The first Jewish settler in New Zealand was Joel Samuel Polack in 1831. Born in London to Dutch parents, he established a successful retail business and later branched out into shipping, mainly to California. When New Zealand became a British colony in 1840, it was the perfect time for the Auckland Jewish community’s foundation; they soon acquired land for their first cemetery.
The first Hebrew congregation began worship in Auckland in 1843. Their first formal place of worship was in Nathan & Joseph's Warehouse in Shortland Street. By 1853 the congregation had grown to 100 and worship was held in a small building in Emily Place. By the 1860s this building had become too small for the rapidly increasing population and moneys were collected to build a new synagogue.
In 1884, the Jewish Community purchased a section on the corner of Princes and Bowen Sts. At that time the site was occupied by the former Albert Barracks Guard House, which overlooked a vegetable garden used by soldiers.
The community asked architects to submit synagogue designs and they chose Edward Bartley to take on the project. Bartley was an Irish carpenter and joiner arrived in New Zealand in 1854 and trained as an architect and builder. In 1872, he went into partnership with another builder, forming Matthews & Bartley Builders. He moved to the North Shore in 1872, later building his own home in Devonport. Other significant Bartley buildings included the Foundation for the Blind Jubilee Building and the original Wellesley St Opera House. And was a founding member of the New Zealand Institute of Architects.
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Princes St Synagogue in Auckland
The Princes St Synagogue structure was designed in a mixed Romanesque and Gothic style, the project influenced by an important Glasgow Synagogue. It was built out of concrete at a cost of 3000 pounds and could seat a congregation of 375. As one of NZ’s oldest massed concrete buildings, the basement was set aside for social and educational purposes, and a school annexe was later added.
The interior ornamentation was by the decorator JL Holland. The interior of the building featured a barrel vaulted timber ceiling and an ornate circular ark, covered by a stained glass dome imported from Australia. The blend of Arabic and Classical styles featuring ornate stained-glass windows; an elliptical staircase; a decorated barrel-vaulted, wood-panelled ceiling supported by graceful Arabic arches and columns; and ornate plaster work.
After the original building was de-consecrated in 1969, ownership reverted to Auckland City Council. The building was left vacant and slowly deteriorated over 20+ years, until it was renovated to operate a branch of the National Bank in 1989. The interior of the former synagogue was meticulously restored to its original condition in the late 1980s, with extensive structural and strengthening work of the interior office spaces.
The University of Auckland has leased the old synagogue since 2003, using the building as home to the University’s Alumni Relations and Development office. It is located at the campus entrance.
The former synagogue is registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and has Historic Place Category 1 Status. The conservation project won the inaugural Auckland City Heritage Award. And they won a New Zealand Institute of Architects National Award citation in 1990 for successfully reconciling the tenant’s commercial requirements with the need to conserve one of Auckland’s significant buildings.
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Decoration and lamps on the arches and columns
This important part of Auckland’s cultural history is for sale. The synagogue is the only landmark historic building of its type in the city and one of only two extant C19th synagogues in all the country. It had acted as Auckland’s main synagogue and focal point for the Jewish community from 1885 until 1968! The adjoining building, the Trish Clark Gallery for contemporary art that was built in 1986, is one of Auckland’s leading art spaces. Along with the old synagogue, the whole complex is for sale in Apr 2018.
You might like to read The History of the Jews in New Zealand (1958) by Lazarus Morris Goldman for an excellent and detailed analysis of Jewish settlers in C19th New Zealand.
The first Hebrew congregation began worship in Auckland in 1843. Their first formal place of worship was in Nathan & Joseph's Warehouse in Shortland Street. By 1853 the congregation had grown to 100 and worship was held in a small building in Emily Place. By the 1860s this building had become too small for the rapidly increasing population and moneys were collected to build a new synagogue.
