Maurice Shadbolt's Titirangi home to be a refuge for writers

Sean Shadbolt is delighted his father will be remembered in the place that inspired him. Picture / Kenny Rodger

The Titirangi home of author Maurice Shadbolt has been bought by the Waitakere City Council, which intends to establish a writer's residency programme.

Shadbolt died in 2004 aged 72, after a lengthy illness with an Alzheimer's-related disease.

He and his family lived in the house for 42 years and it was here he produced such works as One of Ben's, Season of the Jew and Monday's Warriors.

He won many literary awards and produced 11 novels, four collections of short stories, a volume of journalism, plays, a war history and two autobiographical works.

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey said the council bought the three-bedroom Arapito Rd house to establish a writer's residency with school education programmes.

A trust would be set up to manage the project and raise funds to repay some of the $550,000 purchase price.

"Shadbolt House acknowledges Maurice - one of the true icons in the arts in this country," said Mr Harvey.

"He was an extraordinary talent and even after his death his works continue to sell in their thousands in Europe and America.

"Titirangi and the tranquillity of the bush and views over the Manukau Harbour inspired Maurice and informed his writing.

"We are delighted that will continue with another generation of authors."

One of the author's five children, Sean, said his father would spend most mornings in the small studio set in the bush by the harbour's edge. "As a family we knew both the public and private world of my father but in some ways his achievements were lost on us because the focus was on our own relationships and being a family.

"So it's wonderful that his achievements as a writer can be acknowledged forever in the place that inspired some of his best work."

Mr Shadbolt said that in a lot of his novels his father explored the relationship between individuals and a lot of that was inspired by Titirangi.

One novel, Touch of Clay, was set in Titirangi, which was favoured by artists seeking a creative sanctuary away from suburbia.

The council hopes the project will follow the success of its handing over to a trust the French Bay bach where artist Colin McCahon and his family lived for seven years from 1953.

The McCahon House Trust raised funds to restore the humble abode and build an artist's residence and studio next door.