Remembering John Bulleid

Remembering John Bulleid

Oamaru Cemetery is the final resting place for a number of the town’s most memorable citizens. John Bulleid was one of these citizens, typically remembered for his sophisticated department store, and his reputation as a reliable and selfless employer.

John Bulleid was born in North Tawton, Devonshire in 1852. The son of a brewer, he was schooled at Lapford Grammar School and later completed a business apprenticeship. Like many of his peers, John Bulleid made the decision to immigrate to New Zealand to take advantage of opportunities a thriving new colony offered. He arrived in Dunedin in 1874 at the age of 22.

After spending a year in Dunedin, Bulleid headed north to Oamaru to manage the local branch of Messrs A and T Inglis, tailors. Frustrated with simply managing this small business, he soon bought out the proprietors. For John however, bigger was better, and after feeling dissatisfied with the confined premises on Thames Street, he was keen to expand; in 1881 Bulleid constructed a larger building on the site, which was extended again in 1887, 1903 and a further floor was added in 1913. During this period ‘John Bulleid and Co’ grew to become one of New Zealand’s best drapery establishments with a reputation that far exceed that of his competitors. The ‘John Bulleid and Co’ building is still on Thames Street and is currently ‘Farmers’. Next time you’re in the store have a look at the beautiful embellished ceiling in the lingerie department to get an idea of its former glory.

John Bulleid was particularly interested in providing a pleasant workplace for the staff he had working in his department store. On the occasion of his trip to England and Europe in 1892, members of his staff presented him with an illuminated address. They expressed their appreciation for his kindness during the time they had been employed with him and wished both John and Mrs. Bulleid a safe journey. The address was elegantly hand written and designed by a young John Megget Forrester.

While Bulleid was deeply engrossed in the development of his business, his interests regularly went beyond the expansion of ‘John Bulleid and Co’. He has been cited as being an “ardent imperialist”, almost obsessed with a love of England and everything English. His love of Englishness is visible in the Tudor style home he had designed by Forrester and Lemon (possibly John Megget Forrester). The home, named ‘Pen’y’bryn’, is considered to be the “biggest single-storey timber house in the South Island”, and as it was built in a style uncharacteristic of Forrester and Lemon it is thought the fashionable John Bulleid was involved in its design. The home was furnished with furniture obtained by Bulleid whilst travelling through Europe in 1892.

Bulleid was particularly keen in the establishment of a Young Men’s Institute and donated a significant fee to the establishment of such an organisation. He was a lover of the natural world and all things aesthetically pleasing. He was also a keen student of English literature and was often known to quote writers such as Shakespeare and Byron; he had a fantastic memory for poetry and prose.

John Bulleid passed away suddenly in September 1910 at the age of 57. His passing came as a shock to the community who in no way anticipated the death of this popular man. Bulleid was survived by his wife Fanny and their children. Fanny Bulleid passed away in December 1924 at the age of 70.

Written by Shanann Carr, Curator of Archives, February 2009