In 1884, the Jewish Community purchased a section on the corner of Princes and Bowen Sts. At that time the site was occupied by the former Albert Barracks Guard House, which overlooked a vegetable garden used by soldiers.
The community asked architects to submit synagogue designs and they chose Edward Bartley to take on the project. Bartley was an Irish carpenter and joiner arrived in New Zealand in 1854 and trained as an architect and builder. In 1872, he went into partnership with another builder, forming Matthews & Bartley Builders. He moved to the North Shore in 1872, later building his own home in Devonport. Other significant Bartley buildings included the Foundation for the Blind Jubilee Building and the original Wellesley St Opera House. And was a founding member of the New Zealand Institute of Architects.
built by Edward Bartley by 1885
The Princes St Synagogue structure was designed in a mixed Romanesque and Gothic style, the project influenced by an important Glasgow Synagogue. It was built out of concrete at a cost of 3000 pounds and could seat a congregation of 375. As one of NZ’s oldest massed concrete buildings, the basement was set aside for social and educational purposes, and a school annexe was later added.
The interior ornamentation was by the decorator JL Holland. The interior of the building featured a barrel vaulted timber ceiling and an ornate circular ark, covered by a stained glass dome imported from Australia. The blend of Arabic and Classical styles featuring ornate stained-glass windows; an elliptical staircase; a decorated barrel-vaulted, wood-panelled ceiling supported by graceful Arabic arches and columns; and ornate plaster work.
During his long career Bartley served as architect to the Anglican Church, the Auckland Savings Bank and the Auckland Hospital & Charitable Aid Board. The Mount Eden Public Library designed by the firm Bartley and Wade was probably his last building. For the 1913 Auckland Exhibition he was a member of the Building Committee which selected the designs and oversaw the construction of the exhibition buildings in the Auckland Domain.
Along with his 3 sons who became architects, Bartley also trained Malcolm Keith Draffin (1890-1964). Draffin later became an Auckland War Memorial Museum architect.
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The barrel-vaulted, wood-panelled ceiling with graceful Arabic arches and columns are still intact. The women's pews upstairs were removed and the bank office spaces remain.
The synagogue had been Auckland’s main synagogue until 1967. Only then, due to substantial growth in the Jewish Community, did the congregation move to a larger, newly synagogue opposite Myers Park.
Along with his 3 sons who became architects, Bartley also trained Malcolm Keith Draffin (1890-1964). Draffin later became an Auckland War Memorial Museum architect.
The synagogue had been Auckland’s main synagogue until 1967. Only then, due to substantial growth in the Jewish Community, did the congregation move to a larger, newly synagogue opposite Myers Park.
After the original building was de-consecrated in 1969, ownership reverted to Auckland City Council. The building was left vacant and slowly deteriorated over 20+ years, until it was renovated to operate a branch of the National Bank in 1989. The interior of the former synagogue was meticulously restored to its original condition in the late 1980s, with extensive structural and strengthening work of the interior office spaces.
The University of Auckland has leased the old synagogue since 2003, using the building as home to the University’s Alumni Relations and Development office. It is located at the campus entrance.
The former synagogue is registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and has Historic Place Category 1 Status. The conservation project won the inaugural Auckland City Heritage Award. And they won a New Zealand Institute of Architects National Award citation in 1990 for successfully reconciling the tenant’s commercial requirements with the need to conserve one of Auckland’s significant buildings.
This important part of Auckland’s cultural history is for sale. The synagogue is the only landmark historic building of its type in the city and one of only two extant C19th synagogues in all the country. It had acted as Auckland’s main synagogue and focal point for the Jewish community from 1885 until 1968! The adjoining building, the Trish Clark Gallery for contemporary art that was built in 1986, is one of Auckland’s leading art spaces. Along with the old synagogue, the whole complex is for sale in Apr 2018.
You might like to read The History of the Jews in New Zealand (1958) by Lazarus Morris Goldman for an excellent and detailed analysis of Jewish settlers in C19th New Zealand.