Built Heritage Inventory
Crellow
House
–
274
Taupo
Quay,
Register Item Number:
444
Whanganui
Building Type: 
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Recreation
Institutional
Agriculture
Other
Significance: 
 Archaeological
 Architectural
 Historic
 Scientific
 Technological
 Cultural
Location: 274 Taupo Quay, Gonville,
Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga
Whanganui
List Number: Nil
Thematic Context 
Early Settlement
Physical Description: This symmetrical, single storey, timber framed house
Residential
has two main gabled wings facing the street with a smaller gabled central
Industry
section joining the two main wings. The style of the house is a residential form
Agricultural
of Carpenter Gothic known as Rustic Gothic and it has the characteristic steeply
Commerce
pitched roofs, traceried bargeboards, finials, and hood moulds following the
Transport
shape of the unusual triangular pointed windows. Two or three windows joined
Civic/Admin
together is also typical of the style.
Health
Education
Rustic Gothic was more popular as a residential style. Largely derived from the
cottage orné of the mid nineteenth century, Australasian examples abounded in
the latter part of the nineteenth century influenced by pattern books such as
those of Englishman, J C Loudon’s Encyclopaedia of Cottage, Farm and Villa
Architecture, and American, Calvert Vaux’s Villas and Cottages.
Religion
Recreation
Community
Memorials
Military
Crellow House – 274 Taupo Quay, Wanganui zxy258
Built Heritage Inventory
Other known names: Crellow House Bed & Breakfast
Current Use: Bed & Breakfast
Former Uses: Dwelling house
Heritage Status:
District Plan Class: BR
Architectural Style: Carpenter Gothic
Date of Construction: c1901-2?
Materials: Painted timber weatherboards, timber joinery, corrugated steel
roofing
Registered owner:
Legal Description: Lot 5 DP 45846
History: Nowadays, this house is known as Crellow House Bed & Breakfast.
However, the origin of this name has not been researched.
Certificate of Title WN 235/22 was the earliest CT sighted for this property
during this limited study. The number recorded on it for the previous CT proves
to be incorrect. WN 235/22 was issued to The Wanganui Hospital and
Charitable Aid Board in 1915 and covered Lots 3, 4, 5, and 6 of DP 3266, being
a block of some five acres. The house site is on Lot 3.
Amongst the “outstanding interests” brought forward on this CT was the Deed of
Lease of Helen Mary Burnett for Lots 3 and 6 for a 20-year term, starting from
1st January 1901. This perhaps marks the time of construction of this house.
Lots 4 and 5 were leased from the same date for the same term to Constance
Robinette Burnett.
Constance Robinette Burnett was the natural daughter of Cornelius and Lily
Marion Burnett of ‘Oneida’, at Fordell. Helen Mary Burnett was her adopted
sister, the niece of Lily Marion Burnett.1 If this house in fact dates to the Burnett
leasehold (c1901), it is possible to see traces of ‘Oneida’ within its design.
Cornelius Burnett had inherited the ‘Oneida’ estate from his father in 1893, and
was living there at the time of Constance’s marriage in 1901, and in 1907 when
a garden party was held there to raise funds to build St. John’s Church,
Matarawa2. However, by 1918 when his wife died, the couple were living in
Wellington. Prior to retiring to ‘Oneida’ to take up farming, Cornelius Burnett had
1
Wanganui Chronicle, 3 May 1918, p. 4
Maureen Naldrett-Jays, A History of a Country Church in New Zealand: St. John’s, Matarawa: Its Life and
Times 1863-2008 (Wanganui, 2010), p. 15
2
Crellow House – 274 Taupo Quay, Wanganui zxy258
Built Heritage Inventory
practiced as a solicitor in Wanganui for some thirty years.3
The Wanganui Herald of 7 March 1901 (p. 2) covered the marriage of
Constance Robinette Burnett and John Donald Welford McBeth which had just
taken place at the Matarawa Church. In this, she was described as the “only
daughter of Cornelius Burnett, solicitor”. Her adopted sister was not mentioned.
In describing the wedding, the Wanganui Chronicle of 7 March 1901 (p. 2)
described Constance as the “eldest daughter” of Mr C. Burnett of the firm
Burnett & Gordon, solicitors.
The Wanganui Chronicle of 31 October 1907 (p. 4) refers to Mr and Mrs C.
Burnett, along with “Miss Burnett”, being on a visit to England, where they had
met up with their son, B.W. Burnett. The couple – “Miss Burnett” was not
mentioned – were due back in Wanganui by Christmas 1907. Lily Marion
Burnett (nee Harris) died in 1918, survived by her five children and her adopted
niece, erroneously named as, “Miss Constance H. Burnett”. Another brief
obituary stated that “Miss Burnett” (i.e. Helen) then lived at Wellington.4
There were two “Miss Burnett’s” mentioned in the Wanganui newspapers in the
early 1900s and this complicates identifying which is Helen. The second “Miss
Burnett” was Josephine A. Burnett, the sister of Cornelius Burnett.
