History behind two old Tauranga pubs

The story behind two buildings being demolished in Harington Street this week goes back further than nearly 20 years of pub names.

What was recently Flaunt and The Vault, Illuminati, Lucky Clover/Route 67, The Colosseum, The Temple Bar, La Casa Bar - and a string of other names drifting back across the 20th Century, was originally built in 1897 at the Mechanics' Institute.


Demolition of the Harington Street site. Photos: Chris Callinan.

The original building burned down in 1881 but was re-built and it reopened shortly after for the same use and in 1906 it became the Tauranga Public Library.

The neighbouring building is thought to have been a private house, before being converted into a bar in the 1990s.

Mechanics Institutes are a window into a now forgotten aspect of late 19th Century life. Founded in Scotland, Mechanics Institutes were for the further education of the working man by means of lectures, discussion groups and similar activities.

Edinburgh's Mechanics Institute founded in 1821 started out as the School of Arts of Edinburgh (later Heriot-Watt University), with the provision of technical education for working people and professionals. It revolutionised access to education in science and technology for ordinary people. Mechanics' Institutes were used as 'libraries' for the adult working class, and provided them with an alternative passtime to gambling and drinking in pubs.

In New Zealand the government granted land to each settlement on which a Mechanics Institute should be built, says Tauranga Libraries team leader information Leslie Goodliffe.

'Like a YMCA but for people wanting to exercise their mind rather than their body. There was a big thing for self-improvement in the late 19th Century and being able to educate yourself.

'That's where the Carnegie libraries came from, Dale Carnegie made a fortune in steel in the States, and devoted his fortune to building libraries around the world because he benefitted so much from having access to reading materials for improving himself.”

The recent exterior of the building bears little resemblance to historical photos of the original.

Construction manager at Brunel, Paul Anning says some of the timbers from the building were kauri, but most of the planking was pine.

'We have put it out to some of the furniture makers in the Bay who have taken a fair bit of it for recycling which is good,” says Paul.

The demolition clears the site for a three-storey-plus-basement development, across the two sites.

The property owner is JWL Investment Trust. Design, construction and management is the Brunel Group, which also did the design and build for The Lofts on the former Grumpy Mole site, across the road.

If we have missed any former names, please let us know in the comments below.

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3 comments

Hmmmm

Posted on 12-08-2016 12:28 | By How about this view!

How come we haven't wasted another bucketful of cash undertaking an archaeological dig on this site? Or is that still to come?


Remember when

Posted on 12-08-2016 17:34 | By cssr

It was Tauranga Camping and Sports?


Ironic

Posted on 15-08-2016 00:59 | By Captain Hottie

That the Mechanics' Institute "provided them with an alternative pastime to gambling and drinking in pubs"...yet the building ended up being a pub and gambling house, with added stripperteria!


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