Francis (Frank) William Petre (27 August 1847–10 December 1918) was a prominent New Zealand-born architect based in Dunedin. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1041 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island An architect is a licensed individual who leads a design team in the Planning and Design of buildings and participates in oversight of Building Construction Dunedin (dəˈneɪdɪn) Ōtepoti in Maori is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the region of Before his time, 19th-century New Zealand architecture was dominated by an almost institutionalized Gothic revival style, used by the British Empire for its far-flung colonies. The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. Petre, one of the first of New Zealand's native-born architects, played an important part in guiding it towards the Palladian and Renaissance styles of southern Europe, which were more suited to New Zealand's climate than Gothic. PLEASE DO NOT ADD AN INFO BOX TO THIS PAGE --> Palladian architecture is a European style of Architecture derived from the designs of the Italian Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe in which there was a Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of
Able to work competently in a wide diversity of architectural styles, he was also notable for his pioneering work in concrete development and construction. Concrete is a construction material composed of Cement (commonly Portland cement) as well as other cementitious materials such as Fly ash and Slag He designed numerous public and private buildings, many of which are still standing in and around Dunedin. Today his private houses are among the most distinguished and sought after in New Zealand. However, he is chiefly remembered for the monumental Roman Catholic cathedrals of Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, which survive today as testimony to his talent and architectural expertise. This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the Christchurch (Ōtautahi The largest City in the South Island, it is also the second largest city and third largest urban area of New Zealand Dunedin (dəˈneɪdɪn) Ōtepoti in Maori is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the region of
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Early life
The Petres were an aristocratic family from Ingatestone in Essex, England. Baron Petre (pronounced Peter) of Writtle in the County of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England. Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Ingatestone is a small town in Essex, England, with a population of about 4500 people Essex is a county in the East of England. The County town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Francis Petre's immediate family was one of the first and most prominent colonial families of New Zealand; Petre Bay, Chatham Island was named after them, as - originally - was the town of Wanganui in the North Island. Chatham Island is by far the largest island of the Chatham Islands group in the south Pacific Ocean off the eastern coast of New Zealand, &mdash Wanganui is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island. The Wellington suburb of Thorndon was named after the family's Thorndon Hall estate in England. Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the South San Jose (cropjpg||thumb|A suburban development in San Jose California. See also Thorndon Suffolk Thorndon Hall is a Georgian Palladian Country house within Thorndon Park Ingrave, Essex approximately two miles south of For other uses see Estate. An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds Petre was the son of the Honourable Henry William Petre, who first came to New Zealand in 1840 as director of the New Zealand Company of which his own father, William Henry Francis Petre, 11th Baron Petre, had been chairman. The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable (abbreviated to " The Hon The New Zealand Company was formed in 1839 to promote the "systematic" colonisation of New Zealand. William Henry Francis 11th Baron Petre ( 22 January, 1793 – 3 July, 1850) was the first Baron Petre to take his seat in the The New Zealand Company had been set up to promote the colonisation of New Zealand, and bought, sometimes dubiously, thousands of hectares of land from the Māori. This article discusses the Māori people of New Zealand For their language see Māori language, and for other meanings see Māori (disambiguation. Consequently, Henry Petre was one of the founders of Wellington. He was also colonial treasurer of New Munster. New Munster was originally the name of the South Island of New Zealand Henry seems to have been a man of strange appearance, from the description by his contemporary, the New Zealand social commentator Charlotte Godley: "He is immensely tall and thin and looks like a set of fire irons badly hung together".
