Phillip Andrews with his new book. Photo / Mead Norton
Phillip Andrews with his new book. Photo / Mead Norton
An 84-year-old historian from Rotorua has a new book he describes as 50 years in the making.
Phillip Andrews was so fascinated by the historical buildings and structures of Rotorua, he was inspired to self-publish his latest offering, Yesteryears of Rotorua.
“There’s a lot of history tucked away in buildings that we walk past every day and don’t realise,” he said.
He said research for his book spanned 50 years and it was just a happy coincidence it had been released at the same time as Rotorua’s Local Heritage Week 2022.
Andrews, who has been a member of the Rotorua and District Historical Society for decades, said he offered to update the brochure when he first joined. But he said he soon realised he had collected enough information to write a book, which he has been doing ever since.
In his research for Yesteryears of Rotorua, Andrews said he found there had been a constant need to protect buildings and structures from council or government.
The museum in the Government Gardens, Rotorua. Photo / Mead Norton
“The Bathhouse was in a bad state and rather than repair it they thought ‘maybe we could just knock it down’.
“Same thing with the Blue Baths and the Te Runanga Tearooms,” he said.
Te Runanga Tearooms, Government Gardens, Rotorua. Photo / Mead Norton
Andrews said the people of Rotorua saved many significant structures in the city over the years.
“The Queen’s Driveway archway was almost doomed until public protest saved it.”
Queen's Archway, Government Gardens, Rotorua. Photo / Mead Norton
Andrews said there was a building on Hinemaru St that was built for soldiers recovering on their return home from WWI.
He said he admired the beauty of the band rotunda for “the beautiful piece of filigree ironwork”.
“It’s a very attractive, more than a century-old structure and it has travelled from one side of the park to the other.”
It took Andrews six months to condense his decades of historical research, which he said was a “big task” as he worked alone to pull the book together. He said he had enlisted the help of his friends to help proofread through earlier versions.
Andrews did not work with local iwi for this book but said Yesteryears of Rotorua highlighted Ōhinemutu and some of the pre-European Māori structures that existed. He said he had enjoyed learning about Te Arawa throughout his career in Rotorua.
“Over the years, I’ve been given photographs by residents, and I’ve used those in this book too.”
Andrews encouraged the community to look at the plaques on the buildings and take in the names and dates.
“It adds a bit of awareness of your town if you know a bit about its history.”
Andrews has penned 13 books in his lifetime. His latest offering was the 12th on Rotorua history.
Andrews secured financial backing through grants from the Rotorua Civic Arts Trust and Rotorua and District Historical Society to publish Yesteryears of Rotorua. The book can be purchased at McLeods Booksellers.
In 2007, Andrews was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for services to local history in the New Year’s Honours list.
