Duke of Edinburgh Hotel - Last Call - Perrett's Corner - Wellington - 1975

Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, corner of Willis and Manners Streets, 18 March 1975. The Roxy Theatre's arch entrance can be seen to the right of the Duke. Perrett's corner is offstage right across the street. Photo is taken with Hotel St George immediately to photographer's back.
Dominion Post collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

Last call for the Duke of Edingburgh hotel came in 1973 when it served its last round having provided beverages to Wellingtonians for over a century.

In 1975 when these pictures were taken, the building's days were numbered and it was replaced by a low rise, two storey shopping arcade of small retail stores. The name lingers on in part in the arcade's present name: Duke's Arcade.

Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, corner of Willis and Manners Streets, 9 July 1975
Dominion Post collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

Like rock group Splitz Enz - a handbill plastered over a Duke's window - the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel is no more. Perhaps these passerbys remember a time when they had a drink in the Edinburgh or, perhaps, they yearn for yet another shopping arcade.

Perrett's Corner, Wellington - 1960s

Perrett's Corner looking down Manners St, 4 October 1966
Dominion Post Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

Traffic is not yet controlled by lights at Perrett's corner in this 1966 view, zebra crossings performing the task of getting pedestrians organised and slowing motorised transport.

The by now familiar electric trolley bus turns from Willis into Manners Street heading in an easterly direction. Perrett's is on the extreme far right of the intersection. The Duke of Edinburgh hotel with less than 7 years to go before "last round" is on the far left corner, the neon sign of the Roxy Theatre just past that (see previous post on the Roxy - successor to the Britannia).

Perrett's Corner Manners Street Wellington circa 1930s

Perrett's Intersection looking east from Boulcott Street
Alexander Turnbull Library

This view of Perrett's Corner intersection sees the Hotel St George completed so dates the picture to 1931 or after, with the Duke of Edinburgh hotel on the far left corner. A Hygenic Towel Supply truck is parked near Victor Brownson's jewellry and watch store on the near left corner of Willis and Boulcott streets.

In the enlarged image (click on image) can be seen a clock on a store front down Manners Street, admittedly a difficult item to spy - look at the lefthand tram then up a bit to left of it. Located at 13 Manners Street, the clock was the first made in New Zealand. It is the subject of a separate blog entry.

Probably taken from an elevated position in the Albert Hotel, in the year of its demolition, 1929, to make way for the Hotel St George, the photo below shows Willis Street looking north from Perrett's intersection. The Majestic Theatre is under construction - see top left corner - and would be completed in 1930. The St George was designed to complement the Majestic Theatre's art deco style. Brownson's jewellers and watch store is the left foreground occupying the corner of the American Dental Co of the early 1900s and which will become the site of the relocated Henry Pollen House in 1988.

Willis Street, 1929, from Perrett's Corner intersection
Alexander Turnbull Library