Francis Petre was born in 1847 at Petone, today a suburb of Lower Hutt in the North Island, which was one of the earliest British settlements in New Zealand. Suburb Lower Hutt (Awakairangi is a City in the Wellington region of New Zealand. In 1855, in the then British colonial tradition, Petre was sent to England to be educated. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland He attended the Mount St Mary's College in the north of England, where he was taught by the Jesuits. Mount St Mary's College is a private (fee paying English Coeducational Boarding school situated at Spinkhill Derbyshire, near Sheffield The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order After four years, he left to attend the Royal Naval College, then at Portsmouth (the college moved to Greenwich in 1869). History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which Finding himself unsuited to a naval career he pursued his education in France, where he attended the charismatic priest Benoit Haffreingue's college at Boulogne-sur-Mer. Benoit Agathon Haffreingue (1785 - 1871 was a French Priest based in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Boulogne-sur-Mer ( Bonen in Dutch is a City in Northern France. Returning to England, he completed his education at Ushaw College, Durham. Ushaw College ( St Cuthbert's College Ushaw) is a Roman Catholic Seminary, founded at Douai as the English College Douai Durham (ˈdʌrəm in RP, locally ˈdʏrəm is a small city and main settlement of the City of Durham district of County Durham, England
Members of British aristocratic families at this time seldom had to "earn a living", as they would generally be possessed of a private income and enter one of the military services or the church. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking However, as the third son of the younger son of a peer, it was always clear that Petre would have to provide his own income, and consequently he was apprenticed from 1864 to 1869 to Joseph Samuda of London, a shipbuilder and engineer. The Peerage is a system of Titles of Nobility in the United Kingdom, part of the British honours system. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Here he received his training in the techniques and skills of concrete manufacturing, which he was to employ with great acclaim in his later architectural career.
Circa 1869 Petre qualified as an architect and engineer, and after a brief period in private practice in London working for architect and engineer Daniel Cubitt Nicholls he returned to New Zealand in 1872. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. He was then employed as an engineer by railway contractors Brogden and Sons. An engineer is a person professionally engaged in a field of Engineering. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. John Brogden and Sons was a firm of Railway Contractors Iron and Coal Miners and Iron Smelters operating from roughly 1837 to the bankruptcy in 1883 During this period, he oversaw the construction of both the Blenheim–Picton and Dunedin–Balclutha railway lines, as well as the draining of parts of the Taieri Plains and the construction of tunnels on the Central Otago Railway, some of which are today open to the public as part of the Otago Central Rail Trail. History The sheltered coastal bays of Marlborough supported a small Māori population possibly as early as the 12th century. Dunedin (dəˈneɪdɪn) Ōtepoti in Maori is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the region of Balclutha is a town in Otago, it lies towards the end of the Clutha River on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The Taieri Plains are an area of fertile agricultural land to the southwest of Dunedin, in Otago, New Zealand. CORT03JPG|thumb|right|200px|On the Rail Trail]] The Otago Central Rail Trail is a 150 kilometre walking cycling or horse riding track in the South Island of New Zealand When these tasks were completed, he set up his own practice as an engineer and architect in Liverpool Street, Dunedin.
Architect
From 1875 Petre seems to have devoted his life to architecture, in particular ecclesiastical architecture. Ecclesiology (from Greek grc ἐκκλησίᾱ ekklēsiā, "congregation church" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of the No doubt influenced by the fashion of the time, especially by the acclaimed Christchurch architect Benjamin Mountfort, Petre initially designed in the Gothic revival style, which he praised for
the great richness and delicacy of detail, and the closer application of geometrical rules to architecture–more especially in the window tracery which exhibits greater variety of design, together with an easier and more perfect flow into the various parts of the whole structure . Christchurch (Ōtautahi The largest City in the South Island, it is also the second largest city and third largest urban area of New Zealand Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort (13 March 1825 &ndash 15 March 1898 was an English emigrant to New Zealand, where he became one of that country's most prominent The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began
The English Gothic revival style had become popular for Protestant church architecture in the British colonies, as it had in Britain itself, following the rise of the Oxford Movement - a school of Anglo-Catholic intellectuals who felt that medieval Gothic architecture inspired a greater spirituality than other styles based on non-Christian temples. The Oxford Movement or Tractarianism was an affiliation of High Church Anglicans, most of whom were members of the University of Oxford, who sought The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism (or sometimes possibly incorrectly High Church &mdashsee below describe people The Anglican church abroad adopted this theory as not only a nostalgic reminder of home to the Empire builders, but also as holding out more hope of impressing the natives to be converted to Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church, however, of which Petre was a member, wishing to be distinctive, adopted southern continental forms of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Thus it was the Catholic Church that gave Petre his greatest opportunities of proving his worth as an architect by producing Cathedrals, Basilicas and churches in revived French and Italian styles.
