EARTHQUAKE REPORT
Submitted by the examining board . July 1849
Quakes on Oct 16th 1hr 30min am; 17th at 4pm; 19th at 5am; 24th at 2pm; 1848
Estimate damage 15,000 pounds inc 3,500 Colonial Govt., and 1,000 Ordinance Department.
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OWNER / OCCUPIER; BLDG DESCRIPT ;ESTIMATE OF DAMAGE
THE TERRACE:
King Mr, House, part clay, one storey Brick facing down, walls shattered
Cridland Mr, House, part clay, one storey Wals shattered, partly down
Sharp, Mr, House, part clay, one storey Damaged
Bethune Mr, 2 Storey brick House, Ver in frnt. Walls cracks. Now under repair
O’Reilley, Rev J, 2 Storey Clay House, thick, well Built ,One gable much shaken
Strang, Mr R R, 1 Storey, clay & brick found. Brick work fallen out at front. walls shattered. To be repaired with wood
WILLIS STREET:
Catchpool Mr, 3 Story brick flour mill Shaken all over
Wilkinson Mr ,2 storied clay house Front wall shaken out
Crowther, 2 Storey Brick house Gables down, side walls out
MANNERS STREET:
Rhodes, Mr 2 storey store, brick Entirely down, site being cleared
Wesleyan Chapel Large brick Building All down, site being cleared
Hickson & Ridgeway 2 storey store, brick Both gables out, walls shaken
Waitt, Mr Wooden store Brick gables thrown out
Allen, Mr Commerical room, one storey Brick partly fallen much shattered
Public House 1 Storey brick, wood frame Scarcely damaged
Bethune & Hunters Store, weatherboard Slightly damaged by shifting stock
Fitzherbert, Mr Store, 1 storey brick SE & NW ends thrown down
Ordnance Stores, 3 storey, 13.5 brick Gables out, north wall cracked
Loxley, Mr Brick store Gables much cracked
Union Bank Australia One storey wood Brick work much shaken
Langdon, Mr One storey brick bldg Ends and sides down
Hansard Mr, 2 storey brick building, Completely shattered
Squib, Mr 1 storey clay and board Completely shattered
Moore, Mr, 2 storey house, part brick Bricks shaken out of frame. wood-work only remains.
Gerard, Mr Clay house, 2 storey 1 gable and part of side fallen
Military Hospital, Several 1 storey buildings, clay, All shattered
Quin, Mr Several clay houses all shattered
Villars, Mr, several sm houses clay & brick parts fallen
DIXON STREET
Howe, Mr ,2 storey brick & wood gable down and rest shaken
Stoddart, Mr, 1 storey brick bldg gable down
Blyth, 2 storey clay bldg much shaken, 1 gable down
THE BEACH (LAMBTON QUAY)
Smith & Wallace 1 storey brick store Front out, SE corner open
Plimmer, Mr Offices, Colonial Govt 2 storey brick; Front out, arches cracked; to put a verandah to the lower storey next to the treet and tie fr wall of the upper parapet storey with iron bars. Take down parapet.
Flyger, Mr Store, 2 story brick, Gables started
Christian, Mr Store 1 storey, Front arches cracked
Swinburne, Mr House 2 storey brick, front arches cracked
Hart, Mr Store, Wood & brick 1 storey, front arches cracked
Armstrong, Mr House, 1 story bick Front thrown out a little
Inglis, Mr Store, 1 storey brick Very little damage
Johnson, Mr Store, 1 storey brick Sides Out gable and roof damaged
Young, Mr Geo House, 2 storey 9" brick North end and South wall cracked
Tonks, Mr House 2 stored Front & rear gable cracked
Grace House, 2 storied House cracked top to bottom
Taine Store, one storey, Brick & wood Rear wall cracked, since been pulled down
Alzdorf, Mr 1 storey brick and clay Brickwork cracked
Levien, Mr Store, one storey brick front Thrown forward to SE
Stafford, Mr, OneStorey brick building Front cracked
Cook, Mr One storey brick building Cracked at East corner, To be pulled down
THORNDON FLAT
Hornbrook, Mr Store, 1 stry brick,clay & wattled Front & rear fallen out. To be Repaired with wood
Fitzgerald, Doctor 1 story wattled and board Cracked on all sides
Richmond, Major 1 story brick nogged brick work cracked
Colonial Govt. Hospital 2 storey-hollow. 14" brick wall SE gable fallen out, all walls cracked
NZ Co’s Buildings 1 storey brick & wood Sides thrown out, walls repaired
Clifford, Mr 1 storey brick & wood NE gable cracked
Independant Chapel 1 story brick & wood N corner thrown out
Cooper, Mr 2 storey small room, badly built cracked at junction of part & arches
TE ARO
Vincent, Mr 1 story part clay One side clay wall out of
gable
Plimmer, Mr 1 storey clay house Near all brick work down
Lowe, Mr 1 storey clay Both gables down
Hendry Mr 1 storey clay all clay work disturbed
Hawkins, Mr 1 storey clay, Parts fallen
Foster Mr 1 storey clay front wall and gable shattered
Penny, Mr 2 storey brick front and back walls out. etc
Gooder, Mr 2 storey brick completely shattered, partly down
Hutfield Mr 1 storey brick much shaken walls cracked
Masters, Mr 1 storey clay One side wall down
Mudgway, Mr 1 storey clay Greater part down
Bennet, Mr 1 storey clay Greater part down
May, Mr 1 storey clay Walls much rent, bldg not in thoroughfare.
Ashdown, Mr 1 storey clay Slightly damaged
Mills, Mr 1 storey, clay in ruins
Ford, Mr 1 storey clay in ruins
MOUNT COOK
Col. Govt Gaol. 2 story brick 18in walls. N & S gables thrown out. Walls cracked, Boundary wall 9ft high both stories, side walls cracked
Powder Magazine. 1 storey brick, wall 3ft,large small magazine cracked each gable
H.M.Government, buttresses all round 15 arches & sep. from boundary wall. Wall cracked covered with stone masonry instone foundation on North side.
Porirua Barracks, 2 story, wall 2ft thick of rubble E side main wall much cracked, stone. masonry & brick quoins to all & brickwork, sep at every junction top & openings, div. by 4 partitions, bottom at all junctions, most arches cracked octagon towers at SE & NW & top partitions. SE tower much shaken.
KAIWHARAWHARA
Kaiwharawhara Public House, slight cracks in walls
Major Baker, 2 storey brick, attic & cellar interior be lined with wood & 3 planks be several bond timbers div. to fixed perpendicular about 4ft apart, on outer several sm rooms, slate roof connected by horizontal string pieces and tied to roof & floor timbers inside, and the bond timbers which are decayed be replaced with sound timber.
NOTE: all these buildings were repaired with wood.
Extracted from BURNANDS collection "NZ Journal’ 1848, Alexander Turnbull Library.
Taken from Louis Ward's, excellent publication 'Early Wellington'
