Built Heritage Inventory
Marama (formerly Claverley) (dwelling)
Register Item Number:
53
At Owners’ request no photograph shown
Location: 4 Acton Place, Whanganui
Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga
Building Type: 
List Number: 975
Residential
Commercial
Physical Description: This extensive, sprawling, timber framed, single storey
Industrial
house has a general ‘L shaped plan with two main gabled wings at right angles.
Recreation
Each of the two wings has multiple gables at right angle, to both sides of the
Institutional
ridges, and at the same height. The most visible elevation of the house faces
Agriculture
east and comprises two gabled wings, one on the north-west corner and the
other parallel but set back. Between the two is the front entry to the house. Both
wings have moderately pitched roofs with the gables in the form of broken
based pediments. The more forward wing has pilasters on either corner and,
what appears to be, infill with 1940s styled windows, suggesting this wing may
have been an open porch. The rear wing has quoins on the corners and a
rectangular bay window with triple windows facing east, each with a keystone.
 Archaeological
 Architectural
 Historic
 Scientific
 Cultural
Current Use: House
Former Uses:
District Plan Class: Class B
(Cat. 2)
Architectural Style: Italianate villa
Significance: 
 Technological
Other known names: Claverley, Krull Hosue
Heritage Status. Heritage NZPT List
Other
Date of Construction: 1880s?
Thematic Context 
Early Settlement
Residential
(originally?)
Industry
Materials:
Agricultural
Registered owner:
Commerce
Transport
Legal Description: Lot 2 DP 28225
History: Associated with Frederick August Krull, German
Consul. 1
Civic/Admin
Health
Frederick Krull, Chevalier of the Imperial German Orders of the Red Eagle and
Education
the Crown, was the senior German Consul for the colony of New Zealand from
Religion
1861 to 1914.2 Krull was born in Mecklenburg, Strelitx. 3 He arrived in Wellington
Recreation
1
Wanganui Chronicle 30/11/1914; DP 2202
Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District] 1897. The Cyclopedia Company Limited,
Wellington.
3 Ibid.
2
Marama (formerly Claverley) (dwelling) zxy137
Built Heritage Inventory
on Anniversary Day, 1859, and established a merchant business, Messers Krull
and
Co.4
Krull received three separate appointments for the consul position,
from Queen Victoria initially, then the North German Confederacy in 1868 and
Community
Memorials
Military
the German Emperor in 1871.5
Mr Krull was a councillor for Wellington city for six years, one of the first
members of the Harbour Board, Chairman of the Wellington Gas Company and
a member of the Chamber of Commerce from its inception. 6
In 1881 he moved to Wanganui and joined Freeman R. Jackson in business. 7
Upon moving to Wanganui, he resigned his appointments, although his
resignation was declined in recognition of his long service and great popularity. 8
A successor was appointed in Wellington, and Krull retained a senior position. 9
On 9th August 1914, at the outbreak of World War One, New Zealand’s Minister
of Internal Affairs instructed the Police to close the German Consulates. 10 The
five German Consuls, all naturalised British subjects, were advised to cease all
communications with Germany and surrounding all consular documents.11 The
Minister was especially interested in archives from Krull’s fifty year career as
consul because of the possibility that they contained the names of German
Army Reservists living in New Zealand.12
The German Government considered the seizure to be a violation of
International Law and in November 1914, invited the neutral United States
Government to take charge of their Consulates in New Zealand. 13 The American
4
Ibid.
Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.
10 Minister of Internal Affairs to Solicitor-General, 9 August 1914, AAAB 478/12ap, German Consular
Archives, NA; also British and Foreign State Papers, Vol. 108, (1914) Part II, pp.94-5. Vide
http://webspace.webring.com/people/es/somesprisonersnz/germanating/ger2.html#_edn1.
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid.
13 http://webspace.webring.com/people/es/somesprisonersnz/germanating/ger2.html#_edn6.
5
Marama (formerly Claverley) (dwelling) zxy137
Built Heritage Inventory
Consul, General J. I. Brittain, was unsuccessful in recovering the material. 14 In
June 1917, the German Government tried unsuccessfully again. 15
Krull suffered a stroke and died in November 1914, 16 leaving his family believing
his premature death was a consequence of the war.
Architect/Designer:
History of changes:
Date Period:
Rarity / Special Features: The house
Integrity:
From
a
cursory
visual
was owned by one of five German
inspection from the road for this report,
consuls in New Zealand prior to World
the building appears to be in a fair
War One.
condition.
Representativeness:
Context/Group Value: The house is
one of a number of late nineteenth
century houses in Wanganui.
Diversity (Form and Features):
Fragility / Vulnerability: As a timber
building, it is potentially at risk from
fire.
Summary of Significance:
Archaeological Qualities
Having been constructed prior to 1900, its location is deemed to be an
archaeological site.
Architectural Qualities
The original section of the house appears to have been designed in the
Italianate style, but the numerous modifications have reduced stylistic
consistency.
14
Under Secretary of Internal Affairs to Commissioner of Police, 24 November 1914, AAAB 478/12ap, NA.
Vide http://webspace.webring.com/people/es/somesprisonersnz/germanating/ger2.html#_edn6.
15 W.H. Long, Downing St., London, to the Governor-General, New Zealand 14 July 1917, AAAB 478/12ap,
NA. Vide http://webspace.webring.com/people/es/somesprisonersnz/germanating/ger2.html#_edn6.
16 Wanganui Chronicle 30/11/1914
Marama (formerly Claverley) (dwelling) zxy137
Built Heritage Inventory
Historic Qualities
The house is associated with Frederick Krull Chevalier of the Imperial German
Orders of the Red Eagle and the Crown, who was the senior German Consul for
the colony of New Zealand from 1861 to 1914, and lived in Wanganui from
1881. Following the outbreak of WWI, xenophobia took hold in New Zealand
and despite his being very popular, a naturalised British subject, and having
lived in New Zealand for 53 years, Krull’s files were seized by the Government.
Technical Qualities
The house has been constructed with materials and techniques typical of the
period.
Cultural Qualities
The house has political qualities having housed Frederick Krull, whose activities
in New Zealand were suspect by the Government after the outbreak of WWI.
Reference Source:
Associated Pictures:
Mr. F. A. Krull (Cyclopedia of New Zealand 1897).
Date of Survey: 2012
Prepared by: Ian Bowman and Val Burr
Marama (formerly Claverley) (dwelling) zxy137