DISTRICT PLAN – LISTED HERITAGE PLACE HERITAGE ASSESSMENT – STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE FORMER GOVERNORS BAY SCHOOL AND SCHOOL MASTER'S HOUSE – 112 MAIN ROAD, GOVERNORS BAY 112 Main Road, Governor’s Bay is a rare example of Canterbury’s early school buildings, dating from the Provincial Government period and used as a school complex continually for 95 years. The place includes the former school and former school master’s house and setting. These two buildings sit upon their original site, although this has been reduced in size over the years. The former Governor’s Bay school was constructed in the period when the provision and administration of public education was managed by regional Boards of Education which had been created by the Provincial Government in 1853-1854. At this time New Zealand had a small, thinly-scattered population and transport networks, particularly in isolated areas like Banks Peninsula, were poor. The Canterbury Board of Education was the principal means of realizing the primary educational needs of the region and many small schools were constructed in rural locations such as Governor’s Bay making it possible for children to receive an education. The boundaries of the Governor’s Bay Education District were proclaimed in 1864 and three years later, after a meeting of local residents, it was decided to form the Governor’s Bay North Education District. Thomas Henry Potts, a prominent Canterbury pioneer and Governor’s Bay landholder gifted land for the school complex from his estate ‘Ohinetahi in 1867 and classes were conducted in a cottage in the grounds at Ohinetahi from 1868 while the school was being constructed. (Ussher, p16.) The Education Board looked favourably upon requests from local residents “for a somewhat superior school with accommodation for boarders” and contributed £300 towards the establishment of the school. Residents contributed a further £100 and the Governor’s Bay North School as it was then known, opened in July 1868. The Education Board grant was somewhat larger than was usual as it was considered that the locality was well suited for a school of this description both on account of its geographical situation and the healthiness of the climate. (Governors Bay School Centenary 1868-1968.) During the 95 years the school occupied the Main Road site changing school rolls prompted the construction of additional buildings and the development of the school grounds. A boy’s shelter shed was erected in 1911 and an additional or replacement shelter shed was erected in front of the school in 1923. In 1952 a prefabricated class room was added to the school complex and in the 1958 new toilet facilities were constructed. A tennis court was laid in the early 1940s and in 1958 the school leased additional playground space to enable the expansion of playground facilities. Of these improvements, only the toilet block from 1958 remains as part of the complex. (Governors Bay School Centenary 1868-1968.) Following relocation of the school in 1963 the remaining school complex was used by the Christchurch After Care Society as an adventure camp for children and youth. It is not known how long this organisation operated at 112 Main Road beyond 1968. Today both the school and the schoolmaster’s house are owned by the Christchurch City Council, (formerly Page 1 by the Banks Peninsula District Council prior to amalgamation with the Christchurch City Council in 2006) and are leased to the Governor’s Bay Heritage Trust. Page 2 DISTRICT PLAN – LISTED HERITAGE PLACE HERITAGE ASSESSMENT – STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE HERITAGE ITEM NUMBER 672 FORMER GOVERNORS BAY SCHOOL AND SETTING - 112 MAIN ROAD, GOVERNORS BAY PHOTOGRAPH: BRENDAN SMYTH, 2014 HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE Historical and social values that demonstrate or are associated with: a particular person, group, organisation, institution, event, phase or activity; the continuity and/or change of a phase or activity; social, historical, traditional, economic, political or other patterns. The former Governor’s Bay school has high historical and social significance for its association with Governor’s Bay and, more generally, the colonial Governor’s Bay settlement. The school was constructed in July 1868 during the period when education was managed by the Provincial Government, and the structure is a rare example of an early Provincial Government-era Canterbury one-roomed school. The school also has historical and social significance for its continued use as a school complex for 95 years. The former school also has historical and social significance for its association with prominent Canterbury pioneer Thomas Henry Potts(1824-1888); naturalist, ornithologist, entomologist, botanist and conservationist. Potts gifted the site for the school from his Page 3 Ohinetahi estate and allowed a cottage on his estate to be used as a temporary classroom while the school was under construction. The school is also associated with the Rev Henry Torlesse, first chairman of the school committee, and Mable Chudleigh, daughter of Thomas Potts, who donated the school bell which came from the Ocean Mail, which was wrecked on the Chathams in March 1877. The building was constructed by Robert and Kelynge England, prominent Lyttelton builders. Robert was the father of Robert and Edward who went on to establish the Christchurch architectural firm ‘England Bros.’ CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE Cultural and spiritual values that demonstrate or are associated with the distinctive characteristics of a way of life, philosophy, tradition, religion, or other belief, including: the symbolic or commemorative value of the place; significance to Tangata Whenua; and/or associations with an identifiable group and esteemed by this group for its cultural values. The former school site has cultural significance. Current research indicates that significance to tāngata whenua as a former Ngāti Māmoe semi-fortified post named Whakataka. The Ngāti Māmoe, who had driven out the Waitaha in the 16th century, were in turn defeated and assimilated by Ngāi Tahu c.1720. In the past a significant number of greenstone artefacts have been found on the site. For a time a number of these were displayed in the school, but their current whereabouts is unknown. The site is in close proximity to Ohinetahi Pa. The school also has cultural significance as a tangible link to the early European settlement in Governor’s Bay and for its association with the development of public schooling. The site continues to preserve local memories of early education following the European settlement of Canterbury. In addition, it has cultural significance through its use as a venue for community and as a site of commemoration, particularly the 1915 planting of two oaks in the school grounds in memory of ex‐pupils who fell at the Dardanelles (Beaumont & Wilson, p 375) and the plaque which was placed, together with the planting of a titoki, following the re-opening of the school room following repair work in 1998/9. (Ussher, p 20). ARCHITECTURAL AND AESTHETIC SIGNIFICANCE Architectural and aesthetic values that demonstrate or are associated with: a particular style, period or designer, design values, form, scale, colour, texture and material of the place. The former school has architectural and aesthetic significance as an example of colonial vernacular architecture and as a standardised school design employed for rural schools, including school houses in Canterbury during the Provincial Government period. The former school building has architectural and aesthetic significance as an example of a standardised school design employed for rural schools in Canterbury during the Provincial Government period. Current research suggests that the former school and schoolmaster’s house may be the only surviving complex in Canterbury from this period. The former school is a single-storey building with a rectangular footprint. It is clad in timber weatherboards and stands on sandstone piles, has double hung sash windows and short run corrugated iron roofing, with scalloped barge boards. Internally it has timber floors and match lined walls with an exposed ceiling. There are still bakelite electrical fittings and a flagpole bracket survives on the north elevation. Alterations were made at various times, such as the porch being added in 1875, the replacement of the roof’s shingles with galvanised corrugated iron in 1894, but these are part Page 4 of ensuring the functioning of the building through its life and most do not detract from the values of the structure. TECHNOLOGICAL AND CRAFTSMANSHIP SIGNIFICANCE Technological and craftsmanship values that demonstrate or are associated with: the nature and use of materials, finishes and/or technological or constructional methods which were innovative, or of notable quality for the period. The former school has technological and craftsmanship significance. The building displays carpentry construction techniques used in the mid-Victorian period, in particular the Mortice and Tenon jointing and balloon framing. This type of framing involved the use of vertical studs which were long enough to be tenoned into both the top and bottom wall plates without interruption. Additional craftsmanship and technological significance is demonstrated through the match linings to the walls and the exposed roof construction. CONTEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE Contextual values that demonstrate or are associated with: a relationship to the environment (constructed and natural), a landscape, setting, group, precinct or streetscape; a degree of consistency in terms of type, scale, form, materials, texture, colour, style and/or detail; recognised landmarks and landscape which are recognised and contribute to the unique identity of the environment. The site has high contextual significance as a complex of school buildings still on their original although reduced-size site. The former school building is sited lower on the slope than the house and to the south. The former schoolmaster’s house which is centrally located on the site is higher on the slope than the school and to the north. The driveway continues around the south end of the school and up to the house.