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History
This
fine old wooden house was built for Allan and
Hannah McLean. Allan was a Scot who took up
land on the banks of the Tuki Tuki River and accordingly
became known as "Tuki" McLean to distinguish
him from other McLeans in Hawke's Bay. He married Hannah,
the eldest daughter of John and Margaret Chambers
of Te Mata.
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names of the builders of Duart are not known,
but it is possible that George Bee,
the builder of St. Lukes Church, Havelock North
and Henry Liley another of Havelock's
earliest carpenters were involved. McLean chose
the Duart because it was the name of a castle
owned by McLeans in Scotland and, furthermore,
specified a design which incorporated a tower
with crenellations, surmounted by a flagstaff,
to remind him of the country and people of his
origins. In earlier days when Duart stood alone
on the slopes of the Havelock Hills its tower
was a landmark which could be seen from all directions.
It
was thought originally that Duart was built about
1875, but further research has revealed that building
began in 1882 and that "Tuki" and Hannah
moved in with seven children early in 1883. Their
last child, Nigel, was born at
Duart.
The
size of the McLean family necessitated a spacious
house, but the children also had some 150 acres
of hill slopes upon which to roam freely, as no
other house existed between Duart and Te Mata.
The tiny village of Havelock with its few shops,
two churches, and a school was Duart's closest
neighbour.
"Tuki"
a rumbustious character, did not believe in the
cultivation of gardens and insisted on allowing
his sheep and horses to roam at will, browsing
as close to the house as they chose. |
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It
was not until after her husband's death that Hannah
McLean, assisted by her children, was able to
create a garden from the grassy slopes around
the house.
Before
she died in 1914 Hannah had planted flowers and
trees, many of which still survive. The Coronation
Oak, planted on the occasion of the accession
to the throne of King EdwardVII, is a notable
example.
After
Hannah McLean's death Duart House was leased by
Mr and Mrs Crompton Smith who
established a co-educational school for children
of primary school age in 1915. Obviously some
internal modifications were involved but, apart
from the necessity of adding partitions, the house
served well as a school. It was about this time,
too, that the word "House" was added
and since then the building has always been known
as Duart House. |
The
school, named St. George's, remained
in Duart until the end of 1921 and was then conducted
in another locality.
In
1926 the property was leased by Roger
Greenwood and occupied by Mr
and Mrs Greenwood and their family and
eventually bought by them 1936. During their ownership
some alterations were made to Duart House, the
most substantial being the addition of a new kitchen,
but otherwise the house remained as it was built.
After
the death of Mr & Mrs Greenwood the property
was offered by their family in 1972 to the Havelock
North Borough Council at a purely nominal
price for the use by the people of Havelock North
for purposes deemed suitable by the Council. The
Council accepted this generous offer and has since
maintained the house and gardens, the building
itself being used for a variety of purposes, but
mostly as a meeting place.
In
1985 a new development took place in the history
of Duart House, the formation of the Duart
House Society whose aims are to care
for the property along the lines adopted by the
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
in its care of Trust property.
The
ground floor is used for meetings, receptions
and exhibitions, while the second floor has a
display of pre-1920 furniture.
The
laundry and outbuildings have many interesting
items on display, ranging from a 1919 butter churn
to a kerosene engine. |
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