Pollen House Moves Down The Hill - Perrett's Corner Wellington

Pollen House at the corner of Willis and Boulcott Streets.
Immediately behind the photographer lies Perrett's corner.
Wellington City Council Heritage site

Built in 1902, the Pollen House served as both home and surgery for Dr Henry Pollen a medical practitioner until his death in 1918.

Designed by architect Thomas Turnbull in a revivalist style, the Wellington City Council Heritage site describes the house as being:

"in a French Second Empire style which includes French Renaissance and Post-Renaissance decorative motifs, as well as elements of High Victorian Gothic. The building has no real equivalent in the Capital and the overall design is exceptional in its originality. The house is three stories high, with double-bay windows carried through two floors.... The Mansard roof, with a projecting turret, is another outstanding feature of the building, along with balconies on two levels."

"Stylistic links to Antrim House (1905) at 63 Boulcott Street are clear. Both were designed by Thomas Turnbull in the grand manner, employing French Renaissance motifs, turrets and Mansard roofs, and the imitation of stone elements in timber."

Originally located on a small triangular patch of land a few doors up the hill on Boulcott Street, in 1988 the house was moved down to the Willis Street - Boulcott Street corner, site of Victor Brownson's jewellry store in the 1930s, as part of the Majectic Tower Centre redevelopment. (See previous post for views of the construction site). While internal walls have been removed or relocated and other substantial internal alterations have been made, the dining room and 'best' bedroom remain relatively intact as spaces.

Today Pollen House serves as the premises for The General Practitioner, a restaurant and wine bar, with a street front patio which was populated with a lively lunchtime crowd when visited in January 2009.

After the Wrecking Ball Has Taken Its Toll - Majestic Theatre & Cabaret, Willis Street, Wellington 1988

Photo: William West. Circa 19 July 1988.

Dominion-Post collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

Gone But Not Forgotten - the Majestic Theatre and Cabaret have been leveled without a trace. The Hotel St George stands in the left background, surveying a wasteland while the beleaguered Pollen House stands alone behind the crane minus its arm.

Photo: John Nicholson. circa 3 August 1988.
Dominion-Post collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

Construction begins on the Majestic Centre complex, replacement to the art deco Majestic Theatre and Cabaret, Perrett's Corner is immediately behind the pile driver, the Hotel St George across the street to right, the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel on left corner has gone - demolished to make way for a low rise retail walk-through, while the Pollen House awaits its move.

Bearing the name only, the Majestic Centre, a $200 million office tower block, arises out of "the ashes". At 116 metres, it is currently Wellington's tallest building. At least the Preston building's facade (est. built 1910) is preserved. A small "at least".

The Majestic Centre. Photo taken 29 January 1991

Dominion-Post collection. Alexander Turnbull Library.

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.