Devonport Library
| Devonport Library | |
|---|---|
| Te Pātaka Kōrero o Te Hau Kapua | |
 Devonport Library in 2024 | |
 | |
| 36°49′53″S 174°47′51″E / 36.8315°S 174.7974°E | |
| Location | 2 Victoria Road, Devonport, New Zealand, 0624, New Zealand |
| Type | Public library |
| Established | 1878 |
| Architect(s) | Athfield Architects |
| Branch of | Auckland Libraries |
| Collection | |
| Size | Floating |
| Other information | |
| Website | Official website |
Devonport Library (Māori: Te Pātaka Kōrero o Te Hau Kapua) is a public library located in Windsor Reserve, Devonport, New Zealand. The library is part of the Auckland Council Libraries library system. The newest iteration of the library was constructed in a modernist style in February 2015. [1]
History
Windsor Reserve has always been the location of the libraries in Devonport, but in the 1800's, before there was a library, the reserve was a landing point for naval vessels. It was aptly named Naval reserve for this reason.[2]
The first library in Devonport was constructed in 1878. This first library was a section of the Devonport Borough Council's Council Chambers, designed by Edward Bartley. It was designed as a memorial building commemorating Queen Victoria's Jubilee.[3] Known as the Devonport Free Public Reading Room and located inside the Chambers, the library was free to use and open to the community.[4][5] This room was used until 31 March 1897, when it was closed and all of the books were disposed of.
On 16 April 1930 the library re-opened as a subscription library run by local volunteers.[5] Then in 1954, after the demolition of old Borough Council Chambers, a new library and a Plunket building were built on the site.[6][3] Devonport Borough Council resumed ownership of the library on 26 February 1954, and all subsequent iterations of local government has held jurisdiction since.[5] Rosetta Sadie Chapman was its first librarian. [5] Since then, the library has been renovated at least twice in very different style iterations.[3]
Features
First World War Memorial
Devonport's First World War memorial stands at the corner of Victoria Road and King Edward Parade, facing south towards the ferry building.[2] It depicts a young man in military attire matching what would have been worn by soldiers at Gallipoli standing on a pile of stones.[2] He is described as the 'untidy soldier', with scruffy clothing, his hat in his hand and his shoelaces undone. Also unique about the statue is the soldier's very life-like, classically 'New Zealand' face, as many other war memorials at the time were mass produced from Italian firms and therefore 'lacked type and character'. [7][2] There are plaques on each side listing the Devonport residents lost at war from both World Wars and the Second Boer War.
The statue was commissioned by Devonport residents in 1922, after lengthy discussions of what type of memorial would be suitable for the town. There was consideration for a library, a gymnasium, a Corinthian column and an astronomical observatory at the top of Mount Victoria. There was a public competition for the design, which was won by Frank Lynch. He was paid £570 for his artwork through public subscriptions. The statue was cast by A. B. Burton of Thames Ditton foundry, London. Both men's signatures are on the artwork, with Lynch's on the soldier's left shoe and Burton's on the right. The memorial was unveiled in 1924 by Lord Jellicoe to a crowd of more than 4000 people. To this day, this statue is used for commemorations for the Devonport area, especially Anzac day.
References
- ^ Rennie, Jon; Strachan, Nick. "Te Pātaka Kōrero o Te Hau Kapua Devonport Library | Athfield Architects". Athfield Architects. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d Devonport Takapuna Local Board Heritage Review (PDF). Auckland Council.
- ^ a b c Bollard, Richard (5 November 2008). Devonport Library Redevelopment Heritage Advice (PDF). Salmond Reed Architects Ltd.
- ^ Litterick, Paul (6 July 2015). "Te Pātaka Kōrero o Te Hau Kapua: Devonport Library". Architecture Now. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d Verran, David (2010). The North Shore: An Illustrated History. Glenfield, New Zealand: Random House. p. 142. ISBN 978 1 86979 312 8.
- ^ Musgrove, Sydney, ed. (1986). The Hundred of Devonport: A Centennial History (First ed.). Devonport47: Devonport Borough Council. p. 47. ISBN 0908704062.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ Phillips, Jock; Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Devonport soldier". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 January 2025.