Canterbury Club facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canterbury Club |
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Canterbury Club, August 2019
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| General information | |
| Type | Gentlemen's Club |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Address | 129 Cambridge Terrace |
| Town or city | Christchurch |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°31′52″S 172°37′57″E / 43.53115°S 172.63238°E |
| Construction started | 1873 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | Two |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Frederick Strouts |
| Main contractor | Daniel Reese |
| Reference #: | 1837 |
The Canterbury Club is a special historic building in the centre of Christchurch, New Zealand. It was started in 1872 by people who worked in the city, like business owners and professionals. They wanted their own club, different from the Christchurch Club. The Christchurch Club had been set up earlier by wealthy farmers.
History of the Club
The Christchurch Club was founded in 1856 by rich farmers who owned large pieces of land. Their main building was designed by Benjamin Mountfort. It was built next to Latimer Square. City workers and business people felt their interests were different from the farmers. So, in 1872, they decided to create their own club, the Canterbury Club.
They first asked William Armson, one of their members, to design their new building. But he became sick. In early 1873, the job was given to Frederick Strouts instead. Strouts followed the style used for the Christchurch Club. He chose a design called Italianate architecture for the building. This building was to be built on a corner lot at Cambridge Terrace and Worcester Street. The building contract was offered in May 1873. Daniel Reese was chosen as the builder.
The building was made stronger in 2008 and 2009. Because of this work, the big earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 only caused a little damage. After the earthquake repairs were finished, the club reopened on 8 June 2012. The club has always had rules about what members should wear.
Special Historic Features
The Canterbury Club building is officially recognised as a historic place. Heritage New Zealand registered it on 25 November 1982. It is listed as a Category II historic place. This means it is a place of special historical or cultural importance.
Right outside the front door, on Cambridge Terrace, there are two more historic items. These are also registered as Category II. They are an old gas light and a post for tying up horses.
The Historic Gas Light
The gas light was put in around 1900 to light up the street. In 1918, the city started using electricity for lights, so the gas lighting system was turned off. But this one gas lamp was never taken away. It was fixed up for Queen Elizabeth II's visit in February 1963. Later, the lamp was moved a short distance to be right outside the club's main entrance.
The lamp kept running on gas for many years, even after the gasworks closed in 1985. But in the 1990s, the Canterbury Club changed it to an electric light. Then, in 1999, the Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Club worked together to bring back the gas supply to the lamp.
The Hitching Post
Next to the gas light is a hitching post. The club put it there in the 1870s or 1880s. Members used it to tie up their horses when they visited the club. These posts used to be very common in towns long ago. But today, very few of them are left.
- Registered heritage items at the Canterbury Club
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The Cambridge Terrace side of the Canterbury Club
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A close-up of the gas light
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A close-up of the hitching post
