John Stacpoole

John Stacpoole OBE
Born	John Massy Stacpoole (1919-09-30)30 September 1919 New Zealand
Died	5 September 2018(2018-09-05)(aged 98) Auckland,New Zealand
Alma mater	Auckland University College
Occupation	Architect
Practice	Ministry of Works

John Massy StacpooleOBE(30 September 1919 – 5 September 2018) was a New Zealand historian, heritage architect and bibliophile, who was responsible for the restoration of many historic buildings and wrote on colonial architecture and social history in New Zealand.

Early life and family

Born on 30 September 1919, Stacpoole was the son of Olive Stacpoole (née Lansdell) and Percy Stacpoole.He was descended from early Tasmanian and New Zealand colonial settlers, and was of Irish descent on his father's side.Stacpoole was educated atMount Albert Grammar SchoolinAucklandfrom 1932 to 1935, becoming head librarian and a member of the school's hockey 1st XI.He later studied architecture atAuckland University Collegewhere he was a contemporary ofStephen JelicichandAnthony Treadwell.

DuringWorld War II,Stacpoole served as an officer in the 2nd Battalion, Auckland Regiment.However, he contractedtuberculosisand spent 18 months of the war in hospital.

Architectural practice

Following a period working in architectural practices in Auckland andLondon,Stacpoole joined the architectural division of theMinistry of Works,and soon became the advisory architect to theNew Zealand Historic Places Trust.He served on the latter organisation's council and as chair of its buildings classification committee.He was intimately involved as architect in the restoration and furnishing of numerous listed historic buildings in New Zealand, includingEwelme Cottage,Waimate North mission house,AlbertonandGovernment Housein Auckland, andKemp House.

Historian

As an historian, Stacpoole wrote about New Zealand's architectural and social history, as well as family history and biography.He wrote seven books and many shorter works, and contributed nine biographies to theDictionary of New Zealand Biography.

Selected publications

• Stacpoole, John (1971).William Mason: the first New Zealand architect.Oxford University Press.
• Stacpoole, John;Beaven, Peter(1972).Architecture 1820–1970.Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed.
• Stacpoole, John (1976).Colonial architecture in New Zealand.Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed.ISBN0-589-00930-3.
• Stacpoole, John (1996)."Pilgrim, Ada".Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
• Stacpoole, John (2007).Sailing to Bohemia: a life of the Honourable William Swainson.Auckland: Puriri.ISBN9780908943357.
• Stacpoole, John (2009).Beyond the ivy curtain: the story of the Northern Club, 1869–2009(revised ed.). Auckland: Northern Club.ISBN9780473158125.

Other activities

Stacpoole had a long involvement with theAuckland City Art Galleryand served as chair of the Mckelvie Trust, which administers the bequest ofJames Mackelvieto the gallery.In 2005, Stacpoole donated his collection of almost 1000 books of Irish literature toAuckland Libraries.

Death

Stacpoole died in Auckland on 5 September 2018.

Honours

In the1975 Queen's Birthday Honours,Stacpoole was appointed anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire,for services to the preservation of historic buildings.In 2004, he was elected an honorary life member of the Historic Places Trust.He was also a Fellow of theAuckland War Memorial Museum,and in 2013 he was inducted into the Mount Albert Grammar School hall of distinction.