Wuhoo Timaru - Find Free Fun! - Timaru Theatre Royal

122 Stafford St
LN:5393 C:2
1877
Designed by Henry Wright

On the 14th July 1877 the Timaru Herald writes The building "is one of the prettiest little theatres in the Southern Hemisphere". Who would have thought that what had started as a stone store could become a first class theatre? Richard Turnbull was a pioneer merchant and politician. He converted his original stone store into a hall for entertainment and it became the venue for many public meetings. In 1872 J L Hall and Australia actor who had been staging shows in Dunedin brought a troupe to Timaru. He leased the hall for five years before commissioning Maurice Deval (architect and engineer) in 1877 to draw up plans for its conversion into a theatre.

The original blue stone façade was removed around 1911 by William Gunn The reconstruction contract was awarded to architect Henry White. He also designed the St James Theatre in Wellington. The auditorium is all that remains from Whites building.

It was renovated for new owner, Moss Jonas in 1882. H E White redeveloped the auditorium in 1911 with an Edwardian auditorium and detailed plaster work. Jonas (1839-1907) used to sell shoelaces on the streets of London. He established a furniture and crockery and auction room business. He was Mayor 1886-1811. HE and his wife Emma had five children. He is buried in the Jewish section of the cemetery.

1877 Richard Turnbull's Hall was converted into "Theatre Royal" Opened 16 July 1877
1883 The Theatre rebuilt with substantial improvements
1911 New auditorium and stage was built and foyer modified including a fly tower and dressing rooms.
1961 Purchased from the Gunn family by the Timaru City Council
1963 Theatre was renovated, foyer re-constructed
1993 Major strengthening, auditorium restoration and new foyer design

Woollcombe St is named after Belfield Woollcombe (1816-1891) who was the first government representative to live in Timaru. He designed the first wooden church where St Mary's is today.

Fun Fact: Timaru found this out when What Now Bangkok, starring Robin Asquith, came to town. The show had full frontal nudity and opened its New Zealand tour in Timaru. Protests were expected. The show’s lawyer flew out from London to counter any backlash. “The police vice squad came down from Christchurch, three of them, and sat through a rehearsal. They gave it approval and the show went ahead. “It was reasonably well attended. The people who came in were very sheepish.” Learn more

Did you know? Rumour has it Timaru’s Theatre Royal has a ghost. A story that has circulated over the years is that a “lad” fell to his death from the theatre’s fly floor many years ago and his spirit lives on at the theatre.

White, Henry Eli (1876-1952)
White was the son of a Dunedin building contractor and spent his early years learning a wide range of trades including bricklaying, plumbing, carpentry, joinery and painting. His first major project was in 1908, a tunnel on the Waipori River hydro-electric scheme. He developed a fascination with theatre design and educated himself in its principles while also attending Art School night classes. With the contract to build His Majesty's Theatre, Wellington, for (Sir) Benjamin Fuller in 1912, White moved his thriving practice to that city where he also built the Midland Hotel. White's reputation as a popular and innovative theatre designer grew to the extent that he became one of the most prominent in Australasia. He was to design over 130 theatres as well as a number of commercial buildings. Among his most notable designs were (builder of) The Press Building, Christchurch (1908), architect of His Majesty's Theatre, Wellington (1912), now the St James, and at the time the largest theatre in Australasia, the now demolished Midland Hotel, Wellington, (1916) The Strand, Christchurch (1917), the Tivoli, Brisbane, and his masterpiece, the State Theatre in Sydney. Much loved by audiences for its excessive Art Deco ornamentation, its interior made lavish use of marble, gold and ivory decoration, and featured paintings, sculpture and exotic objects (such as the 'Fujiyama cameo', removed during the Second World War). The Depression marked the end of White's architectural career. He won a competition to design a college at Auckland, but plans were shelved; he closed his office and lost money through farming in New Zealand. By 1937 he had returned to Sydney. Although a cement manufacturing project near Bathurst fell through, dolomite was discovered on the site and during the Second World War his company supplied it for windows and light bulbs made in Australia. White spent much time sailing and big-game fishing. Survived by his wife and two sons, he died on 3 March 1952 at Kings Cross, Sydney, and was cremated with Anglican rites. He had reputedly earned over £1 million in architectural fees, but was not an astute businessman; his estate was sworn for probate at £1147. Learn more here

Timaru Theatre Royal Front Elevation

The building was modernized in the 1990s when the Timaru District Council invested millions into the theatres upgrade. Through the 1950s, movies were screened at the Theatre Royal, and it was dubbed “Bug House”.
This front elevation is based on an original design by Henry White for his twentieth century facade for the Theatre Royal. At the top balestrade said "His Majestys Building" This was largely destroyed in an early 1960s refurbishment of the building. Barry Bracefield designed the current facade.

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1911 Crowds gather to watch the parade, with a team of bullocks pulling a wagon on a street lined with commercial buildings, Timaru, to celebrate the coronation of George V. The Press (Newspaper) :Negatives. Ref: 1/1-008626-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/29947403

stafford street looking north 1907