Post Office

The former Post Office stands on the site of Cambridge’s earlier postal building and represents more than a century of local communication history. It officially opened on 15 February 1908, attended by Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward, highlighting its national as well as local significance. 

The building combined public and private functions. The Postmaster lived upstairs, a common arrangement in early 1900s New Zealand. As technology changed, these rooms were later converted into the town’s telephone exchange. 

Clock Tower
A prominent original feature was the clock tower. It was removed after the 1931 Napier Earthquake, when many masonry towers were taken down for safety. The clock was later relocated to the tower in front of the Town Hall. 

Royal Crests
Metal archway grills display the crests of Edward VII and Edward VIII. The building was constructed during Edward VII’s reign, extended in 1916, and further enlarged during Edward VIII’s brief reign in 1936, making the dual crests a rare feature in New Zealand. 

Post Office, Victoria St, Cambridge

Architectural details 

The corners of the building are emphasised with banded stone blocks, helping frame the structure visually. Around the doors and windows are raised decorative mouldings that add depth and detail. The arched windows and doorways are made from wedge-shaped bricks that lock together to form the curve. Under the roofline, the ends of the rafters are left exposed, adding texture beneath the eaves. 

The windows are side-hinged casement windows. Above some doors and windows sit arched fanlights filled with divided panes of glass, allowing extra light inside.

Details