Located on Eltham’s central intersection, Wilkinson Building was opened in 1914. The innovative reinforced-concrete structure was designed by Hāwera architect John Duffill for Charles Wilkinson, Eltham’s foremost businessman and politician. Wilkinson came to the town in 1884 to manage a store for the merchant Chew Chong. He soon established his own shop and became a major player in the cocksfoot seed industry. For 22 years he was a member of Parliament, first representing the Reform Party and then as an independent; he nearly became the first leader of the National Party in 1936. From 1941 to 1947 Wilkinson was mayor of Eltham, retiring from Parliament in 1943.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Private collection
by Ron Lambert
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.