Papanui Library / Te Kete Wānanga o Papanui

Libraries have a long history in the Papanui area. Community run libraries operated in the community from 1866 until 1978 in several quite varied locations ranging from a Church of England school room to a cinema to a shop to a furniture showroom. The modern library and service centre building on the corner of Langdons Road and Restell Street was opened in 1995.

Early days

The first Papanui Library opened in 1866. Located in the Church of England School room it only lasted a few years. The idea of a library was revived in 1872. In June 1873 the Canterbury Provincial Council made a grant of five thousand pounds to be used for “establishing new and assisting existing Public Libraries, Book Clubs and Institutes in country districts”. Papanui received one hundred pounds.

In July 1873 a public meeting was held to determine the location of the library. By 1875 it was one of five suburban libraries in Christchurch (the others were Waltham, New Brighton and two in St Albans). Papanui also benefited from a Government grant in 1878. As Papanui was outside the city boundaries it did not receive a council subsidy and relied entirely on subscriptions and voluntary labour.

In April 1923 the Papanui Memorial Town Hall and Library opened on the corner of Horner Street and Papanui Road. During the 1930s the Town Hall became a picture theatre, well known first as the Empire, then as the Barclay which finally closed in 1975. By 1950 the library had moved into the cinema building.

Around about 1952 or 1953 a children’s library was added, located up some stairs. This was simply shelving on the wall with curtains which were drawn across when the library was closed. The library continued to be operated by volunteers until 1978, although by this time community run libraries were assisted with stock from Canterbury Public Library.

Modern moves

In the 1970s plans began for a professionally staffed Papanui branch library to be built on the Memorial Hall site. However the council found the costs of building too high at the time and in May 1978 Canterbury Public Library opened a Papanui Branch Library in leased premises in the Roundabout Arcade on the Main North Road next door to Westpac Bank. Papanui was the third professionally staffed community library in the network. Spreydon had opened in 1971 and New Brighton in 1975.

On Monday 31 July, 1989, the library was opened by the mayor of Christchurch Sir Hamish Hay in temporary premises in the former Kovacs furniture showroom. It remained here until the new library and service centre building was constructed. Kovacs showroom had a very distinctive 70s style both inside and out.

Building a new library and service centre

During this time the existing building was built on the corner of Langdons Road and Restell Street and on Saturday 11 February 1995, the new combined Papanui Library and Service centre was officially opened by Mayor Vicki Buck. The new library benefited from the generosity of local businessman Leonard Rathgen who died in 1980. He left $47,000 in the Len and Peggie Rathgen Memorial Trust to be used for the building of a library in the Papanui area.

The new Papanui Library’s floor area was three times that of the old premises and opened with a collection of 40,000 books. The building was originally developed by Ian Harrison and Associates and initially leased, but was purchased by the council soon after the opening. The architects were Willis and Associates.

On opening day, eight-year-old schoolboy Edward Brown was given the honour of cutting the ribbon at the invitation of the Mayor of Christchurch, Vicki Buck. The city’s Town Crier, resplendent in a red and black outfit, rang a school bell to start proceedings and introduced all the speakers.

Leonard Rathgen

Leonard Rathgen was the son of Edward Rathgen, born in Germany, and Charlotte Ponninghaus of Christchurch whose parents were part of the German-Polish community which settled in the Papanui-Marshland area in the 1870s.

Leonard was born in 1903 and married Peggie Cox, a Canadian, in Papanui in 1932. Peggie died on 19 March 1971 and Leonard on 12 February 1980. They are buried together the cemetery of St Paul’s Anglican Church in Papanui. Leonard Rathgen was the owner of Peacock’s Hosiery bar in High Street by the Triangle which was a successful and well know business in Christchurch for many years. His family had a long association with the Papanui area. Leonard also requested that interest from the estate be used to purchase botany and gardening books for the library.

Today Papanui Library remains a bustling library with a wide range of facilities and programmes serving its local community.

References

• From the North Christchurch News Issue, 21 February 1995, p2.