Family Of Architects To Mark Centenary

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30453, 29 May 1964, Page 12

Family Of Architects To Mark Centenary

On June 6 the Christchurch architectural firm of Collins and Son will mark its centenary, being probably the oldest cbntinuous practice in New Zealand. A Collins did not join the practice until 1871 but since then four generations of the family have been engaged in designing some of the best-known buildings in Christchurch and many in other centres.

Their work includes churches, schools, a university, banks, commercial buildings, and many of the “stately homes” of old Canterbury. I Three generations of the i Collins family will celebrate the centennial next week. They are Mr J. G. Collins, now retired; his son, Mr J. K. Collins, now the principal of the firm; and his sons, Mr R. J. K. Collins, who will complete his qualifications in architecture this year, and J. J. Collins, who is still at school but. seems likely also to take up architecture. William Barnett Armson founded the firm in 1964. He had practised in Australia and some of his surviving designs include a display case for gold dated 1861 and plans for the National Bank of Australasia in Collins street, Melbourne. He is also believed to have designed the old Bank of New Zealand in Christchurch. Versatile Founder Armson became architect to the Otago Provincial Government. His work included the Dunedin Supreme Court building and the Municipal Chambers in Water street. But retrenchment caused loss of appointment and, for a period, Armson edited the “Otago Daily Times,” while Sir Julius Vogel was absent on affairs of government. He began private practice in Dunedin in 1864 but two years later Armson also opened an office in Hokitika, where the gold rush caused a boom in building. Five architects practised in Hokitika at the time. Business was precarious because clients often rushed after gold themselves. Armson had almost decided to do the. same when he obtained a contract for the Hokitika Town Hall in 1869. The contractor had to enter a bond with the local body to ensure completion. In this case Armson and the builder (W. Hogg) extracted a bond from the Borough Council in case its members should disappear in search of gold.

About 1870, disastrous fires swept through the heart of Christchurch and most of Lyttelton. With an eye to business Armson opened offices in both places.

He took on John James Collins, as an articled pupil, just after he had left Christ’s College. The legal articles still exist. Armson gave Collins two books to look at while waiting for interview. One was on Red Indians, the other was “Gwuilt’s Architecture.” Armson later said that if “J.J.” had chosen the book on Indians he would not have hired him. In 1881 Collins was taken into partnership and Armson died in 1883. The pair had never recorded the partnership so Collins had to buy the business, including his own share.

Armson left many fine buildings, the Canterbury Association of Architects’ firstknown scale of charges and also conditions of contract on which the' New Zealand Institute of Architects’ code is based. These documents and others equally historical are still held by the firm, all executed in splendid copperplate. His outstanding church design was St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Timaru, begun in 1880; his most notable work is the Bank of New Zealand in Dunedin.

By 1887 the firm was known as Armson, Collins and Harman, R. D. Harman

(uncle of the late R. S. D. Harman) having joined. This name was retained till 1928. Christchurch Buildings J. J. Collins retired in 1921 and died in 1933. With Armson he had been responsible for such big jobs as the Canterbury University Colleg# buildings erected after the clock tower and hall blocks; the former Christchurch Boys’ High School still used by the university; the Christchurch Girls’ High School, and many banks up an down the country. Collins was a founder of the Institute of Architects.

John Goddard Collins, son of J. J., joined the practice in 1903. In his youth he was a notable rower, walker, and shooter, being chosen to represent New Zealand at Bisley at the age of 17. He was the last of the architects trained in Gothic and had a wonderful feeling for stone. Collinses (J. J. and J. G.) and Harman designed many more banks and churches, the deanery in Armagh street, the Lyttelton Borough Council offices, the Canterbury Public Library, the Durham street Art Gallery, “The Press” building, Aulsebrooks factory, Whitcombe and Tombs, and many other commercial buildings. Collinses (J. G. and J. K.) together or separately designed the Christchurch Hospital Nurses’ Home, Nazareth House, Avonside Girls’ High School, the new Central Fire Station and many suburban stations, the National Insurance, Alliance Assurance, South British Insurance, Holy Name Seminary, the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Cottesmore, St. Matthew’s Church, and many other well known buildings. The firm’s biggest project, the Government Life building in Cathedral square, will be completed soon after the centenary.