Guthrey Centre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guthrey Centre |
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The Guthrey Centre in 2010
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| General information | |
| Type | Office building and shops |
| Architectural style | Venetian Renaissance |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Address | 126 Cashel Street |
| Town or city | Christchurch |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°32′00″S 172°38′07″E / 43.5333°S 172.6354°E |
| Completed | 1881 |
| Demolished | August 2011 |
| Client | John Anderson |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Armson |
| Designated: | 5 September 1985 |
| Reference #: | 3669 |
The Guthrey Centre was an important old building in Christchurch Central City, New Zealand. It was located at 126 Cashel Street. This building used to be the main office for a company called Andersons Foundry, and later Andersons Ltd. It was so special that it was listed as a Category I heritage building by Heritage New Zealand. Sadly, the Guthrey Centre was badly damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and had to be taken down.
Contents
A Look Back at the Guthrey Centre
Who Was John Anderson?
John Anderson (1820–1897) was one of the first European settlers in Christchurch. He arrived in 1850 on a ship called the Sir George Seymour. John was a blacksmith, someone who works with metal.
In February 1852, he bought a piece of land on Cashel Street for £12. This is where the Guthrey Centre would later be built. He also bought land on the other side of Cashel Street for his family home. He named his home Inveresk after the place where he was born.
How the Business Grew
John Anderson's business grew quickly. By 1857, he had added a foundry to his blacksmith shop. A foundry is a place where metal is melted and shaped into different items. The main workshops were at the back of the property, closer to Lichfield Street.
By 1866, John had become quite wealthy. He sent his sons, John and Andrew, to a good school in Edinburgh, Scotland. John became a mechanical engineer, and Andrew became a civil engineer. They both started their careers in Scotland.
When they returned to New Zealand in 1873 and 1876, they joined their father's business. In 1881, John Anderson retired. He passed the management of the company to his sons, John and Andrew.
What Andersons Ltd Made
The company started small but grew to handle all kinds of engineering work. They made machines that helped process products from the region. After John Anderson retired, the company became very important. They made parts for railways and built bridges for roads and trains.
In 1887, they opened a new workshop in Lyttelton. This workshop built and repaired ships. Andersons Ltd also built machines for finding gold, called gold dredges. They even built the steel lighthouse for Farewell Spit between 1895 and 1896.
The Office Building
The Guthrey Centre building itself was built around 1881. It was designed to be the main office for the large production facilities. It also had shops facing Cashel Street.
Why the Building Was Demolished
Sadly, the Guthrey Centre was badly damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Because of this severe damage, the building had to be taken down in August 2011.
The Canterbury Earthquake Heritage Building Trust Board tried to save the building. They even offered money to the owner, Peter Guthrey. Peter Guthrey is the son of a former mayor, Ron Guthrey. However, Peter Guthrey said that saving the building would have been too expensive.
The Building's Design
The Guthrey Centre was designed by an architect named William Armson (1832/3 – 1883). From 1870 until he died, Armson was a very important architect in Christchurch. He designed many commercial buildings.
The Andersons Foundry office building was a great example of Venetian Renaissance architecture. This style is known for its grand and decorative look. The building was important because of its beautiful front (façade). It was also special because not many of Armson's buildings had survived until that time.
