Mitchell and Watt

John Mitchell and Robert Martin Watt were a pair of New Zealand architects who designed numerous buildings, primarily educational buildings, several of which have been heritage listed.

Mitchell and Watt entered into a partnership in 1892 as architects for the Auckland Education Board{{efn|The Auckland Education Board's boundaries are equivalent to the former Auckland Province and not the modern Auckland region or urban area.}} until at least 1905.

John Mitchell

John Mitchell ({{circa}}1859–1947){{cite web |last1=Cox |first1=Elizabeth |title=Leys Institute|date=6 June 2015 |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/612/Listing |website=Heritage New Zealand }} was born in Ramelton, Ireland, he trained as an architect in Ireland before heading to New Zealand in 1888.{{cite web|date=7 July 2010 |last1=Williams |first1=Lynette |last2=Henry |first2=Gail |last3=Pattison |first3=Linda |title=Te Awamutu School (former) |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/767/Listing |website=Heritage New Zealand }}{{cite report|first1=Elise |last1=Caddigan|publisher=Auckland Council Heritage Unit|date=May 2017|title=Historic Heritage Evaluation - St Paul's Church|url=https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/UnitaryPlanDocuments/pc7-02786-st-pauls-church.pdf}} He was an early adopter of reinforced concrete and developed a baked earthenware block. In 1912 he went to England before returning to New Zealand a decade later. Mitchell spent the later years of his life in Rotorua, where he would die in 1947.{{cite web |title=Council Chambers and Fire Station (Former) |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/572/572 |website=Heritage New Zealand }}

Robert Martin Watt

File:Photos_141235_extralarge.jpg

Robert Martin Watt (1860–1907) was born in Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Watt studied architecture in Glasgow under H & D Barclay before immigrating to New Zealand {{circa}}1878. Watt was a member of St Stephen's, Ponsonby, for which he designed an extension.

In 1906 Watt was elected as president of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects Watt lived in a home he named Glencairn in Bayfield, Ponsonby. He died in April, 1907. Before his death he was appointed to judge designs of the Auckland Town Hall.{{cite news |title=Obituary |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19070415.2.75 |work=New Zealand Herald |issue=13462 |date=15 April 1907|page=6|volume=XLIV}}

Mitchell and Watt

The two architects formed a partnership in 1892, previously they worked independently in Auckland. Later that year they were appointed to the Auckland Education Board. Mitchell and Watt designed multiple school buildings in the Auckland Province area. The pair also designed numerous residential, commercial, and religious buildings. Their partnership ended either {{circa}}1905 or 1907.{{efn|Watt's obituary states his partnership ended two or three years before his death. Modern sources state the partnership lasted until 1907. Watt's known work after 1905 was independent of Mitchell and Mitchell has no recorded work after 1905 until after Watt's death.}}

Mitchell was responsible for new works whilst Watt was responsible for existing works and extensions. The pair designed numerous school buildings across the Auckland Province area

In December, 1902, the pair received notice from the Board of Education that their employment was to be terminated in three months. The pair were given a hearing to justify the dismissal, where the board charged them with incurring excessive costs and delays, but public support for the architects resulted in the board members being voted out at the election with those who supported Mitchell and Watt being elected with a strong majority. The Auckland Star described the charges as 'utterly insignificant'.{{cite news|volume=XXXIV|page=4 |title=Board of Education and the Architects |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19030319.2.47 |work=Auckland Star |issue=67 |date=19 March 1903}}{{cite news |volume=XXXIV|page=4|title=The Education Board Elections |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19030812.2.33 |work=Auckland Star |issue=191 |date=12 August 1903}}

The pair were likely inspired by Edward Robert Robson in their design of school buildings. Robson favoured the Queen Anne style as he believed Gothic architecture's association with religion was inappropriate for secular educational buildings. Education in New Zealand was secular and many of Mitchell and Watt's designs are influenced by the Queen Anne style, notable examples include Bayfield School and Onehunga Primary School.

