Chief Post Office, Christchurch

File:Cathedral Square Christchurch NZ cropped.jpg

The building is located at 31 Cathedral Square,{{cite web|url=http://www.zenbu.co.nz/entry/1172497-chief-post-office-former|title=Chief Post Office (Former)|work=zenbu.co.nz|access-date=16 May 2011}} and is situated in the Square's southwest corner.{{cite web |url= https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/chief-post-office/ |title=The Chief Post Office |year=1998|work=Christchurch City Council handbook|publisher=Christchurch City Libraries|access-date=16 May 2011}} Footpaths and a cabstand were added after the post office opened.{{cite web|url=http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/EarlyChristchurch/SquaresofChristchurch.asp|title=The Squares of Christchurch|publisher=Christchurch City Libraries|access-date=16 May 2011}} During the 1992 redesign and redevelopment process of the Square, the road in front of the former Chief Post Office was closed.

In 1863, the New Zealand House of Representatives noted an important change was to take place in Canterbury, in that Christchurch would replace Lyttelton as the principal post town.{{cite book|author=New Zealand. Parliament. House of Representatives|title=Appendix to the journals of the House of Representatives of New Zealand |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=wRdQAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA4-PA3|year=1863|page=4}} The General Government was renting several government buildings in Canterbury, some of which were inconveniently situated or badly constructed.{{cite book|author=New Zealand. Parliament. House of Representatives|title=Parliamentary debates|url=https://archive.org/details/parliamentaryde00legigoog|access-date=19 May 2011|year=1875|publisher=s.n.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/parliamentaryde00legigoog/page/n592 564]–565}} Christchurch's first post office was very small, and located at Market Square, these days known as Victoria Square.{{cite web|url= http://www.historic.org.nz/TheRegister/RegisterSearch/RegisterResults.aspx?RID=291 |title=Chief Post Office (Former)|last=Lovell-Smith|first=Melanie|date=11 December 2001 |publisher=New Zealand Historic Places Trust Pouhere Taonga|access-date=16 May 2011}}

File:Chief Post Office, Christchurch, 1900s.jpg

The Canterbury Provincial Council, with the sanction of the General Government, agreed to erect government buildings in Cathedral Square, opposite the Anglican Church's building site. A Bill passed in 1873 vested the site in the Crown. Plans were drawn by William Henry Clayton,{{cite book |last=Wilson |first=John |title=City and Peninsula : The Historic Places of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula|year=2007|publisher=The Christchurch Civic Trust, The Akaroa Civic Trust|location=Christchurch |isbn=978-0-473-12239-3 |pages=67, 132}}{{cite web |url= http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/heritage/photos/disc9/IMG0096.asp |title=Christchurch Post Office |work=christchurchcitylibraries.com|access-date=16 May 2011}} the first (and only) Colonial Architect to New Zealand.{{DNZB|Crighton|Anna|2C20|Clayton, William Henry – Biography|4 April 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.russellnz.co.nz/hist_tre.htm|title=History- Treaty Onwards|work=russellnz.co.nz|access-date=16 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602150210/http://www.russellnz.co.nz/hist_tre.htm|archive-date=2 June 2010}} Clayton had previously designed the (former) post office in Lyttelton, and that building, smaller but similar in style, is regarded as his "trial run" for the building in the Square. The building was at the time referred to as the new Government Buildings. While it was agreed that the new building should accommodate the General Government, opinions differed on whether the construction should be ornamental. A prevailing motion approved that some regard ought to be paid to a little architectural finish.

The construction contract was awarded to Dan Reese. The foundation stone was laid by Hon Edward Richardson, a Christchurch member of parliament who until earlier in the year had been the first Minister of Public Works,{{cite book |last= Scholefield |first= Guy |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 |author-link=Guy Scholefield |edition=3rd |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1950 |publisher=Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |page=36}} on Queen's Birthday on 24 May 1877. The event was poorly attended, partly because no programme had been arranged beforehand. In his speech, Richardson reflected on the lengthy delay of starting construction, owing to the controversy about the building site. The mayor, Fred Hobbs, then used his address to lobby the attending members of parliament for a Resident Magistrate's Court (which was built in 1880/81{{NZHPT|5308|Magistrate's Court}}). Since nobody came forward to speak afterwards, the crowd dispersed. Attendees of the ceremony were Bishop Harper, MHR William Rolleston, MHR Edward Stevens and MHR William Montgomery.{{cite news|title=Local and General|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18770524.2.5 |access-date=19 May 2011|work=The Star|date=24 May 1877|issue=2852|page=2}}{{cite news|title= Christchurch|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=MT18770530.2.6.6 |access-date=19 May 2011|work=Manawatu Times|volume=II |issue=64 |date=30 May 1877|page=2}}

File:William Clayton, 1860.jpg

Soon after laying the foundation stone, Clayton died and the work was supervised by his assistant Pierre Finch Martineau Burrows. The building was completed in 1878. It opened behind schedule on 14 July 1879.

