Olveston by priyankainth

OLVESTON A M ARKETING P ERSPECTIVE

O lveston serves as an important heritage gem and tourist attraction for the city of Dunedin. As one of the few Edwardian Houses in the world available for public display, it greatly enhances the cultural heritage value of Dunedin. The beautiful home, originally belonging to the wealthy Theomin family, boasts a wide array of personalized collections that never does fail to marvel the curious tourist. It represents the way of life for the wealthy few during New Zealand’s prime development period of the 1800s. (Appendix A) The home was built for a family with a myriad of interests however it is a true representation of their personalities. (Borrie, 1993)

T ABLE

C ONTENTS

LITERATURE REVIEW 02 HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE 02 FAMILY PROFILES 03 TIMELINE 05 RESEARCH QUESTION 06 MARKETING ISSUES 06 CURRENT MARKET INFORMATION 07 MAJOR MARKET SEGMENTS 09 CURRENT MARKETING INITIATIVES 10 SWOT ANALYSIS 13 RECOMMENDATIONS 17 CONCLUSION 19 REFERENCES 20 APPENDICES 21

LITERATURE REVIEW The literature used to construct this report was from a variety of sources, in order to take full advantage of the information available on Olveston and its broad marketing context. Primary sources included artifacts from the house itself, such as the deed in which Ms. Theomin gifted the house to the city of Dunedin. In order to get the fullest, deepest possible insights about information relating to Olveston’s marketing position and marketing activities, a personal depth interview was conducted with the manager of the house, Jeremy Smith. Secondary research included a full range of periodicals, articles, and reports, found both online and offline, from the Hocken Collection.

HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE According to Hall and McArthur, the “significance of heritage varies according to the values and attribute of different groups and individuals and the nature of the heritage resource itself” (Simes, 1994). Indeed, Dunedin offers a large gathering of heritage and historical sites of great value. Of these sites, tours of Olveston ranks as collecting the largest number of visitors (in terms visits to all attractions, Olveston comes in at 2nd to the Otago Peninsula) (Simes, 1994). The heritage value that surrounds Olveston stems from the unique lifestyle of the prominent Dunedin family, the Theomins (Simes, 1994). It has gained a Category 1 rating from the Historic Places Trust (Appendix A). An important feature is the portrayal of the Jewish Heritage in the house: this comes through in artifacts such as the kitchen designed for kosher cooking, and the two sets of dumbwaiters. Further, the heritage significance of the house can be seen to arise from the intact nature of the artifacts and the context with which they are displayed. Visitors to the house do not feel like they are in a museum, but rather are stepping back into time (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013).

FAMILY PROFILES

D AVID E DWARD T HEOMIN ( PREVIOUSLY B ENJAMIN ) Born in Bristol, England in 1852, he was the third son of Jewish Minister Joseph‐Benjamin Theomin who originated from Eastern Europe (Prussia) to settle in Sherness. England. Once in England, his father discontinued the name Theomin having escaped the difficult climate arising from the Napoleonic Wars, particularly for people of Jewish faith. Establishing permanent security was difficult during that period hence this heavily motivated David to gain permanence in a society where he was welcomed and accepted. Educated in mercantile work in Bristol, he immigrated to Melbourne in 1874 to work with his half‐brother, Abraham. He met and married his wide Marie Michaelis and the couple settled in Dunedin in the 1880s due to the gold discovery in Otago. (Borrie, 1993) He joined the firm of Michaelis, Hallenstein and Farquhar in 1879. Later he established a successful business (D. Benjamin and company) on Princes Street importing jewellery and general goods to meet the needs of the growing settlement. He then formed the Dresden Pianoforte Manufacturing Agency and Company (Bristol Piano Company). In 1885 he changed his last name from Benjamin back to his fathers original Prussian surname (Theomin). Overtime his accomplishments included; serving for the Chambers of Commerce and active President of the Hebrew Congregation. However, his passion for private collection is what contributes to the grandeur of the Olveston house. He was an avid admirer and collector of art, collecting pieces found all over the world, which influenced the collections in the home. The home has over 240 artworks, bronze statues; European, American and Asian antique furniture, 18th century Japanese weaponry etc. Known as a small, gentile, and fashionable man he lived to the ripe old age of eighty‐two. (Borrie, 1993) FUN FACT: Olveston is the name of a vacation town near Bristol where Mr. Theomin used to visit during his childhood years.

M ARIE T HEOMIN Born in 1855, Marie was the daughter of Moritz Michaelis, an established Melbourne businessman. She is best remembered for her active interest in the Plunket Society where she served as Treasurer for a number of years. She demonstrated her active support for mothers and their young children. From 1915 onwards, she became a member of the Welfare Association until her death in 1926, at the age of seventy‐one. (Borrie, 1993) FUN FACT: A framed picture of her Melbourne childhood home lies by the front entrance of the Olveston House.

