By Roselyn Fauth
Church Street, Timaru
It started, as these things often do, with paint... I was walking down Church Street when the colours caught my eye — soft mossy-green plaster, crisp white window frames, black metalwork gleaming in the sun, and those golden lions looking rather pleased with themselves. The whole building seemed to have woken up after a long nap. That’s when I noticed the name: Empire Hotel Extension. But an extension? To what?
And so began another little history hunt... aprked by questions, and before you know it, you’ve gone from admiring a paint job to diving headfirst into 150 years of local history with some side quests along the way!
The name “Extension” makes perfect sense once you know the story. This beautiful building, designed by Maurice de Harven Duval in 1892, wasn’t meant to stand alone. It was built as part of a grander complex... an extension to the Empire Hotel, which once stood right next door on the corner of Stafford and Church Streets where Hallensteins trades today.
That corner is one of the most historic spots in town. In 1868, a cabinetmaker’s workshop on the site caught fire. A fierce nor’wester turned it into a monster blaze that ripped through the wooden central commercial hub of exchange in just three hours, destroying nearly three-quarters of Timaru’s wooden commercial heart. Out of that devastation came a determination and rules to build stronger — in brick and stone. the Councils bi law that followed after the fire gave us the Victorian and Edwardian buildings that we see today on our main shopping street.
The Empire Hotel rose from the corners ashes a few decades after the fire in 1891, designed by Duval and built by Pringle and Targuse. It was a beauty: two storeys, tall arched windows, and a sense of confidence that perfectly suited a port town on the rise. The following year, Duval designed this building — the Empire Hotel Extension — to wrap around into Church Street, carrying the same rhythm and detailing to the west. Together, they looked like family, although a little different, they felt like a continuous façade curving gracefully around the corner.
What We Lost
For decades, the Empire Hotel was one of Timaru’s landmarks. Later, it was taken over by the Bank of New South Wales, which operated there until the building was demolished in March 1977.
The newspaper at the time called it “a link with the past.” Ornamental timber from the old hotel bar was salvaged, along with beams of native wood and even Timaru Heralds from 1900 tucked into the ceilings. When the main hotel came down, we lost not just a building but I think the architectural rhythm of the whole corner... the symmetry that the architects had envisioned for the corner.
The Empire Hotel Extension we see today is what remains and its sibling on Stafford Street on the south east corner. I think this building has often been a bit lost, and now with the refresh of paint we notice her again.
The recent repaint is what drew me in, and what inspired this little history hunt in the first place. The property owners, working with local interior designer Deborah Still, have absolutely done this grand old building proud. Deborah has been shaping the colour palette of Timaru’s CBD for decades, and her work is everywhere once you start to notice.
I was lucky enough to tour the building with her a few months ago. We wandered through the upstairs rooms where the afternoon light spilled across the rennovations, and we talked about colour, texture, and how the right tones can make old architecture sing again. Deborah’s approach is refreshingly gentle — she doesn’t try to be historic or to be too modern; I think she has let it breathe.
The new colour scheme is timeless: soft mossy green plaster, crisp white window frames, and black metalwork that gives the façade definition. The finishing touch? My favourite little lions that most people probably never noticed, are now picked out in gold, their mane's gleaming in the sun. They’re not random decoration — they’re part of the building’s original ironwork, and the lion was, of course, the symbol of the Empire. It’s a lovely, witty nod to the building’s name and story.
A New Chapter
Inside, the upper floors are being renovated for apartments, which feels like a perfect next step. Heritage buildings don’t have to stay frozen in time, infact they must evolve to be able to stay. More people living in the CBD means more light in the windows at night, more footsteps on the street, and a stronger sense of community. I think this will make a great contribution to the redevelopment of our down town CBD. This is an important way to keep the heart of our small city alive.
It’s also great to see the Empire’s Stafford Street neighbour, Rhodes’s Buildings, freshly painted this year too. Both buildings were designed by Duval in the early 1890s, and together they’ve restored a bit of that rhythm the corner once had.
Gratitude and Reflection
I can’t help but feel grateful to the property owners for their care, and to Deborah Still for her artistic touch. Their work hasn’t just improved one building — it’s added pride and vibrancy to the whole streetscape.
