Nairn Street Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nairn Street Cottage |
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| Former names | Colonial Cottage Museum |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Late Georgian style |
| Location | 68 Nairn Street, Mount Cook, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 41°17′57″S 174°46′12″E / 41.2993°S 174.7699°E |
| Current tenants | The Colonial Cottage Museum |
| Completed | 1858 |
| Owner | Wellington City Council |
| Official name: Nairn Street Cottage | |
| Designated: | 1986 |
| Reference #: | 1444 |
Nairn Street Cottage is the oldest original cottage in Wellington, New Zealand. It was built by the Wallis family, who lived there for three generations. You can take tours of the cottage to learn about these early British settlers and their family. The garden is open every day during daylight hours. Nairn Street Cottage is a "Category 1" historic place. This means it has "special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value," according to Heritage New Zealand.
Building the Cottage
The cottage was built in 1858. You can find it on Nairn Street in the Mount Cook area of Wellington. The house was built in a late Georgian style. This style was popular for houses from that time until about 1870. William Wallis built the cottage. He arrived in New Zealand in September 1857 with his wife, Catherine.
The Wallis Family's Story
William and Catherine were newly married when they made a long, tough seventeen-week journey by ship to New Zealand. Like many immigrants, they came hoping for a better life. William bought the land on Nairn Street only after he saw it. He chose this spot because there was a stream at the bottom of his property. William knew how important a safe water supply was. This was especially true after the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake. That earthquake caused a tsunami that flooded Wellington's water supply. This led to several deaths from typhoid.
William had trained as a carpenter. He worked on The Crystal Palace in London. He also built hospitals during the Crimean War. These experiences gave him the skills and money he needed to move to the new colony. The cottage is almost entirely made from native New Zealand timber. William built it all by hand. His original tool chest is still kept in the cottage today.
The Wallis family had 10 children. After their seventh child, the family moved next door to a bigger house. William also built this new house.
Wallis family members lived in the cottage until the late 1970s. At that time, the Wellington City Council planned to tear down the cottage. They wanted to build council apartments there. In 1974, the Council took the building from Winifred Turner. She was a granddaughter of William and Catherine and the last person to live in the cottage. Winifred Turner fought hard to save the cottage. Her efforts made sure its historical value was recognized.
Nairn Street Cottage as a Museum
The Colonial Cottage Museum Society worked to save the cottage from being torn down. In 1980, they opened the cottage as an educational museum. Today, the Wellington City Council owns the cottage. The Wellington Museums Trust manages it.
Nairn Street Cottage offers guided tours of the house and gardens. Each tour starts with the history of the Wallis family. It also covers important events that happened around the world during the 127 years the Wallis family lived there.
Most of the items inside the cottage are from between 1850 and 1880. Some things belonged to the Wallis family. Other items were given by different settler families. Some have been borrowed or bought.
You can book tours, group tours, and school visits at the museum.
In 2018, the cottage closed for a short time to be refurnished. When it reopened, the museum's focus changed. Before, it mainly focused on William and Catherine Wallis. Now, it tells the story of different generations of the Wallis family, from 1830 to 1970.
