Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Find out more about the people behind the behind the ‘Bricks and Mortar Legacy’

Waikato Herald
6 May, 2024 09:15 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Genealogist and author Alan Hall conducting a previous guided tour of Te Awamutu's CBD. Photo / Supplied

Genealogist and author Alan Hall conducting a previous guided tour of Te Awamutu's CBD. Photo / Supplied

A free event hosted by the team behind the Bricks and Mortar Legacy book showcasing some of Te Awamutu’s most iconic commercial buildings is being held next Friday and Saturday in the Te Awamutu Library community room.

The event, on Friday, May 10 from noon-7pm and Saturday, May 11 from 10am-noon, is an opportunity to see which buildings have been included in the book, learn more about some of them, and hear directly from the author Alan Hall and researcher Sandra Metcalfe.

“In researching the 32 business buildings over the past seven years, we’ve unearthed fascinating stories with the help of the community, and we’re looking forward to seeing this quality coffee-table book being published,” says Metcalfe.

Along with the well-researched details and stories gleaned from conversations, archives, and old newspaper articles, the book contains many photos. According to Hall, it is the photos that have helped bring the stories to life.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Empire Theatre, designed by F. C. Daniell, photographed by Dean Taylor for the Bricks and Mortar Legacy project in 2019. Right: Image of the Empire Theatre as a movie house from the Te Awamutu Museum archive.
Empire Theatre, designed by F. C. Daniell, photographed by Dean Taylor for the Bricks and Mortar Legacy project in 2019. Right: Image of the Empire Theatre as a movie house from the Te Awamutu Museum archive.

“The history of the buildings and the people who designed, built, owned and worked in them is remarkable, and the photos both from the late 1800s and more recently really show the design and use of the buildings.”

The free two-day event follows on from a series of well-attended events earlier this year.

In addition to seeing what will be between the covers and being able to talk with those who’ve been closely involved with the project, this event includes a series of 15-minute talks on different aspects of the project.

F. C. Daniell architect's design for C. T. Rickit building prior to the widening of Sloane Street. Image / Waikato Museum archive
F. C. Daniell architect's design for C. T. Rickit building prior to the widening of Sloane Street. Image / Waikato Museum archive

The Te Awamutu Genealogy group is involved in hosting the event so there will also be a talk on DNA for those interested in finding out whether it could be a useful tool for those interested in family history research.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Friday, May 10:

1pm: The importance of preserving our built heritage (Alan Hall).

3pm: Frederick (F. C.) Daniell: An influential NZ architect who designed many of the buildings in Te Awamutu’s town centre. Why Te Awamutu and what is his contribution to the town’s streetscape? (Alan Hall).

5.30pm: DNA - an important tool for genealogists. This talk is for those thinking about testing &/or those wondering what more there is to DNA beyond ethnicity estimates. Illustrated by case studies, this talk will also cover issues to be aware of when dealing with living people (Sandra Metcalfe).

Saturday, May 11:

10.30am: How to go about researching the history of your home (Sandra Metcalfe).

11.30am: Archie Macdonald: Another influential NZ architect responsible for two of the buildings in the Bricks & Mortar Legacy book. He also designed many houses in the area. What identifies him and his distinctive style of architecture? (Alan Hall).

Spinley's Building, designed by Archie Macdonald, photographed by Dean Taylor in 2017. Inset: Mason's Nurseries in the Spinley Building circa 1940. Photo / Mason family collection
Spinley's Building, designed by Archie Macdonald, photographed by Dean Taylor in 2017. Inset: Mason's Nurseries in the Spinley Building circa 1940. Photo / Mason family collection

The project to record the stories of our town’s past has captured community attention and the team are thrilled with the continued support for the publication of this book.

The book is scheduled to go to the printer on July 1. Pre-sales are being used to fund the project and the pre-publication cost of $75 per book will be held until then.

Online orders can be placed through the Chamber of Commerce website https://www.teawamutuchamber.org.nz/book/

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Order forms will also be available at the public event.

For more details visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BricksAndMortarLegacy

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

'The man cannot be trusted': Former rogue cop John Dewar jailed for company theft

09 Jun 06:00 AM
Waikato Herald

Over 1200 exhibitions to open at Fieldays 2025

09 Jun 05:03 AM
Waikato Herald

State Highway 26/27 roundabout blocked by rolled truck

09 Jun 02:06 AM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

'The man cannot be trusted': Former rogue cop John Dewar jailed for company theft
Waikato Herald

'The man cannot be trusted': Former rogue cop John Dewar jailed for company theft

09 Jun 06:00 AM

The judge said the 73-year-old enjoyed a high level of trust in his role as CEO.

Over 1200 exhibitions to open at Fieldays 2025
Waikato Herald

Over 1200 exhibitions to open at Fieldays 2025

09 Jun 05:03 AM
State Highway 26/27 roundabout blocked by rolled truck
Waikato Herald

State Highway 26/27 roundabout blocked by rolled truck

09 Jun 02:06 AM
Opinion: How Fieldays drives innovation in NZ's farming sector

Opinion: How Fieldays drives innovation in NZ's farming sector

09 Jun 12:45 AM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP