Ōtautau Historic Buildings - the 'old' Ōtautau Town Hall's more recent past

Shared by Central & Western Murihiku Southland Archive

Some history of the 'old' Town Hall in Ōtautau, in its more recent years: IMAGES Photos 1 to 4 - taken during Covid in 2020, note the empty section where the 'new' Town Hall had been demolished and not yet rebuilt. Photos 5 to 8 - taken during final building stages of the new Connect Centre in 2021, not long before it was opened up next door. Often wrongly called the “Original” Town Hall – the second or ‘old’ Town Hall, is the large old wooden building shown above, which is now Kevin and Ann Smith's residence. It is next to the new Connect Centre (2023). This was not actually the town’s first Town Hall at all, but it was the first one that was built specifically for that purpose, opening 13 May 1892. More about its early history can be seen in our entry CWA.159.033.025 Once it was privately sold after the opening of the new town hall, it had been often said the next use of the building was as a bakery, but recent research has uncovered its prior use as both a Plumbers and Gasfitters and Motor Garage! More on this part of its life has been detailed in yet another entry in these Community Archives, under CWA.159.033.030 In its later days, and especially once the new Town Hall started showing pictures from the upstairs balcony, the old town hall was turned into the kind of corner dairy shop, focused on selling sweets icecreams, and milk shakes etc. for the movie night goers next door, while often also running other sales lines such as fruit and vegetables, clothing and more at times. The venue was also used as a popular hang-out for the younger ones after their sports or events training nights, especially for those that were undertaken in the new Town Hall, which included skating and the local dancing shows. I have been told that even a lot of the older ones in the Tūātapere and other outlying districts also used to come to these various events and dances and would also buy treats at the old town hall shop It is of note that the rear of the building was used as a residence for most of the owners of it, even very early on, so it is not surprising that the whole building was eventually made into a house. The last dairy type store run from the front of the building was an “On The Spot” and I remember when we first moved to town in 2006, the old sign advertising it as an "On The Spot" store was still visible under the veranda. I wish I had snapped a photograph of it now, but was finally given an earlier snapshot. We knew that at some point there was a large veranda added onto the front of the building which covered the whole of the footpath area, someone told me this was to shelter the movie goers from the rain while they were making purchases from the Milk Bar/Dairy, but after noting the earlier photos of the building in other archive entries don't have it on, whereas the ones from the 1950's onwards do have the large veranda, I eventually uncovered that this was built on by the Stearne's in 1929, when they operated a tearooms/bakery/restaurant from the building. To find out more about these years and those following, see the entry on this in these Community Archives here, under no. CWA.159.033.035 COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS: After the O’Toole's left, one shop owner is said to have been Mick Cousins, according to elderly ex Ōtautau resident Peter Campbell's memories, and he recalls also a Geoff and Myrtle Walker at some point and it was a milk bar or dairy when the Walkers had it too. Bonnie (Laurie that was), recalls the many spider's (icecream and coke) that were had at the milk bar at the time the Walkers had it. Then around the same time as this, as recalled by Fin Collie there were the Murdoch's who owned it, Mr Murdoch's name was Bill thinks Peter Campbell. Other names of owners recalled by Peter Campbell were Graeme West and an E Rasmussen. And this is just some of the owners! It was the Okay Milk bar when Laurie and Margaret Jamieson owned it later on, and they had 5 daughters - Kathryn, Derelle, Jillian, Allison and Lynley (thanks to them for this information). They then sold it to Janice and Maurice Busbridge who had 2 children, while another person thinks they remember Maurice working at South Arm, driving trucks. Margaret Jamieson also remembers that the council used to own it and they bought if off them so they could do alterations. Archivists Note: This is backed up by the ownership records, which the Wallace Takitimu Community board have kindly funded us to get for this project. See more on this below. Diane Baird recalls working for the Jamieson's when they had the Okay Milk Bar. According to the current building owners, the owners following the Jamieson's were Maurice and Janice Busbridge then Roy and Sue Wallis then Kevin and Anne Smith since 1987. Archivists note: the ownership records show that this is correct and for these years: Lawrence "Laurie" Horner & Margaret Joy Jamieson (Milk Bar Proprietors) from at least 1968 but started off as a lease from the Town Board, purchased off them in 1972, owned through to Nov 1976. Maurice John and Janice Muriel Busbridge (Grocer's) from Nov 1976 to Feb 1983. Roy Williams and Susan Margaret Wallis (Grocers) from Feb 1983 to Nov 1987. Later on, Kylie and Emma remembered sleep overs there when they had to wait for "ma and dad to go to bed" so they could go and sneak the lollies! Archivists Note: Sounds like a fun time for all except Ma & Dad!! I am doing my best to research all the different listed owners and to find the actual years they had the ownership or lease of the building, but it could take quite some time to uncover, especially in the earlier years. Information above is researched by and copyright under a CC BY Licence to “Between River & Stream”, early history of Ōtautau book, and is kindly gifted by that project to our online community archive so everyone can view it. More images and information on the 'old' Town Hall and all the Town Halls will be entered into the archive over the next few months, so be sure to return to check that out. If you or anyone you know has any more photos, information or accounts of the 'old' Town Hall in Ōtautau during the years, on any aspects of life events held here or businesses run from it over the years, or if you have any childhood memories of these places, please do share these in the comments section, or send us a message. You can easily do this by making a comment in the space provided under the image page. Please let us know if you have other photos to share, as they add to the collated history which is then preserved for the whole community's future.