Petre's early specialty was his work in mass concrete, at the time a novel building material in New Zealand. Widely used by the ancient Romans the formula for making it was lost and a new one only invented in the 18th century. Three of Petre's earliest projects were all constructed in this material: Judge Chapman's house (today known as "Castlemore"), the clifftop villa nicknamed Cargill's Castle in 1876, and St. The Ruins of Cargill's Castle stand on a promontory overlooking the Pacific Ocean in New Zealand 's southern city of Dunedin. Dominic's Priory in 1877. However, according to the whims of his patrons, he did also work with more conventional building materials.
St Dominic's Priory, Dunedin
Petre described the style of his 1876–77 creation, St Dominic's Priory, as Anglo-Saxon, referring to the straight-sloped window apertures. The style of the building, however, was very much of Petre's own interpretation and only lightly influenced by Anglo-Saxon architecture.
The building is notable for its use of poured concrete, a comparatively new building material in 1870s New Zealand, but one well suited to the creation of the large number of windows in the building's facade. The structure is simultaneously grand and austere, reflecting well its use as a convent.
St Dominic's Priory was the largest un-reinforced concrete building in the southern hemisphere (steel reinforcing being then an unknown construction method), and earned Petre the lasting nickname of "Lord Concrete".
Cathedrals
F. W. Petre designed three of New Zealand's cathedrals, each distinguished by a different architectural style: St Joseph's Cathedral in Dunedin, the Cathedral of the Sacret Heart in Wellington and the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch.
1878 St Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin
While Petre designed many churches, schools, public buildings, and private houses, his largest and grandest design, the Roman Catholic cathedral at Dunedin, was never fully completed. A school (from Greek σχολεῖον - scholeion) is an Institution designed to allow and encourage Students (or "pupils" This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral The entrance facade and the nave are the original design, and display the cathedral as a prime example of the French Gothic Revival. A facade or façade (fəˈsɑːd is generally one side of the exterior of a Building, especially the front but also sometimes the sides and rear In Romanesque and Gothic Christian Abbey, Cathedral Basilica and church Architecture, the nave is the Today St Joseph's Cathedral, which stands next to St Dominic's Priory, seems reminiscent of many of the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe, with its twin towers and central rose window–Chartres and Notre Dame come to mind. A Rose window (or Catherine window) is often used as a generic term applied to a circular Window, but is especially used for those found in churches Chartres is a town and commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in north-central France It is located 96 km southwest of Paris NotreDameFlyingButtressjpg|right|thumb|250px|Notre Dame de Paris Flying Buttress]] Notre Dame de Paris is a Gothic Cathedral on the eastern half of the Petre's original intention, however, was for a mighty structure, with the twin towers dwarfed by a huge spire some 60 metres (200 ft) in height, which would have resulted in a magnificent cathedral. In the event, the project stalled when a prudent Roman Catholic diocese reluctant to incur unnecessary debt postponed further work with the onset of the 1880s depression.
Petre's intention, which is clear from the almost 90 pages of drawings held in the diocesan archives, was to design the most impressive cathedral in Australasia. Australasia is a Region of Oceania: New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and neighbouring Islands in the Pacific Construction work began in 1878 and the building was consecrated in 1886. Its construction is notable for its foundations: 40 massive concrete piles, each over 1. 2 metres (four feet) in width, sunk 10 metres (35 ft) into the ground, give the cathedral a firm foundation on the volcanic bedrock. The nave is 24 metres (80 ft) in length and 16 metres (52 ft) in height. The walls of the cathedral are in black basalt with cornices of white Oamaru stone, a style for which Dunedin and Christchurch architecture is noted (see also Dunedin Railway Station). Basalt (bəˈsɔːlt ˈbeisɔːlt ˈbæsɔːlt is a common Extrusive Volcanic rock. Oamaru stone is a hard compact Limestone, quarried at Weston near Oamaru in Otago, New Zealand. Possibly the best-known building in the southern half of New Zealand 's South Island, Dunedin Railway Station is a jewel in the country's architectural crown Petre was later to have two further opportunities for cathedral design, but St. Joseph's was to remain his largest work in the Gothic style.