Schools designed by Mitchell and Watt are 'held to represent an important phase in the architectural development of school buildings in New Zealand'.{{cite web |last1=Foster |first1=Alexandra |title=Onehunga Primary School (former) |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/7109/7109 |website=Heritage New Zealand |date=5 May 2019}}

Mitchell and Watt had innovative design techniques relating to ventilation, lighting, and heating. Examples include ventilation holes in the eaves, a patented stove, and large windows.

List of buildings

class= "wikitable sortable"

! Name !! Date !! Image !! Note !! Ref

Winstone Stables1883100pxOnly designed by Watt. Registered as a Category 1 building with Heritage New Zealand{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Martin |title=Stables (Former) |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/7425/Stables%20(Former) |website=Heritage New Zealand |date=8 August 2001}}
Newton Council Chambers and Fire Station1887–1889100pxOnly designed by Mitchell. Registered as a Category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand
Kuaotunu School House1892100pxRegistered as a Category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand
Hukanui School1893Designed by either Mitchell alone or both Mitchell and Watt{{efn|One source attributes the building to Mitchell and another source attributes it to both Mitchell and Watt{{cite news |last1=McEwan |first1=Ann |title=Memory box |work=Waikato Times |date=3 February 2017}}}} Registered as a Category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand
Greenhithe school building1893100pxRegistered as a Category B building with Auckland Council
Te Awamutu School1894100pxDesigned an extension for the school. Registered as a Category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand
Winstone shops on Symonds Street1895{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18951004.2.54 |page=5|volume=XXVI |title=Untitled |work=Auckland Star |issue=237 |date=4 October 1895}}
Bayfield School1896 and 1904100pxRegistered as a Category I building with Heritage New Zealand
St James Church, Pukekohe1898100pxPossibly designed by Watt alone but may also have been work of both men.{{efn|One source credits both men for St James but another states only Watt was involved.{{cite book | last=Derbyshire | first=Noel William | title=Serving the Community: a history of the Pukekohe Anglican Parish|publisher=Wily Publications | date=2016 | isbn=978-1-927167-30-4}}{{rp|68}}}} Building was relocated, current status is unknown presumed demolished
Church of Christ, Newton1898100pxDemolished for the Auckland motorway{{cite news|volume=XXIX |title=Church of Christ |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18980729.2.30 |work=Auckland Star |issue=177 |date=29 July 1898 |page=4}}{{cite book |title=Auckland Motorway |date=May 1964 |location=Auckland Library |page=118}}
Epsom property{{circa}}1898100px{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/auckland-star/1898/12/01/12 |title=Sports, Pastimes and ... Pleasure Grounds|volume=XXIX|page=4 (supplement)|work=Auckland Star |issue=284 |date=1 December 1898}}
St Paul's Church, Buckland1898–1900100pxRegistered as a Category B building with Auckland Council
St Peter's Presbyterian Church, Grey Lynn1899Only extensions and redesign of existing Church. Demolished {{circa}}1950{{cite news |title=Ecclesiastical |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18990206.2.38 |work=New Zealand Herald |issue=10979 |date=6 February 1899|volume=XXXVI|page=5}}
Methodist Church in Te Aroha1900100pxLater became a Baptist Church and later became a private residence.{{cite news |title=New Wesleyan Church at Te Aroha |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THS19001213.2.18|volume=XXXIX |work=Thames Star |issue=9817 |date=13 December 1900 |page=2}}{{cite news |last1=Preston |first1=Nikki |title=Historic church, complete with baptism pool, on the block to be someone's home |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/historic-church-complete-with-baptism-pool-on-the-block-to-be-someones-home/NAO4RWSTV4SVFEZMOODDJF272M/ |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=25 March 2018}}
Mt Eden Congregational Church1900100pxRegistered as a Category B building with Auckland Council
Cambridge Primary School1900100pxDesigned an extension block
Riverhead school1900{{cite news |title=Riverhead |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19000911.2.46.3 |work=Auckland Star |issue=216 |date=11 September 1900 |volume=XXXI|page=3}}
