Newspaper Article 1976 – Fire destroys historic Hastings house

Fire destroys historic Hastings house

N.Z. PRESS ASSOCIATION

FIRE EARLY yesterday morning destroyed one of Hawke’s Bay’s historic buildings, the century-old Waikoko House at the Tomoana Showgrounds at Hastings.

Waikoko, built by Hawke’s Bay pioneer industrialist, Mr William Nelson, was ablaze from end to end when the Hastings fire brigade arrived just before 1.45 a.m.

Fourteen firemen fought for an hour to control the blaze.

Later, two tall chimneys were all that remained standing of the front part of the building.

The brigade managed to keep the rear wing – and oldest part – standing, but fire had swept through it.

The original part of the house was built in 1870. The rest was added in the early 1880s.

The Secretary of the Hawke’s Bay A. and P. Society, Mr Keith Moody, said the building was a complete loss. It was insured for $25,000 but its historic value was irreplaceable.

One of the features of the house was the wisteria which spread along the front veranda, supported by iron railings. It was planted in 1884.

Mr Moody said an effort would be made to save the wisteria.

Mostly irreplaceable photographs of almost all the presidents of the society along with oil paintings of early champion beef cattle and horses were lost. These were hung in the main and adjacent rooms.

Mr Moody said he thought the insurance money could form the basis of a fund to rebuild on the site. The gardens, because of their attractive layout, needed something 3,500complementary.

A competition could be held among architects to design a building which fitted in with the garden surroundings.

The house was home and headquarters for the Nelson family till 1972. It had 10 bedrooms, not including staff quarters, and was furnished in Victorian style.