Thistle Inn

The Thistle Inn is one of New Zealand's oldest public houses. It was originally built in 1840 by William Couper, and the name 'Thistle Inn' probably comes from his Scottish background. It received the second liquor licence issued in New Zealand.[1] In its early years its clientele were largely working men and sailors,[2] and in later years it was frequented by railway and Government workers.[3]

Thistle Inn
A painting of the Thistle Inn and the Courthouse on lower Mulgrave Street, close to the water's edge. There is a horseman, with lawyers and other people outside the courthouse. A European home with two chimneys is below the road on the left (ca 1843)
General information
Architectural styleEdwardian
LocationMulgrave Street, Wellington, New Zealand
Coordinates41.2777°S 174.7796°E / -41.2777; 174.7796
Completed1840, rebuilt 1866
Designated27-Jul-1988
Reference no.1439
The Thistle Inn in 2005

The original single-storey timber building was destroyed by a fire in 1866,[4][5] but it was rebuilt as a two-storey building within months.[2][3] Up until the reclamation of Wellington Harbour in 1876 the building was only a few metres from the shoreline and patrons often arrived by boat, including, according to legend, the Ngāti Toa warrior chief Te Rauparaha.[2][3] The Thistle Inn was featured in "Leves Amores", a short story by Katherine Mansfield, written in 1907.[2] In 1927 the hotelkeeper was fined for accepting cigarettes in payment for alcohol.[1]

In the 1960s the building's interior was renovated in a modern style, and in the mid-2000s the building was renovated in a more era-appropriate historic style.[3][5] These renovations also included earthquake-strengthening, and conversion of the motel rooms upstairs to function rooms.[5]

The building is classified as a "Category I" ("places of 'special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value") historic place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.[6] In 2008 the Hospitality Association declared that the Thistle Inn was New Zealand's oldest pub.[7] In 2015 The Dominion Post said it was "the oldest tavern and restaurant in New Zealand still operating on its original site".[1]

References
  1. Stewart, Matt (16 December 2015). "Thorndon's Thistle Inn still a Wellington bastion of booze and bonhomie after 175 years - 150 years of News". The Dominion Post. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  2. Christoffel, Paul. "Thistle Inn, 1930s (1st of 3)". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  3. McLean, Gavin. "Thistle Inn". New Zealand History. Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Manatū Taonga. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  4. "Fire: Destruction of the Thistle Inn". Wellington Independent. 10 July 1866.
  5. Green, Kate (17 October 2020). "A history of wharfies, Māori chiefs, and a stable fire: Wellington's Thistle Inn turns 180". Stuff. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  6. "Thistle Inn". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  7. "A brief history of bars in Wellington". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

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