary new concept in late 1940s New Zealand. Changes made to accommodate the practice are still extant.

It has a corrugated iron roof, wide rusticated timber weatherboards, and mostly timber joinery. The remains of a brick chimney can be seen at the north side.

The former John Street Doctors’ Surgery building occupies a compact site at the north end of Newtown adjacent to the entrance to the hospital complex which fortuitously sets it against a great deal of open space to the east and south, an impression enhanced by the open car-park at the back of the site and the mature trees on and around it, and which gives some sense of the original space around the building.

On the north side, it is near to the important group of small Victorian shops at the junction of Adelaide Road and Riddiford Street that are of a similar scale and level of detail (although they are somewhat newer). This building has high group and townscape value in association with these other buildings; it makes an important contribution to, and is enhanced by, this setting.

The next setting is the hospital area, which has played an important role in the history of this house. Today, this consists of a large construction site and randomly scattered large, predominantly modern, buildings over a broad green campus along the hillside, bordered by the town belt. The former John Street doctors’ surgery is now the oldest building with a medical association remaining in this area; it maintains its visual links with the town belt and the hospital campus.

The broader setting is northern Newtown which, although rather different today than in the 1870s, retains a similar mix of uses spanning from commercial and industrial to residential.

• 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 former John Street Doctors’ Surgery Building is two storey c.1870s house that has been adapted to suit the changing needs of its occupants over the past 140 years. Most additions are well-considered, and reflect the architectural styles and functional requirements of their time, and the overall effect is pleasant and eclectic.

• 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 building has group value for its contribution to the John Street Intersection Shopping Centre Heritage Area.

  It is also part of a medical precinct and can be seen in the context of the adjacent Wellington Hospital (1880s - on ) and the nearby former Alexander Maternity Hospital (1927), and the former Alexandra Home for Unmarried Mothers (1882).

• 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 building has townscape value as the southern ‘bookend’ of the John Street Intersection Shopping Centre Heritage Area. It forms the transition between the commercial buildings to the north, and the hospital precinct to the east and south.

• Association

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

  This building has high historic significance as the home of one of the longest running medical practices in the country and for its association with the early development of group medical practice in New Zealand, particularly with the eminent Dr Frederick Bowerbank. It also has an association with playwright Bruce Mason, who wrote two plays during a brief stay in the building between 1952 and 1953.

• Archaeological

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

  Pre 1900 building

• Educational

  Does the item have educational value for what it can demonstrate about aspects of the past?

  As an example of a medical practice, the building has considerable potential to provide insight into New Zealand's medical and social history. It provides immediate information on the spatial needs of both the private, live-in doctor and the doctors involved in the group practice

• 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 building retains much of its original or early form and has been a feature of Riddiford Street for 140 years. It contributes to the sense of place and continuity of the John Street Intersection Shopping Centre Heritage Area.

• Sentiment/Connection

  Is the item a focus of community sentiment and connection?

  The building is likely to be the focus of some local sentiment and connection for its long-term as a local medical practice, and for its current use by the Child Cancer Foundation.

• 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?

  Although no longer a dwelling as such it has had such a long history that it has seen three complete manifestations – house, house/surgery and group practice – and still remains in relatively authentic condition.

• Rare

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

  Despite many alterations over the years the building is one of the oldest buildings in Newtown and has rarity value for that.

• Importance

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

  The John Street Doctors building is of national significance for its role in the development of New Zealand's medical profession in the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century.

Not assessed

• “Heritage building – John Street Doctors”, 2001, 1041-06-JOH, Wellington City Council Records.
• Kelly, Michael. 27 Riddiford Street: John Street Doctors. August 2001. Unpublished report for Wellington City Council, on file.
• Murray, Russell. John St Doctors’ Surgery, 27 Riddiford Street, vIX. (Wellington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 53, 2005).
• O’Brien, Rebecca. John Street Doctors. (New Zealand Historic Places Trust Registration Proposal 2003, un-paginated).
• O’Brien, Rebecca. John Street Doctors (Child Cancer Foundation House). New Zealand Historic Places Trust, October 1, 2004. Accessed February 7, 2013
• Wellington City Council, Child Cancer Foundation House, former John St Doctors, 27 Riddiford Street: An assessment of effects of alterations and additions, unpublished report on file.
• Wellington City Council, Report Heritage Design Consultation Process Child Cancer Foundation – 27 Riddiford Street, Newtown, June 6, 2003. WCC heritage file on the ‘John Street Doctors’ Building’.

• Inventory Report

Not available