Thomas Bates (1873-1954)

Thomas Herbert Bates was born in Adelaide on 22 December 1873. He grew up there, training at the local School of Mines and married Emma Watson with whom he has six children, four daughters and two sons. 

In 1900 Bates travelled to Britain to work but moved to San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake to help with the reconstruction for a couple of years. Around 1908 he arrived in Auckland and was offered a contract at Auckland Grammar School. 

In 1916 Bates moved to New Plymouth to supervise the building of the auditorium of the Everybody's Theatre (which became the Mayfair) on behalf of Auckland architects Grierson and Aimer. He then completed a similar contract for Frederick de Jersey Clere's AMP Building on the corner of Devon and Egmont Streets (now Peggy Gordon's Irish pub).  

Soon after this he set up business on his own account on the first floor of the old King's Building on the corner of Brougham and Devon. His first project was designing and constructing the McEwan's Building in King Street (demolished 1996) and in 1925-26 he built his own offices in the Empire (now Victoria) Building alongside.  

From 1918 through the 1920s and 1930s, Bates was the predominant figure in New Plymouth's commercial building-design field. He had arrived in the town at a time of great change, with experience in the burgeoning use of concrete for construction and with a respect for the devastating effects of a major earthquake. Many of the late 19^th century wooden facades of Devon Street's commercial heart were, at the time, nearing the end of their useful lives. New technology, social systems and community expectations were overturning the old order following the upheaval of the First World War.

Of more immediate impact, however, was the disastrous fire of 22 July 1916, which destroyed the Theatre Royal and a number of surrounding buildings. The fire all but cleared the Devon Street block from Queen to King and Egmont Streets, except for the White Hart Hotel. It is this block that now contains the greatest concentration of Bates' work.

Perhaps Thomas Bates' greatest legacy to Taranaki is his 1924-25 Opera House - now the TSB Showplace - which continues to serve the community. When completed, the building was acclaimed for its elegance and impressive acoustics and remains one of the district's most notable structures.

During the 1930s he was also responsible for a number of the new generation of enlarged, concrete dairy factories in the region. His last contract was the refurbishment of the Criterion Hotel (now demolished) for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in January 1954.

His daughter, Maud Walker, was a talented draughtsperson and drew many of the elegant watercolour plans for her father.

Throughout his life Thomas Bates was involved with local and national cricket administration, being at various times Taranaki Provincial Committee Chairman and Chair of the New Zealand Association.

Thomas Bates was killed in a BOAC airliner crash at Singapore Airport in 1954, along with 32 others, whilst on a flight to London.