However, one reference which might be significant is the ‘To Let’ notice that
appeared in the Wanganui Chronicle of 17 October 1902 (at which time the
house at 274 Taupo Quay ‘might’ have been newly built). This offers for
immediate possession the dwelling house in St. Hill Street (containing 10 rooms
and with 7/8-acre section) which until recently had been occupied by Miss
Burnett. The house also had ornamental gardens, lawns etc. Applicants were to
contact A. Burnett, Fordell, or C. Burnett, solicitor. That this may be Helen is
supported by the birth notice of Cornelius and Lily’s son Benjamin Ward Burnett,
at home in St. Hill Street, Wanganui, in 1884.5
CT WN 235/22 records that in 1916, Helen Mary Burnett leased Lots 3 and 6 for
a further 7-year term – backdated to start on 1 January 1914. In due course,
3
Auckland Star, 9 November 1926, p. 5
Wanganui Chronicle, 1 May 1918, p. 4, & 3 May 1918, p. 4
5 Wanganui Chronicle, 10 October, 1884, p. 2; Birth Registration: 1884/6454: https://bdmonline.dia.govt.nz/
4
Crellow House – 274 Taupo Quay, Wanganui zxy258
Built Heritage Inventory
Constance Robinette McBeth (nee Burnett) extended her two leases for a
further 21-year term starting on 1st January 1921. On 1st January 1921, the NZ
Refrigeration Company Ltd. took over the lease of the small Lot 6, with Helen
Mary Burnett extending her lease on Lot 3 for a 21-year term starting on 1st
January 1921. In 1925, she again took over the lease of Lot 6 from the NZ
Refrigeration Company Ltd. - with that firm holding a mortgage on the property.
Lot 6 is now 282 Taupo Quay with an ‘early 1900s’ (perhaps c1921) house built
on it. It is not clear when Helen Mary Burnett relinquished her leases however,
by 1940 when CT WN 493/248 (see below) was issued, the lessee of Lot 6 was
once again the NZ Refrigeration Company Ltd.
No marriage, death or burial was found that could be confirmed as having been
Helen Mary Burnett’s. She may have left the country, been married overseas, or
at some point reverted to her birth surname. However, she is not apparently
buried with the Burnett family graves at Matarawa or Heads Road Cemeteries.
She does not seem to have lived in this house for very many years, and it is also
possible that this house served at the Burnett family’s town house after they
moved to ‘Oneida’, and then leased out their St. Hill Street house in 1902 – if
that was in fact the former family home. Further research - such as in the
Burnett papers held at the Wanganui Regional Museum - may clarify some of
these things.
Certificate of Title WN 493/248 was issued to the Wanganui Hospital Board in
1942. This was still a block of over five acres containing Lots 3, 4, 5 and 6 of DP
3266. At that time Lot 3 was leased to Henry Stratford, who renewed the lease
for a 21-year term starting on 1 January 1942. In late 1942, the lease was
transmitted to Letita Anna Speedy and Frederick William John Oakley as
executors, following Stratford’s death. It was then transferred in 1948 to Ward
John Stratford, a Levin farmer, and the aforementioned Frederick William John
Oakley. In 1950, the lease was transferred to Terence Gregory Mullins.
Certificate of Title WN E2/648 was issued to the Wanganui Hospital Board in
1966. At this time Lot 3 was still leased to Terence Gregory Mullins, who had
renewed it for a 21-year term starting 1 January 1963. This lease was then
transferred to Jutland Holdings Ltd. in 1969, and in 1974, ownership of the
property was transferred to Jutland Holdings Ltd, with the lease then being
merged. Until that time, the property stretched between Taupo Quay and Heads
Crellow House – 274 Taupo Quay, Wanganui zxy258
Built Heritage Inventory
Road (covering 8445m²). However, in 1976, Jutland Holdings Ltd. subdivided it
into five Lots.
Certificate of Title WN 16C/1402 was issued to Jutland Holdings Ltd., of
Wanganui, in 1976. This was Lot 5 DP 45846 (761m²), and it, with 278 Taupo
Quay, had been about half of the Taupo Quay frontage of the land subdivided in
1976. A modern house is now located at 278 Taupo Quay.
Later in 1976, the property was transferred to Dale Robert Johnston, a
Wanganui clerk, and his wife, Carole Ann Johnston. In 1982, it was transferred
to Carole Ann Johnston alone. In 1986, it was transferred to Albert Noyes,
retired, of Wanganui, and his wife Pamela Daphne Noyes. Then in 1995, it was
transferred to Pamela Daphne Noyes alone. She remains its current owner.
Bibliography
Naldrett-Jays, Maureen, A History of a Country Church in New Zealand: St.
John’s, Matarawa: Its Life and Times 1863-2008 (Wanganui, 2010)
Wises’ NZ Post Office Directory, 1925
Archival sources, newspapers and online articles as referred to in the footnotes
Architect/Designer:
History of changes:
Date Period: ca 1901.
Rarity / Special Features: The house
Integrity: The condition of the house
is a good example of the Rustic Gothic
was not inspected.
style.
Representativeness: The house is
designed with the typical
characteristics, planning and materials
of the Rustic Gothic style.
Crellow House – 274 Taupo Quay, Wanganui zxy258
Context/Group Value:
Built Heritage Inventory
Diversity (Form and Features):
Fragility / Vulnerability: As a timber
house, it is potentially vulnerable to
fire.
Summary of Significance:
Architectural Qualities
The house has the characteristics of the Rustic Gothic style with steeply pitched
roofs, traceried bargeboards, finials, and hood moulds following the shape of the
unusual triangular pointed windows. Another typical detail of the style is two or
three windows joined together. It is possible that the house has architectural
associations with Oneida, as discussed below.
Historic Qualities
The house is historically associated with Constance Robinette Burnett, daughter
of the Burnetts of ‘Oneida’.
Technical Qualities
The house is designed and constructed using typical techniques and materials
of the period.
Cultural Qualities
The house has educational values as a good example of the Rustic Gothic style.
Reference Source:
Associated Pictures:
Date of Survey: 2012
Prepared by: Ian Bowman and Val Burr
Crellow House – 274 Taupo Quay, Wanganui zxy258