Description
Homewood and its Families: A Story of Wellington by Beryl Smedley (published by Mallinson Rendel in 1980) is a detailed architectural and social history tracing the legacy of “Homewood,” one of New Zealand’s oldest surviving colonial estates. Written by the Wellington-born wife of the then-British High Commissioner, the book uses a single historic house in Karori to reflect the wider development of New Zealand society.
Core Narrative Framework
The book chronicles the history of the house from its earliest colonial construction through to its modern role. Rather than focusing purely on architecture, Smedley maps the narrative around the three prominent New Zealand families who owned and shaped the estate over a century. Because these families were deeply influential in legal, commercial, and political spheres, their private house records mirror the evolution of the young colony.
Historical Coverage & Key Eras
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- The Pioneer Cottage (1847): The story begins with the original 1847 dwelling constructed for Supreme Court Judge Henry Samuel Chapman. This section captures early Wellington life, pioneer legal structures, and survival through the major 1848 and 1855 earthquakes.
- The Johnston Dynasty (1852–1925): The book follows the property’s transition to prominent merchant John Johnston and his descendants. It focuses heavily on the 1903 Edwardian transformation led by architect Joshua Charlesworth, who expanded the simple cottage into a grand, Scottish Baronial-style gentleman’s residence.
- The Diplomatic Era (1958 onward): The final chapters document the purchase of the estate by the British Government in 1958 to serve as the official, permanent residence of the British High Commissioner.
The text is supported by painstaking archival research, period letters, family trees, and extensive contemporary monochrome illustrations and photographs.
Hardcover. First-Edition. Signed by Author. Good Condition with the exception of a poorly laminated and worn Dust Cover.