1901 Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Wellington
That Wellington's principal Roman Catholic Cathedral is today a small, but quite perfect, Romano-Grecian temple is entirely the result of chance. Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the The Architecture of Ancient Rome adopted the external Greek architecture for their own purposes which were so different from Greek buildings as to create a new The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites The Sacred Heart Basilica, now a cathedral, was originally designed and conceived as a church to mark the site of the fire-gutted St Mary's Cathedral. Petre had strong family connections to the site, as it and an adjacent plot, now the site of St Mary's College, had been given to the Roman Catholic Church by his father and grandfather. The original cathedral, a grand Gothic structure complete with flying buttresses, had been built in 1850 but was destroyed by fire in 1898. A flying buttress, or arc-boutant, is a specific type of Buttress usually found on a religious building such as a Cathedral. Within two days Petre had been asked to design a new church on the site. A decision was taken, however, to build the new Cathedral nearer the more densely populated areas of Wellington, Te Aro and Newtown. Te Aro is an inner-city Suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. It comprises the southern part of the Central business district including the Suburb Petre later published plans for this Cathedral in 1903, describing his proposed structure as "Roman, bordering on to Florentine Renaissance, treated liberally". Sadly, this cathedral project never came to fruition, but what was quickly constructed was the Church, or Basilica, of "The Sacred Heart" on the razed cathedral site.
Architectural ideas of the mid 19th century advanced by such architects as Pugin and still adhered to by the recently deceased prominent New Zealand architect Benjamin Mountfort, decreed that only Gothic was suitable for Christian worship. Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort (13 March 1825 &ndash 15 March 1898 was an English emigrant to New Zealand, where he became one of that country's most prominent Ignoring these old-fashioned and now expensive rules, Petre designed the new church in the Palladian style, which in this country had only a few years before been considered almost heretical for worship.
The design was theatrical in the extreme. The imposing principal facade of Oamaru Stone consisted almost solely of one huge portico constructed of six ionic columns, while the facade was crowned by a high pediment more in the style of Vitruvius than Palladio, and behind the great facade stretched the single body of the church, with the remaining facades in a less severe Romanesque style. Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (born c 80–70 BC died after c 15 BC was a Roman Writer, Architect and Engineer (possibly praefectus fabrum Andrea Palladio ( November 30, 1508 – August 19, 1580) was an Italian Architect, widely considered the most influential Regional characteristics of Romanesque architecture|Romanesque art Romanesque architecture is the term that is used to describe the architecture of Middle Ages Europe which Considering that his brief was that "a serviceable church in brick should be erected on the site of the old Cathedral", it is amazing that such an almost avant-garde style should have been permitted. Avant-garde (avɑ̃gaʁd in French) means "advance guard" or "vanguard The completed structure would not be out of place in 17th century or 18th century Rome or Venice. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the
The interior of the church continued the Palladian theme. The large nave was colonnaded, with the columns supporting a clerestory of arch-topped windows, while the chancel was approached through an enormous arch that mirrored the classic Palladian Serlian arch, providing theatre and drama at the high altar. PLEASE DO NOT ADD AN INFO BOX TO THIS PAGE --> Palladian architecture is a European style of Architecture derived from the designs of the Italian The flat compartmentalised ceiling is a more restrained version of that of the church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli in Venice. Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto are two churches in Rome. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Unfortunately, the church's twin bell towers had to be removed following an earthquake in 1942.
The cost of the new church was taken from funds intended for the construction of the new cathedral, thus delaying that project. After seventy years of delays, the intention to build the new cathedral was finally abandoned. In 1984, following new enlargements and additions, Petre's church of the Sacred Heart was reconsecrated as Wellington's principal Roman Catholic Cathedral. In 1901 when the church was designed, Petre's use of the Palladian as a style for such a high profile building would have been unusual in New Zealand.
