Story: Intellectuals

French Maid Coffee Bar, 1951 (2nd of 3)

French Maid Coffee Bar, 1951

In Wellington in the 1940s and 1950s, the centres of left-wing and modernist culture and discussion were Unity Theatre, Modern Books and the French Maid Coffee Bar on the corner of Willis Street and Lambton Quay.  The coffee bar was run by Dick Singleton and exhibited works by New Zealand artists, including Colin McCahon. Rona Bailey remembered it as attracting 'a real circle of left, arts people, painters and such like drifting in and out'.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Arthur Singleton Papers
Reference: MS-Papers-1977-01
Photograph by Leo Morel

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Chris Hilliard, 'Intellectuals - New outlets', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/42347/french-maid-coffee-bar-1951 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Chris Hilliard, published 22 Oct 2014