Onehunga Primary School1901100pxRegistered as a Category 1 building with Heritage New Zealand{{NZHPT|7109}}
Richmond Road Manual Training School1903100pxScheduled as a Category B building with Auckland Council
Newton East Manual Training School{{circa}}1903100pxDemolished in 1959. Designed identically to Newmarket and Richmond Road Manual Training Schools{{cite web |last1=Francesco |first1=Cara |title=Heritage Evaluation - Richmond Manual Training School |url=https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/UnitaryPlanDocuments/pc7-02819-richmond-rd-manual-training-school.pdf |date=October 2016|publisher=Auckland Council Heritage Unit}}
Newmarket Manual Training School1903100pxRegistered as a Category B building with Auckland Council{{cite web |title=Heritage Evaluation - Newmarket Manual Training School |url=https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/UnitaryPlanDocuments/pc7-02821-newmarket-manual-training-school.pdf |publisher=Auckland Council Heritage Unit|author=Reynolds & Associates}}
Australis House/Entrican Building1903–1904100pxRegistered as a Category I building with Heritage New Zealand
St Andrew's, Howick1903–1904100pxRegistered as a Category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand{{cite web |title=St Andrew's Church (Presbyterian) |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/7087/7087 |website=Heritage New Zealand }}
Taniwha School1904–1905100pxRegistered as a Category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand{{cite web |url=https://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/docs/default-source/your-council/plans-policies-and-bylaws/plans/district-plan-review/decisions/proposed-waikato-district-plan-(decisions-version)/part-4-schedules-and-appendices/part-4_1-sched1-historic-heritage-items.pdf?sfvrsn=4de49ac9_2 |title=Part 4: Schedules and appendices / SCHED1 – Historic heritage items |publisher=Waikato District Council}}
Dargaville school1905100pxDesigned an addition for the school
Te Mata school1905100pxRegistered as a Category B building with Waikato District Council
Maungatautari school1905Registered as a Category B building with the Waipa District Council. Closed in 2011{{cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/6510006/Waikato-classrooms-sitting-idle|newspaper=Waikato Times |title=Waikato classrooms sitting idle|date=2 March 2012|first=Karla|last=Akuhata}}{{cite web |title=B List Historic Buildings |url=https://cambridgemuseum.org.nz/796-2/ |website=Cambridge Museum |date=12 May 2017 |publisher=Cambridge Historical Society}}
Leys Institute1905–1906100pxOnly Watt was involved with the Leys Institute. Registered as a Category I building with Heritage New Zealand
|St Stephen's, Ponsonby1906–1907100pxOnly Watt was involved. This was just an extension to an existing Church building. Registered as a Category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand.{{cite web |title=St Stephen's Church (Presbyterian) |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/652/St%20Stephen%27s%20Church%20(Presbyterian) |website=Heritage New Zealand }}
Karangahake School1907100pxAddition designed by Mitchell. Registered as a Category I building with Heritage New Zealand{{cite web |title=Karangahake School |url=https://www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/127/Listing |website=Heritage New Zealand }}
Seddon Memorial Technical College1909100pxOnly designed by Mitchell. Registered as a Category 2 building with Heritage New Zealand
Papakura School1913100pxAn extension which is now the main building was built in 1913 to a design from Mitchell and Watt. Registered as a category B building with Auckland Council{{cite web |last1=Francesco |first1=Cara |title=Historic Heritage Evaluation Papakura Old Central School and Memorial Peace Oak Tree |url=https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/UnitaryPlanDocuments/pc7-02830-papakura-old-central-school.pdf |publisher=Auckland Council Heritage Unit |date=August 2017}}
Helensville Manual Training School1912100pxLikely the work of Mitchell and Watt but not confirmed
Cambridge Manual Training School{{circa}}1903100pxLikely the work of Mitchell and Watt but not confirmed. Demolished.
Ponsonby Fire Station1902100pxAttributed to Watt by John Stacpoole but other authors attribute it to someone else. Registered as a Category B building with Auckland Council{{cite news |last1=Roelants |first1=Deidre |title=Ponsonby Fire Station |work=Ponsonby News |date=3 April 2015|page=27}}

References

{{ref-list}}

Notes