The building originally housed the postal department as well as other Government and administration offices. In 1881, New Zealand's first telephone exchange was installed in the building. The building was extended in 1907 to the west by adding a third gable; up until that point, it had two symmetrical façades. The extension was designed and supervised by Burrows. When the new Government Building opened at the eastern end of the Square in 1913, the postal services remained and the building became known as the Chief Post Office.

In the 1930s, the post office was threatened by demolition, as more space was required. Construction of a new post office didn't start until 1989, immediately to the south of the existing building. The seven-storey building dominates and impairs the historic structure, and parts of the old building had to be demolished to make way for the high rise.

The building suffered minimal damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake, and only minor damage in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The landlord, Gordon Chamberlain, director of Chrystal Imports, feared that necessary repair to or demolition of nearby high-rise buildings would restrict access to his buildings for "years".{{cite news|last=Heather|first=Ben|title=Quick fixes ruled out for ChCh buildings|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/4851645/Quick-fixes-ruled-out-for-ChCh-buildings|access-date=19 May 2011|work=The Press |date=6 April 2011}} Of the four other central city buildings owned by Crystal Imports, two were demolished, including Warner's Hotel on the opposite side of the Square.{{cite news|last=Heather |first=Ben |title=Landlords may be forced to sell at loss|work=The Press |date=19 May 2011|page=A3}}{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Liz |date=2015-11-20 |title=Warner's Hotel could rise again in Christchurch's Cathedral Square |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/74240850/warners-hotel-could-rise-again-in-christchurchs-cathedral-square |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Stuff |language=en}}

It was announced in 2020 that the building would be restored into a hospitality and visitor complex called The Grand which would occupy the entire building it hoped to open in 2021.{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Liz |date=2020-11-01 |title=Bold new plan for old chief post office would bring life back to Square corner |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123254271/bold-new-plan-for-old-chief-post-office-would-bring-life-back-to-square-corner |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Stuff |language=en}} The opening of the complex was delayed due to COVID-19 and failed fundraising but in June 2022 the crowd funding goal was met and would open in August 2022 but that date was pushed back again and it was planned to open sometime after March 2023, but failed to open.{{Cite web |last=Kenny |first=Jake |date=2022-06-02 |title=The Grand: Cathedral Square development hits $150,000 fundraising goal |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/christchurch-life/128836903/the-grand-cathedral-square-development-hits-150000-fundraising-goal |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Stuff |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kenny |first=Jake |date=2021-07-22 |title=Old Post Office revamp taking shape in Christchurch's Cathedral Square |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/125830121/old-post-office-revamp-taking-shape-in-christchurchs-cathedral-square |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Stuff |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Liz |date=2023-01-06 |title=2023 is the year Christchurch's Cathedral Square will come alive |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/130622625/2023-is-the-year-christchurchs-cathedral-square-will-come-alive |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Stuff |language=en}} The company behind the plan went into voluntary administration in August 2024.{{Cite news |first=Liz |last=McDonald |title=The Grand goes into liquidation |url=https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350432373/grand-goes-liquidation |access-date=17 February 2025 |website=The Press}}

File:Clocktower in Christchurch.jpg]]

File:Christchurch Chief Post Office detail.jpg

Built of brick, the design is Italianate style with classical and Venetian Gothic elements. The upper windows feature pointed arches. A later renovation brought a third gabled bay to the north frontage. The building is registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category I heritage item, with the registration number 291.

;Clock

Reputed to be a replica of London's Great Clock of Westminster,{{cite web|url= http://www.christchurch.org.nz/publications/CityHeritageWalks.pdf |title=City Heritage Walks|publisher=Christchurch City Council|pages=3|access-date=19 May 2011}} a working, free standing, four faced turret clock was installed in 1879 within a clock tower.{{cite web|url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM8JQC_Chief_Post_Office_Clock_Christchurch_New_Zealand |title=Chief Post Office Clock – Christchurch, New Zealand|date=4 November 2010|work=waymarking.com|access-date=16 May 2011}} Underneath the east facing clock face is the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. Notable for being unreliable, an electric clock was eventually installed to control the visible faces as slave clocks. While at one time it chimed on the hour and at the quarters,{{cite book|last=Grundy|first=Elaine|title=Who'd marry a doctor?: A Chatham Islands casebook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fRU6AQAAIAAJ|year=1968|publisher=Whitcombe and Tombs|page=12|isbn=9780723301141 }} after the mechanisms were damaged in a 1980s fire, the clock became silent.

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• [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=ea9ff158113018646e0b73298716f17 SketchUp 3D modelling tool of Old Chief Post Office, New Visitor Information Centre]

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Category:Government buildings completed in 1878

Category:1878 establishments in New Zealand

Category:Former post office buildings

Category:Heritage New Zealand Category 1 historic places in the Canterbury Region

Category:Buildings and structures in Christchurch

Category:Cathedral Square, Christchurch

Category:2011 Christchurch earthquake

Category:Visitor centers

Category:Tourist attractions in Christchurch

Category:1870s architecture in New Zealand

Category:William Clayton (architect) buildings

Category:Italianate architecture in New Zealand