Next time you’re downtown, take a walk down Church Street. Look up. Spy the golden lions the white frames crisp against the green plaster, and a building that’s not just surviving, but thriving.
This is what happens when people choose to look after our heritage — they keep the stories alive.
In this case, a fresh coat of paint isn’t just a makeover — it’s a reminder that our history still has plenty to say.
Looking along Stafford Street, Timaru showing (on right) the Empire Hotel, with advertisement for Speight's Beer, boxing show and taxi stand outside; England McRae Ltd - ironmongers; P W Hutton and Co (by advertisement for Onoto Pens) - bookshop. On the left is the Crown Hotel, with motorcycle and sidecar parked outside. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 35-R1477
The Empire Hotel opened at ‘Clarendon Corner’ in December 1891, designed by local architect Maurice Duval and built by Messrs Pringle & Targuse. The following year, the Rhodes trustees commissioned three adjoining shops in the same style on Stafford Street.
Corner of Stafford and Church Street, Timaru - Photography By Roselyn Fauth 2025. to the left of Hallenstiens is the Rhodes’s Buildings, including part of the Empire Hotel. Date of construction: 1891 / 1892. Architect/designer: M. Duval. Builder: T. Pringle. Style: Commercial Classical - Timaru District Council Historic Heritage Item Record.
To the right: Empire Hotel Extension on Church Street, adjoining 218–226 Stafford Street (Rhodes’s Buildings). Date of construction: 1892. Architect: Maurice de Harven Duval (active in Timaru c.1877–1895). Builder: Thomas Pringle (1847–1923), a Scottish-born contractor who worked in partnership with Alfred Targuse. Architectural style: Late Victorian Commercial Classical. The main Empire Hotel opened in December 1891, designed by Duval and built by Messrs Pringle & Targuse. - https://www.timaru.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/673869/Historic-Heritage-Assessment-Report-HHI46-Rhodes-s-Buildings-Category-B.pdf
When we protect heritage buildings, we protect the stories of who we were and who we’re becoming
A colour slide showing the upper facade of the old Empire Hotel building extension on Church Street, Timaru, circa 1985. Visible in the image is signage for Demco, the Shoe Surgery, Lazer Sportswear, and The Sandwich House. The slide mount bears the processing date "Oct 85NZ". - South Canterbury Museum 2016/053.016
- Aotearoa Series N638
The neighbourhood when it was known as Clarendon Corner... in 1875
10 Church St
opposite The Old Bank
Spy tiny lions on the 1892 Empire Hotel extension
The lions ... “king of beasts” were use by the British Empire as a symbol to represent courage, bravery, ferocity and strength. Maybe it also promoted fear, respect and unity. By 1913 the Empire covered 24% of the Earth's land.
Opposite The Old Bank, is part of the old Empire Hotel. Before this building, Mr D. Munro had a furniture store and workshop here - the spot where 1868 fire started. The British Empire used lions as a symbol to represent courage, bravery, ferocity and strength. By 1913 the British Empire held the sway of 23% of the world’s population and covered 24% of the Earth's land. In 1907 the NZ colony ceased and became a dominion six years after deciding not to join the Australian federation. The first Dominion Day, 26 September 1907, was a holiday for public servants and is still a public holiday for South Canterbury.
We love this photo! Do you recognise this corner? Image: Timaru, circa 1904, Dunedin, by Muir & Moodie. Te Papa (C.014407) https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/16787
This historic photo from Te Papa's online collection shows the Corner of Church and Stafford Streets in Timaru where the 'Great 1868' fire broke out 156 years ago, destroying 3/4 of Timarus early CBD. The old bank (on the right) is still there today.
On the left is the Empire Hotel Building. It was demolished, and this is where Hallensteins is now. (Such a handsome building huh!) The Empire Hotel replaced a wooden furniture shop that was destroyed after the 1868 fire. This is where the fire started and roared all the way down Stafford St to where the Theatre Royal is now. Imagine the scene the next day... smoking piles of ashes and brick chimneys, the devastation must have been overwhelming. Over 38 buildings were lost in just three hours, and many were only partially insured, leaving people with just the clothes on their backs. Despite the destruction, Timaru's resilient community rebuilt from the ashes, creating a new CBD, built stronger in brick and stone.
