House Northbrook and Wood family, Wainuiomata (circa 1904-05). Burdan, Claude Oswald, 1896-1972 :Photographs chiefly of Wainuiomata. Ref: 1/2-060611-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22656151
‘Northbrook’ house in 1908 was inhabited by the Wood family. Pictured from left to right, are Florence Wood; Clara being held on Mary Wood’s hip; and twins Connie & Mabel positioned beside their father, James Wood. An inscription on the back of the file print indicates, ‘Built in 1867 by Mowlem.’
Originally built in 1867 by John Mowlem, the property later passed to his brothers-in-law, Duncan and John Sinclair. Duncan briefly lived there with his family before the Sinclairs faced bankruptcy in the 1880s. The property was then purchased by John and Mary Wakeham of Wainuiomata, with John being the grandson of Richard Prouse. When the Wakehams retired to Petone, JJ Wood, a former farmer in upper Moores Valley near the Scout Camp, became the owner. The house was later converted into two rental units, but its lack of insulation and high ceilings earned it a reputation as a cold and difficult-to-heat home. The final owner was Ian Whitcher, JJ Wood’s grandson, a housing developer after whom the street is named.
By the 1920s, at around 60 years old, concerns arose about repairing the timber damaged by borer. However, the Ian Whitcher and his brother, who were skilled carpenters and builders, deemed the house beyond repair. It was eventually dismantled in August 1982. A cohort of school teachers tasked with demolition, thought they could finish the job in a short amount of time. Yet, “Northbrook” had the final say. The reliance on mortise and tenon joints made the endeavor unexpectedly arduous and time-consuming for all involved.