1904 Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch
Of all Petre's many designs, the most outstanding is usually considered to be the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch, commonly known as the Christchurch Basilica. Commenced in 1901, it replaced a smaller wooden church designed by Benjamin Mountfort that had been in use since 1864. The cathedral was officially opened on 12 February 1905, a mere four years after construction began. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Today the building, said by some to be based on the 19th-century Church of Vincent-de-Paul, in Paris, is held to be the finest renaissance style building in Australasia. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Australasia is a Region of Oceania: New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and neighbouring Islands in the Pacific
Forsaking Mountfort's 19th century Gothic, Petre designed the new church in a Renaissance, Italian basilica style, albeit with one major exception. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek, Basiliké Stoà, Royal Stoa) was originally used to describe a Roman Ignoring Renaissance convention, Petre obtained a greater visual impact by siting the Italianate green copper-roofed dome not above the cross section of the church (as in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome), but directly above the sanctuary. A dome is a common structural element of Architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a Sphere. The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 In Petre's opinion, this design element, coupled with the Byzantine apse, added extra grandeur and theatre to the high altar set in the tribune. Byzantine architecture is the Architecture of the Byzantine Empire. APSE standing for Ada Programming Support Environment is a program or set of programs to support Software development in the Ada programming language. Tribune is an ambiguous often misused architectural term which can have several meanings The nave and chancel roofs were supported by colonnades of ionic columns and the entrance facade of the cathedral was flanked by twin towers in the manner of many of Europe's great renaissance churches. The Ionic order column forms one of the three '''orders''' or '''organizational systems''' of Classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the
While often likened to St. Paul's Cathedral in London, it is conceivable that the greatest influence behind this great structure was Benoit Haffreingue. St Paul's Cathedral, is the Anglican Cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. During Petre's formative years studying under Haffreingue in France, Haffreingue had been the driving force of the reconstruction of the cathedral of Notre Dame in Boulogne-sur-Mer, a French cathedral that has a very similar plan to that of The Blessed Sacrament, including the controversial siting of the dome over the altar rather than the centre of the cathedral. Boulogne-sur-Mer ( Bonen in Dutch is a City in Northern France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.
The Cathedral, constructed of concrete sheathed in Oamaru limestone, was widely acclaimed, causing the famous author George Bernard Shaw to describe Petre as a "New Zealand Brunelleschi". History The vicinity of Oamaru features some important archaeological sites Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 George Bernard Shaw ( (26 July 1856 &ndash 2 November 1950 was an Irish Playwright. Filippo Brunelleschi (1377 – April 15, 1446) was one of the foremost architects and engineers of the Italian Renaissance. Fifty men were employed on the site, and in excess of 120,000 cubic ft (3400 m³) of stone, 4000 cubic ft (110 m³) of concrete, and 90 tons of steel were used in the construction. Problems with finding suitable stone for the construction of such a large structure caused financial difficulties during the construction, and a special bill was pushed through parliament by then Premier Richard Seddon in order to aid with the financing of the building. The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's Head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in Richard John Seddon ( 27 April 1845 - 10 June 1906) sometimes known as King Dick, was the longest serving Prime Minister The total cost to the Roman Catholic diocese was £52,000.
Private houses
The styles in which F. W. Petre designed his private houses were as diverse as those of his cathedrals and churches. It seems that, unlike many notable architects, he designed according to the wishes of his clients: those who wanted a castle received a castle, and those who wished for a small mansion disguised as an English Tudor cottage were equally fortunate.
A large private residence designed by Petre can be found in Lovelock Avenue, Dunedin. It was originally built for Judge Chapman in 1875 and christened "Woodside", though it has been known throughout much of its history as "Castlamore". This imposing structure sits on the slopes of Dunedin's Botanical Gardens close to the University of Otago, and is a triumph of restraint. The University of Otago ( Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo) in Dunedin is New Zealand 's oldest university with over 20000 students enrolled during The castle atmosphere is there, almost a Scottish baronial castle, but the battlements are merely hinted at by stepped gables. Baron is a specific Title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin (liber Large bay windows, allowing light to flood in, again merely hint at the Gothic; one has to study them closely to perceive that they consist of a series of lancet type windows. A bay window is a Window space projecting outward from the main Walls of a building and forming a bay in a room either square or Polygonal in plan The large octagonal chimneys reflect the design rather than being ostentatious.