Corner of Stafford, Church and Strathallan Streets. Store SC Dresden - sold pianos. The Old Bank Hotel Robert Bowie, Stafford St., sold pickles.
1911 A fleet of motor cars in parade, on a street lined with commercial buildings, Timaru, to celebrate the coronation of George V. The Press (Newspaper) :Negatives. Ref: 1/1-008618-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/29944218
Side Quest: The Empire’s Family – Rhodes’s Buildings
If you stand on the Church and Stafford Street corner today, you’ll find the freshly repainted Empire Hotel Extension to your left — but look along Stafford Street to its right, and you’ll see another member of the same family. These are the Rhodes’s Buildings, built in 1891–1892 and designed by the same architect, Maurice de Harven Duval, with construction by Thomas Pringle, the skilled Scottish builder who left his mark all over Timaru.
This elegant row of late Victorian commercial buildings was commissioned by the trustees of the Rhodes Estate, whose family name is woven through South Canterbury’s early history. When the new Empire Hotel opened on “Clarendon Corner” in December 1891, the Rhodes trustees wasted no time adding three adjoining shops in matching style — complete with arched windows, plaster detailing, and pedimented bays that echoed the Empire’s grandeur. Together, these buildings wrapped around the corner like a finely tailored coat, creating one of the most impressive façades in Timaru.
Early tenants included the Dresden Piano Company, James Irwin, clothier and mercer, and England & McRae, ironmongers — all names that added to the hum of Stafford Street in the 1890s. The rhythm of this corner once flowed seamlessly from hotel to shopfront, but when the original Empire Hotel was demolished in 1977, that rhythm was broken. Still, Rhodes’s Buildings remain as loyal companions — solid, gracious, and beautifully detailed — a tangible reminder of the streetscape that once defined Timaru’s heart.
Next time you’re downtown, look closely at the plaster friezes and window shapes — you can still see Duval’s hand at work, a blend of practicality and pride that continues to shape the way our city looks and feels.
Overlooking Church Street and towards the harbour, Timaru. You can see the Old Bank on the Corner of Stafford and Church Street. - The Press (Newspaper) :Negatives. Ref: 1/1-008810-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/29946828
Timaru As The Pioneers Knew It: An Old Photograph Showing The Intersection of Stafford, Church And Strathallan Streets. Supplement to the Auckland Weekly News, 11 July 1934, p.40. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19340711-40-02. No known copyright restrictions
Black and white glass plate negative depicting a copy of an illustration of Timaru in the early 1860s, with a church in the background. Canterbury Museum Accession number 1989.79.6 https://collection.canterburymuseum.com/objects/1188239/glass-plate-negative-early-timaru
A view of Strathallan Street, Timaru, circa 1866. It appears to be taken from Le Crens Terrace (now The Terrace) looking across to E Reece's Warehouse in Strathallan Street. In the background, on Stafford Street, is B Wallis's Furniture Warehouse (second from right), and beyond it part of the first, wooden, St Mary's Church is visible at the top right. South Canterbury Museum 2019/049.33.
Part of old Timaru comes down (12 Mar 1977). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 07/11/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/729
THE EMPIRE HOTEL.Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11674, 6 February 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)
The Empire is a survival of one of the oldest hotels in Timaru, originally being known as the Clarendon, established in the early days. Many interesting memories are associated with the old hostelry, and a good deal of history was made within its walls. In 1890 the name was changed to the Empire, and a portion of the present substantial building was erected. In 1894, the present proprietor, Mr T. J. Burns, took it over, and he has since had additions made, and only the other day he purchased the freehold of the property. It stands in the busiest part of the town, in Stafford Street, and is within easy distance of both the railway station and the wharves, therefore being a convenient site.
To townspeople, country people, and the travelling public, there is no better known and more popular hostelry along the railway line between Christchurch and Dunedin. Mr and Mrs Burns have taken pains to bring the hotel into line with the leading establishments of the kind in New Zealand, admittedly in advance of the Australian colonies, in supplying superior accommodation outside the cities.
