Laurie Paddi Dance Band Majestic Cabaret Wellington WWII

The Laurie Paddi band, at the Majestic Cabaret,
probably playing at a dance for US servicemen, circa 1942-45.
Laurie Paddi is in the dark suit.
Photographer unknown. Alexander Turnbull Library.

The Laurie Paddi band provided the dance music at the Majestic Cabaret during World War Two. After the war, dances, fashion parades, and other events kept the Cabaret busy. Along with the Majesitic Theatre, the Cabaret fell to the wrecker's ball in June 1987.

Bob Barcham, a well-known Wellington "session musician" in the decades after WWII, reflecting on Laurie Paddi's role as a mentor observes:

"Another mentor was an ex muso I worked with at Beggs. He was Laurie Paddi, who had been a very popular band-leader at the Majestic Cabaret during the war. He advised me not to be too 'clever' - don't try to 'educate' the public, indeed, play what the public wants and you will always be in demand. He was 100% correct. Dear old Laurie."

More on the history of New Zealand musicians whose stories might otherwise be lost at Andy Shackleton's Memories of New Zealand Musicians web site.

Majestic Cabaret Willis Street Wellington

US Sailors and their dance partners, Majestic Cabaret, circa 1942
Alexander Turnbull Library

The Majestic Cabaret was located in the Majestic Theatre building on Willis Street, Wellington. During World War Two it was the site for many dances entertaining US troops stationed in New Zealand to shore up defences while New Zealand's own forces were deployed in the Middle East campaign.

While neither were technically on the Manners St - Willis St corner known as Perrett's Corner, the Majestic Theatre and Cabaret were within spitting distance and no doubt more than one kiss goodnight was exchanged at the corner after a dance and before a mad dash for the last tram home...

[Apologies for the poor taste mixed metaphors combining "spitting" and "kiss" in the same sentence. Hardly a romantic flourish on my part.]

Majestic Theatre Willis Street Wellington #2

The Dominion Post Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

Families wait for the curtain to rise on a screening of the film, Finian's Rainbow, at the Majestic Theatre on Willis Street on 7 December 1968.

Pass the Jaffas...

Majestic Theatre Willis Street Wellington #1

William Hall Raine Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

The Majestic Theatre and Cabaret located at 100 Willis Street, just a few doors north of Perrett's corner, was opened in 1930 for movies, dancing, and other public events such as fashion parades. Its art deco style complemented that of the Hotel St George at Perrett's intersection.

Photo: Gordon Burt. Alexander Turnbull Library

The spacious interior of the theatre with its simple lines and curves and tiled walls proved a popular place for generations of Wellington movie goers and audiences seeking live entertainment.

Photo: Greg King. The Dominion Post Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

Sadly, the Majestic was deemed an earthquake risk in 1983 and both theatre and cabaret were demolished in 1987. It was replaced on the site by a mildly interesting 29 storey office tower, the Majestic Centre in the early 1990s.

New Zealand's First Clock - Manners Street, 1867

Freeman's Clockmaking store, 16 Manners Street, Wellington, chromolitho. circa 1895, with the first clock made in New Zealand.

New Zealand's first clock was manufactured on Manners Street, Wellington, and hung from the store frontage of a clock & watchmaker for many decades until 1935. The clock was made by Charles Campbell in 1867. The iron work for the clock was done by a Manners Street foundry.

The clock is shown on the store frontage of H J Freeman, in the chromolithographic print of 1895, located at 16 Manners Street. The street number seems to conflict with another source that suggests it was at 13 Manners Street. When the building was demolished in 1935, the clock was removed.

Does anyone know what happened to the clock?

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

Mr Drewett Wins A Wager, Hotel St George Wellington 1950

Mr Drewett (right) and an unidentified man celebrate his win payable in a bullock's worth of beef.
Evening Post Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library.

In the curiosity file is Mr Drewett's wager of 1950. The manager of the Hotel St George won a wager in July 1950 and the Evening Post newspaper sent along a reporter and photographer on 19 July to capture the "news" in the form of the wager's payout - a bullock's worth of meat.

"Careful with that axe, Eugene", with apologies to Pink Floyd. OK, I know it's a meat cleaver.
Evening Post Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library.

Unfortunately, the notes accompanying these photos do not reveal the nature of the wager Mr Drewett won but he is clearly delighted with the outcome.

This photo is captioned as Mr Drewett carrying his winnings through the main entrance of the St George.
Evening Post Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library.