This design could have been a grim bombastic faux castle, yet appears as a comfortable dwelling complete with loggia and conservatory. Loggia is the name given to an Architectural feature originally of Italian design which is often a gallery or Corridor generally on the ground A conservatory is a Glass and Metal structure traditionally found in the Garden of a large house A lesser architect might not have been able to resist the addition of a small turret or pinnacle. In Architecture, a turret (from Italian: torretta, little tower Latin: turris, tower is a small Tower that A pinnacle (from Latin pinnaculum, a little feather pinna compare Panache) is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap Petre's ingenuity lay in knowing how to mix large windows and more comfortable features with the medieval, and then ascertaining the exact moment to halt the Gothic theme before it became a pastiche of the original. In this way Petre was referring in a modest way to the original Gothic revival period as conceived by such architects as James Wyatt, rather than the later Gothic, after it had fallen under the ecclesiastical Anglo-Catholic influences of such architects as Augustus Pugin in England, and Benjamin Mountfort in New Zealand. The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began This article refers to the English Architect. For the Game designer, see James Wyatt (game designer. Ecclesiology (from Greek grc ἐκκλησίᾱ ekklēsiā, "congregation church" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of the The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism (or sometimes possibly incorrectly High Church &mdashsee below describe people Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin ( 1 March 1812 – 14 September 1852) was an English Architect, designer and theorist of design now Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort (13 March 1825 &ndash 15 March 1898 was an English emigrant to New Zealand, where he became one of that country's most prominent
One of Petre's abilities was that he could vary his styles of architecture. In 1883 he built a mansion in Christchurch known as "Llanmaes" for a local merchant. A mansion is a large dwelling House. The word itself derives (through Old French) from the Latin word mansus (the perfect passive participle The style selected came to be known in New Zealand as the "English Cottage" style. This was a complete reversal of his previous work: rather than impressive grandeur, this style was intended to evoke rustic charm. However, the large size of these "cottages" made them more akin to Marie Antoinette's Petit hameau at Versailles than a humble English cottage. Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen (November 2 1755 &ndash October 16 1793 known to history as Marie Antoinette ( pronounced /maʀi ɑ̃ntwanɛt/ Versailles (vɛʀsaj in French) formerly de facto capital of the kingdom of France, is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and is still an important In modern usage a cottage is a dwelling typically in a rural or semi-rural location (although there are cottage-style dwellings in cities Similar in nature to the work of George Devey at a similar time in England, the style was a form of idealised Tudor with half-timbered black beams set into white painted walls, beneath beamed gables and tiled roofs. George Devey (1820–1886 was a British Architect, born in London, the second son of Frederick and Ann Devey The Tudor style in architecture is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period (1485&ndash1603 and even beyond for conservative college This form of design eventually became very popular in New Zealand from circa 1910.
Two of Petre's "English Cottages" exist close to each other in Cliffs Road, Dunedin, overlooking the sea in the suburb of St Clair. Dunedin is a city of 122000 people in the South Island of New Zealand The principal suburbs of Dunedin are as follows Pinner House (pictured) is a perfect example of this traditional style, adapted for the brighter and warmer southern climate, with large windows and verandahs. A verandah or veranda is a roofed opened gallery or porchIt is also described as an open pillared gallery generally roofed built around a central structure It was built in the 1880s for Aufrere Fenwick, one of Dunedin's main stockbrokers. Opposite, a very similar house was constructed by Petre for his own residence.
Personal life
One of Petre's first large houses, the folly-like Cargill's Castle, was built for Edward Bowes Cargill, a local politician and later a mayor of Dunedin. In Architecture, a folly is a Building constructed strictly as a decoration having none of the usual purposes of housing or sheltering associated with a conventional The Ruins of Cargill's Castle stand on a promontory overlooking the Pacific Ocean in New Zealand 's southern city of Dunedin. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government It is also very likely that Petre was the supervisor of construction on a tunnel that Cargill had constructed to a private secluded beach below the castle (today known as Tunnel Beach). While designing the house, Petre fell in love with Cargill's daughter Margaret. After a difficult courtship (due to Petre's staunch Catholicism and the Cargill family's equally staunch Presbyterianism) the couple were eventually permitted to marry, the marriage taking place in the villa's principal salon shortly after its completion in 1877. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity The building was gutted by fire in the 1940s, and is today a preserved ruin. Petre and his wife had thirteen children; Petre himself had been the third child of sixteen.