The Empire is a two-storey stone and brick building, with a basement, where there is a dive or public bar. In general arrangements and attractions, it deserves commendation. Standing at the corner of Stafford and Strathallan Streets, it has an entrance from each thoroughfare, the principal from the former, and that to the billiard room and bar parlours from the latter. The main entrance leads into a wide hallway, on one side of which is the office, the private bar, and bar parlours, and on the other are dining rooms. Mr Burns recognises the fact that a desideratum of a first-class hotel is a stock of the best wines, spirits, and ales, and that he keeps these is proved by the fact that the Empire is a favourite rendezvous. He keeps the best in each class, in both the private and public bars, and local people have got to know that they can rely on whatever they get there.
Beyond the private bar and attained by a passage opening to parlours, is the billiard room supplied with two of Alcock’s tables, and it is agreed that they are the best in town. The dining-room is a feature, being nicely decorated and managed with the conviction that for a hotel to succeed, its menu, as its liquids, must be of the best. Mr Burns has a capable cook, who manages to give an agreeable variety of edibles. To farmers and landholders generally, the Empire is the general resort, and on market days it is interesting to watch the sturdy, intelligent people who congregate there.
The more private portion of the house is reached by a wide stairway. There are in all twenty-three bedrooms, each one being airy, comfortably furnished, and capacious. Very shrewd care has been taken to keep the upper flat private as a home, and here are to be found, besides bedrooms, lavatories, and baths, with hot and cold water, two drawing rooms, and a smoking room. The furnishings are in the best taste, and are as comfortable as commendable. On every side one observes polished rimu flooring, and the hotel throughout is scrupulously clean. In conclusion, it must be added that the management is such as satisfies all guests, everything proceeding without a hitch. Such a house adds to the repute of Timaru.
Now that he has purchased the hotel, Mr Burns proposes to make improvements and additions of several bedrooms, in keeping with the increasing trade. It is further evidence of the expansion in Timaru.
Sources
D E Drake, Memories of a boot factory (27 Feb 1981). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 07/11/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/7522
Wales bank building being demolished (12 Mar 1977). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 07/11/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/649
Former hotel's balustrade for museum (11 Feb 1977). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 07/11/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/573
Part of old Timaru comes down (12 Mar 1977). Aoraki Heritage Collection, accessed 07/11/2025, https://aorakiheritage.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/729
https://www.timaru.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/673916/Historic-Heritage-Assessment-Report-HHI94-Former-South-Canterbury-Times-former-Geraldine-Levels-County-Council-Building-Category-B-NEW.pdf
https://www.timarucivictrust.co.nz/blog/empire-hotel
Empire Hotel & Extension: Timeline of a Corner
1868 – The Great Fire
A cabinetmaker’s workshop on the Stafford and Church Street corner catches fire.
Fanned by a fierce nor’wester, flames destroy nearly three-quarters of Timaru’s early wooden business district in just three hours.
1870s–1880s – Clarendon Corner
The site becomes known as “Clarendon Corner,” home to the wooden Clarendon Hotel and nearby commercial premises.
1891 – The Empire Hotel Opens
The new Empire Hotel, designed by Maurice de Harven Duval and built by Pringle & Targuse, opens on the corner of Stafford and Church Streets.
A grand two-storey brick and plaster hotel in the Commercial Classical style, it symbolises Timaru’s post-fire rebirth in solid masonry.
1892 – The Empire Hotel Extension
Duval designs a matching Extension along Church Street, built by Thomas Pringle.
It continues the same architectural rhythm and detailing, forming a unified façade with the corner hotel and adjoining Rhodes’s Buildings.
Early 1900s – A Bustling Hub
The Empire Hotel thrives, later sharing the corner with neighbouring shops and businesses.
1957 – Bank of New South Wales Moves In
The former hotel becomes the new home of the Bank of New South Wales, adapting the historic structure for commercial use.
March 1977 – Demolition of the Empire Hotel
The main hotel on the corner is demolished.
Old timber beams, teak bar fittings and Timaru Heralds from 1900 are found during demolition.
The Empire Hotel Extension on Church Street survives.
2017 – Civic Discussion on Heritage and Renewal
A Timaru Herald article highlights the Empire Extension as a fine example of the town’s enduring heritage character and the potential for adaptive reuse.
2024 – Restoration and Repaint
The Empire Hotel Extension is repainted in mossy green, white, and black, with gold lions restored to their former glory.
The project, led by the property owners and designer Deborah Still, receives praise for its sensitivity and style.
Work continues to convert the upper floors into apartments, bringing new life to Timaru’s historic heart.