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 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][7] It is surrounded by a semicircular stone wall and a bench. The statue depicts a young soldier in the service uniform that would have been worn by soldiers at Gallipoli.[2] He is 2.1 metres tall, standing on a Coromandel and Bluff granite base, with a rocky and irregular appearance.[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'. [8][2] There are plaques on each side listing the Devonport residents lost at war from both World Wars and the Second Boer War.[2]
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.[2][7] There was a public competition for the design, which was won by Frank Lynch.[2][7] He was paid £570 for his artwork through public subscriptions.[2][7] The statue was cast by A. B. Burton of Thames Ditton foundry, London.[2][7] Both men's signatures are on the artwork, with Lynch's on the soldier's left shoe and Burton's on the right. [2][7] 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. [2][7]
- Plaques on the Devonport WWI Memorial
-
Plaque for fallen soldiers from WWI from Devonport -
Plaque for fallen soldiers from WWI from Devonport -
Plaque for fallen soldiers from WWI from Devonport - additional -
Plaque for fallen soldiers from WWII from Devonport -
Plaque for fallen soldiers from Korea, Malaya, Borneo and South Vietnam from Devonport -
Plaque for anniversary of the first deployment
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 e f g h i j k l 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) - ^ a b c d e f g "First World War Memorial". Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Phillips, Jock; Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Devonport soldier". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 29 January 2025.