In 1903, Petre was appointed Consular Agent for Italy in Dunedin following the death of Edward Cargill. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest He was a founder member of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, was elected a Fellow in 1905, and was president of the Institute in 1907–08. Unusually for a man at the peak of his profession, Petre was known as congenial and popular. He died at Dunedin, in December 1918, following 42 years of architectural practice, and was buried at the Anderson's Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. Dunedin is a city of 122000 people in the South Island of New Zealand The principal suburbs of Dunedin are as follows
Evaluation
For an architect Dunedin was an exciting place to be in the late 19th century, due to its great prosperity and subsequent expansion just before and after the turn of the 20th century, these being largely the result of the Central Otago goldrush of the 1860s, the subsequent development of the refrigerated meat export trade and then the gold-dredging boom. The Central Otago Gold Rush (often simply called the Otago gold rush) was a Gold rush that occurred during the 1860s in Central Otago, New Zealand
Petre certainly did not obtain his many important commissions because of a void of alternative architects. The equally versatile architect R. A. Lawson was responsible for several important buildings in the city including the neoclassical ANZ Bank building and the Gothic revival Presbyterian First Church. Robert Arthur Lawson ( 1 January 1833 &ndash 3 December 1902) was one of New Zealand 's most eminent 19th century architects Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and Robert Arthur Lawson ( 1 January 1833 &ndash 3 December 1902) was one of New Zealand 's most eminent 19th century architects W. B. Armson designed the Italian Renaissance Bank of New Zealand building in 1879, and George Troup was responsible for the magnificent Dunedin Railway Station. Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe in which there was a Bank of New Zealand (BNZ is one of New Zealand 's largest banks Sir George Alexander Troup CMG ( October 21 1863 – October 4 1941) was a New Zealand architect engineer and statesman Possibly the best-known building in the southern half of New Zealand 's South Island, Dunedin Railway Station is a jewel in the country's architectural crown Nor did Petre obtain work, with the possible exception of the Sacred Heart Basilica at Wellington, because of his family connections. On the contrary, his Catholicism, at the height of the British Empire, possibly lost him more ecclesiastical commissions than those for which he was ever engaged. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. What stood out was his engineer's practicalities at overcoming almost impossible difficulties. St. Joseph's Cathedral was actually built not only on the side of a hill, but also in a gully. His pioneering work with concrete and steel was of enormous value in a country where earthquakes were a constant risk. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer
Petre's buildings, in whatever style, all have one common denominator: an attention to the smallest detail. It was said that his drawings of stones, window traceries, arches and ornamentation were so precise that stonemasons could execute his intentions from one single drawing. It is this attention to detail which is outstanding, whether the simple carving on the capital of an Ionic column or the heavy ornate work on the monumental corbel of a Gothic design. In Architecture a corbel (or console) is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight While this precision enabled him to work as successfully in the wide range of styles as he did, it in no way inhibited his sense of developing design. In his own words, an architectural style could be "treated liberally”, and this is the key to the individuality of his designs. Dunedin's Royal Exchange building is a Palladian town Palace, yet has an almost Rastrellian restrained baroque design. A palace is a grand residence especially the home of a Head of state or some other high-ranking Public figure. Rastrelli is an Italian Surname and may refer to Carlo Bartolomeo Rastrelli; Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Cargill's Castle would not have looked out of place in the Cimini Hills; it also has an almost hacienda spirit. The Monte Cimini, in English Cimini Hills, are a range of densely wooded Volcanic hills approximately 35 Miles north-west of Rome. Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate usually but not always a vast Ranch. His work in the Gothic style was lighter and more delicate than that of Alfred Waterhouse, and equal in detail to Augustus Pugin's. Alfred Waterhouse (19 July 1830 – 22 August 1905 was an English Architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic revival. Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin ( 1 March 1812 – 14 September 1852) was an English Architect, designer and theorist of design now It has been said of his work that he never fully developed his vision or overcame the limitations of his training, but his experience as an engineer equipped him to find sound innovative solutions to constructional problems. His placing the dome at the Blessed Sacrament over the altar has also been criticised, as many feel it does not cohere to the design. However, others feel it was a stroke of genius, enhancing the interior.
