Gerrand's Building (1920s - Former)

According to the Hawera Town Centre Heritage Inventory (TRCT993.482 HAW) this two-storey building was likely to have been constructed in the 1920s - quite possibly in two stages.

Although this has been identified as the "Gerrand's Building" in the Heritage Inventory the business only re-located here in the early 1980s. For most of its time in Hāwera the business operated from a building on the corner of High Street and Regent Streets.

Mr J.B.Gerrand opened a watchmaker and jewellers business in Palmerston North in the early 1900s. About 1928 the company opened a branch in Hāwera. The business stayed in the family for several generations and at the time of the Heritage Inventory (1997), Gerrand's is pictured trading from a ground floor shop in the building above. The business finally closed in 2011.

The early history of the building is somewhat difficult to determine. There is no record of who it was built for, the architect or the builder. Based on Hāwera street directories the most likely date of construction is 1925-26. A number of small businesses are listed in the directories at this address; Weeon Fruiterers, Morris Jewellers and upstairs, The Carlton Tearooms run by Mrs Hoddle and later, Mrs Lewis and Miss Green.

The building was identified as an earthquake risk (Taranaki Daily News 13 February 2015) and was demolished in February/March 2015.