Whites Building/MSL Building (1941)

This building is located on the corner of Currie Street and Currie Lane. 

Originally a wooden building known as Wembley House, it was completely rebuilt by Whites Limited in 1941. This new reinforced concrete building was designed by the firm Griffiths and Syme. The contractor was the builder Harold Rowe.

In 1957 the building was bought by the firm Marketing Services Limited, a wholesale importing firm. Presumably, it was about this time that the lettering on the façade changed from Whites Limited to MSL.

According to the newspaper report (see below) advising of the above change in ownership the site has had many owners over the years. In 1901 it was a bakery owned by Mr. J.F. Buchannan, later it was milliners shop, an auctioneers premises and even a cafeteria called "Poppa's". In the 1950s the building was also occupied by the Internal Affairs Department and Masefield Fabrics Ltd. The Taranaki Daily News occupied it briefly while their new building was being built.

More recently the gift shop "Habitat" occupied the retail outlet on the street frontage.

Related document:

Whites New Currie Street Premises (Newspaper reports from the Fred Butler collection at Puke Ariki)