Francis Petre's work cannot be judged against that of the great classical architects of the northern hemisphere, who so clearly influenced him. He did not create a style or have a revival period named after him. His achievement was adapting and developing so many established styles well; whether through the new techniques of steel or concrete, or through more traditional building methods. He was given amazing opportunities to prove himself worthy as an accomplished and inspired architect; the many monumental buildings with which he provided New Zealand speak for themselves as to his talent.
Works by Petre
- Woodside mansion (Castlamore), Dunedin, for Judge Chapman, 1875. Style: Gothic revival.
- Cargill's Castle, Dunedin, for E. B. Cargill, 1876. Style: mixed Italianate/Castelated/Gothic. [4]
- St. Dominic's Priory, Dunedin, 1877. Style: Gothic revival. [5] - all three of these in poured concrete.
- St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin, 1878–1886. Style: Gothic Revival. [6]
- Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance Building, Dunedin, 1881–1882. Style: Palladian.
- Llanmaes mansion, Christchurch, 1883. Style: English cottage. [7]
- Phoenix House, Dunedin (now Airport House), c. 1885.
- Pinner House, Dunedin, c. 1885. Style: English cottage.
- Sacred Heart Church, Dunedin, 1891.
- St. Patrick's Church, Lawrence, 1892. Lawrence is a small town of 474 inhabitants (as per the 2001 census) in Otago, in New Zealand 's South Island.
- St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Milton, 1892. Milton is a town of some 2000 people located on State Highway 1, 50 kilometres to the south of Dunedin in Otago.
- St. Patrick's Basilica, Oamaru, 1893–1903. History The vicinity of Oamaru features some important archaeological sites Style: mixed Palladian & Renaissance. [8]
- Sacred Heart Basilica (now Cathedral of the Sacred Heart), Wellington, 1901. Style: Palladian. [9]
- Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch, 1904–05. Style: Italian Renaissance. [10]
- St. Mary's Roman Catholic Basilica, Invercargill, 1905. Invercargill ( Waihōpai in Māori) is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world
- St. Patrick's Church, Waimate, 1908. The article is about the town in the South Island New Zealand Style: Romanesque with Italianate cupola and campanile. In Architecture, a cupola or lantern is a radially symmetrical ornamental structure (often dome-shaped or quadrilateral located on top of a larger A campanile &ndash pronounced /kampaˈnile/ &ndash is especially in Italy, a free-standing Bell tower, often adjacent to a church [11]
- Church of the Sacred Heart, Timaru (Timaru Basilica), 1910. Style: Byzantine. [12]
![[11]](http://www.waimate.com/waimate2001/pictures/MVC-282S.JPG){kind=link}
Notes
- ^ Early Land Sharks & Speculators. Anthony G. Flude. Retrieved on November 20, 2005.
- ^ The Cathedral Architect 1847–1918. St Joseph's Cathedral. Retrieved on November 20, 2005.
- ^ ^ Petre, Francis William 1847–1918. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved on November 20, 2005.
References
- Stacpoole, J. (1976). Colonial architecture in New Zealand. A H & A W Reed.
- Wynn-Williams, D. B. (1982). The basilicas of F. W. Petre. MA thesis, University of Canterbury.
- Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Volume Two (1870–1900) (1993).
- Knight, H. , and Wales, N. (1988). Buildings of Dunedin. Dunedin: John McIndoe Ltd. ISBN 0-86868-106-7.
Further reading
- Herd, J. , and Griffiths, G. J. (1980). Discovering Dunedin. Dunedin: John McIndoe Ltd. ISBN 0-86868-030-3
External links
- Llanmaes. Petre's English Cottage style
- Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch NZ
- Photographs of New Zealand architecture 1870–1910. Seven Petre buildings are among those shown.
- Wellington Cathedral
- His profile in Peerage.com
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Petre, Francis |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Petre, Francis (Frank) William |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | New Zealand-born architect |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 27 August 1847 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Petone |
| DATE OF DEATH | 10 December 1918 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Dunedin |
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