Timeline
| 1870 | Following a conversation between the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens and Sir Julius Vogel, the first bill is introduced by Vogel to provide for a Public Trust Office. |
|---|---|
| 1872 | The redrafted Public Trust Bill proposed by Vogel becomes law. |
| 1873 | The Public Trust is established. |
| 1876 | A start is made to the Thorndon Shoreline Reclamation, on which the Old Public Trust Building will eventually sit. |
| 1899 | Parliament passes the annual Appropriation Act including authority for the erection of a building and the provision of office accommodation for the Public Trust Office, the cost being met by the office from its own accumulated profits. |
| 1905 | John Campbell completes drawings for the Public Trust Office. |
| 1907 | Building work begins on the Public Trust Office. |
| 1909 | Wednesday 9 June the Public Trust Office is officially opened by Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward. |
| 1911 | The building is illuminated and decorated for the coronation of King George V. |
| 1919 | Robert Triggs, Public Trustee, requests authority to buy additional buildings in Stout and Ballance Streets to accommodate the growing number of staff members. |
| 1923 | An earthquake in Wellington cracks plaster in the building. |
| 1926 | On 12 May, one of the girders in the building's Legal Branch falls down - thought to be as a result of damage from the 1923 earthquake. |
| 1932 | During the Depression, the Old Public Trust Building is attacked on 11 February 1932 by an angry mob. Two windows are smashed and a chisel is hurled into the building. Staff close and lock the vaults in case of invasion, but the mob moves on past without further incident. The Public Trustee has a great deal of difficulty finding suitable window replacements. |
| 1942 | Major damage is caused in Wellington by two large earthquakes centred in the Wairarapa. Amazingly the Public Trust Building suffers only minor plaster cracks. |
| 1980 | The Public Trustee (with the concurrence of the Minister Hon. Derek Quigley) sells the building, but with provision for the office to continue in occupation until its new building, under construction on an adjoining site, is completed. |
| 1982 | The Public Trust moves out of the building and into new premises next door. This leaves the tired Old Public Trust Building empty and with an uncertain future. There are calls to demolish the building, but this causes some public outcry. The Minister of Internal Affairs intervenes, issuing a protection notice to save the building. |
| 1982 | A heritage order is placed on the building by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. |
| 1983 | Riddiford Holdings purchase the building and undertake major re-strengthening and minor refurbishment using engineering firm Smith Leuchars and consulting architect Keith Wilson. Changes are made to the exterior of the building. |
| 1985 | On 2 June, the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council (now known as Creative New Zealand, Arts Council of New Zealand) leases floors 2, 3 and 4 of the Old Public Trust Building. |
| 1990 | The Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council purchases levels 2, 3 and 4 of the building from Alexander Associates. |
| 1991 | The Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council purchases tenancy on the ground floor of the building. |
| 2003 | Wellington barrister Stephen Kós QC purchases the first floor of the building, with the intention of establishing barristers' chambers there. Extensive renovations designed by Philip Porritt of Jasmax are carried out in 2006. |
| 2007 | A new set of barristers' chambers, Stout Street Chambers, opens on the first floor. Members include Stephen Kós QC, Mary Scholtens QC, Justin Smith and Les Taylor. |
Land reclamation in Wellington Harbour
Part of John Campbell's original plans for the building. To see more detail including floor by floor elevations, click here. Read more about the building's construction here.
The Building is illuminated and decorated for the coronation of King George V in 1911.
In the early part of the 20th century, the Public Trust Building stood as one of the taller buildings on Lambton Quay.
By the 1980s the Building is dwarfed, but nonetheless remains one of the most charismatic structures in the city.
A recent photo of the Building. To either side of the entrance hang Creative New Zealand's banners. Photo credit: Shane Harris, Flickr
The first floor of the Building during the refurbishment work for Stout Street Chambers
Stout Street Chambers, after the refurbishment.
Stout Street Chambers, after the refurbishment.