House on the Terrace

​This simple but elegant house standing at the northern end of The Terrace defies definition by architectural style or indeed its place in time.  Constructed in fact at the end of the 20th century, equally the house could have been designed by a Christchurch modernist such as Peter Beaven, in the 1960’s.

The house relies on simple shapes and proportions for its picturesque appearance, without eleborate decoration.  For many years the house was the home of the Hervey family; Russell Hervey being a long-standing Timaru City Councillor and Mayor.  Soon after retiring from his intensive commitment to local body affairs, Russell Hervey became a founding Chairman of the Timaru Civic Trust, steering the raw enthusiasm of its members in to a coherent body and indeed registered as a Charitable Trust.

Soon after its formation the Civic Trust mounted an intensive campaign to save the Landing Service Building from total demolition as planned by the Timaru City Council.  Momentum grew, and ironically a former Mayor was leading an activist group against the very body that he had served so well.

A particular occasion comes to mind.  Sir Peter Tapsell that elegant and well spoken MP, the first Maori to be appointed Speaker of the House of Representatives, came to visit.  Russell Hervey accompanied Sir Peter to the Landing Service Building.  On a day of stormy clouds with many pigeons perched within the roof trusses, Sir Peter considered the building to be an absolute gem; an asset that any New Zealand city “would give its eye teeth” to have as part of its fabric.  Over lunch in the white house on The Terrace, the battle to save the building took another step forward.


David McBride