The building of the Te Mata Peak Road in 1937 as painted by William Rush.
The building of the Te Mata Peak Road in 1937 as painted by William Rush.
Many would have heard of the name Rush in connection with various buildings around Hawke's Bay, particularly Havelock North.
Woodford House, Iona College, Hereworth are some existing buildings which had their architectural beginnings from architect William James Rush (1872-1965).
A former shepherd's cottage at Black Barn built on the formerTe Mata Station is now called Rush Cottage and features his signature roughcast exterior and tiled roof, normally orange.
William was born in Northamptonshire in 1872 and upon leaving school was articled to an architectural firm in that county.
After he had qualified, he contracted tuberculosis and went to a sanatorium in Switzerland.
After Edwin went way to World War I in May 1916, William carried on the practice himself until Edwin's return in 1918.
Edwin would leave the practice in 1919 to settle with his family in Tasman to practise as an architect where he passed away in 1936 aged 56. William continued on his own.
One part of William's life which had been a constant since he was a child was art (when he apparently carried a small sketch pad and pencil) and he was an accomplished and prolific painter of landscape scenes.
He was heavily involved in the "Havelock Work" which had begun around 1908 and along with founder Reginald Gardiner and fellow architect James Chapman-Taylor, he fully embraced the arts and crafts that was part of this movement. These men all skilfully crafted furniture, of which prized examples remain today.
William painted and had participated in an art exhibition 1918 at the now demolished Havelock North village hall (which he designed).
Michael Fowler.
Exhibitions of his work were also held around New Zealand, including one at the Suter Gallery in Nelson in 1927, which he exhibited on a regular basis over the next 30 years where his paintings were said to "always attract attention".
On display in Nelson in 1927 were paintings from work he had done in England and New Zealand. The New Zealand sketches were said to have "been given a vivid treatment, while the English watercolours are of a contrasting hue".
William's painting style was described as having a "customary use of sombre, but glowing colour".
William Rush passed away suddenly in 1965 aged 92, still painting until his death.
Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a contract researcher and commercial business writer of Hawke's Bay history. Follow him on facebook.com/michaelfowlerhistory