E DWARD M ORITZ T HEOMIN The only son of the Theomins, Edward was born in 1885 in Dunedin. He was educated at the Otago Boy’s High School and took up employment in his fathers business. He entered WWI from 1914‐1918, which did interfere with his career. He rose in ranks within the army eventually leading up to sergeant level. (Borrie, 1993) He met his future wife Ethel Mocatta in London in 1919, and the couple moved to Dunedin to build a house. Unfortunately, the war

placed a heavy burden on his health and he passed away at the young age of forty‐four in 1928, just two years after his mother. His marriage did not result in any children, which explains the eventual inheritance of the home by the city. (Borrie, 1993) FUN FACT: Edward worked as a warehouseman at his father’s importing business.

D OROTHY M ICHAELIS T HEOMIN Born on Christmas Eve in 1888, she was the only daughter of the Theomins. Her education began at Miss Miller’s School, Braemar, Dunedin, and resumed in England from 1902‐05. She later returned to Dunedin when the house was completed. Her passion for children was demonstrated during her involvement in the Plunket society. One of her final requests for the Olveston home was that children would be able to enjoy the house and as a result many school groups gain access to the home as a educational resource. She lived 33 years more after her father’s death and childless and unmarried, eventually bequeathing the house in 1966 to the city. (Borrie, 1993) FUN FACT: She was heavily active, enjoyed golf, riding, and tramped the Southern Alps many times! (Borrie, 1993)

TIMELINE

187918811884-

D AVID

THEOMIN AND M ARIE THEOMIN DUNEDIN SHORTLY AFTER THEIR MARRIAGE

19041906 1966-

MOVE

M OVED

INTO A HOME CALLED “T HE C OTTAGE ” LOCATED ON THE I LLUSTRIOUS A DDRESS OF ROYAL TERRACE . I T IS THE SITE OF THE PRESENT - DAY OLVESTON .

D AVID SETS UP A GENERAL IMPORTING FIRM CALLED D AVID B ENJAMIN AND C O . THEN LATER ESTABLISHES D RESDEN PIANO COMPANY AND SAW YERS BAY TANNERY . H AVING ESTABLISHED HIMSELF HE SETS OUT TO BUILD STATUS .

1902-

HOME

SUITING

HIS

NEW

FOUND

D AVID

PURCHASES ADJACENT PROPERTIES AND THE EXISTING VILLA IS DEMOLISHED FOR A NEW HOME . B RITISH ARCHITECT SIR ERNEST GEORGE IS COMIMISSIONED TO BUILD THE JACOBEAN STYLE MANSION . I T WAS HIS ONLY HOUSE DESIGNED IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISHPHERE . L OCATED AT 42 ROYAL TERRACE , DUNEDIN , THE OLVESTON HOME IS BUILT . I T FITS 35 ROOMS AND COVERS MORE THAT 1276 SQUARE METERS . F ITTED W ITH MODERN CONVENIENCES INCLUDING A HEATED TOW EL RAIL , ELEXTRICITY , CENTRAL HEATING AND A TELEPHONE SYSTEM .

M ISS D OROTHY THEOMIN BEQUEATHS THE HOME TO THE CITY . T HIS WILL W AS MADE 20 YEARS PRIOR HER DEATH . T HE CITY COUNCIL WAS RELUCTANT TO TAKE IT DUE TO COST OF MAINTENANCE , BUT A LOBBY BY THEOMIN ’ S FRIENDS WAS SUCCESSFUL . T HEOMIN

>1967-

G ALLERY M ANAGEMENT C OMMITTEE IS ESTABLISHED TO ADMINISTER THE PROPERTY . I N THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OPENING OVER 15,000 PEOPLE VISITIED AND 20 YEARS LATER , IT RECEIVED MORE THAN 1 MILLION VISITORS . (A LL

INFORMATION FROM

B URGESS , 2007)

RESEARCH QUESTION Olveston is one of Dunedin’s prominent tourist attractions. However, there seems to be an atmosphere of unfulfilled potential surrounding the historic site: although Olveston is well recognized amongst international tourists, it does not maintain top‐of‐the‐ mind awareness amongst local residents of Dunedin or surrounding regions (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). Further, faced with infrastructural challenges such as budget, resources, staff, and political agendas, Olveston is essentially a valuable resource that is not being taken full advantage of. Through our research, we attempt to answer the following question: “from a thorough marketing perspective, what can be done to bolster Olveston’s status as a crucial historical tourism site in Dunedin?”

MARKETING ISSUES

As Olveston house passes from one era to the next, it has also recently changed hands with respect to internal management and stewardship. In October 2012, it was relinquished from the 21‐year management provided by Grant Barron, and shifted hands to Jeremy Smith, the former general manager of Fortune Theatre (Manins, 2012). In order to determine the main internal tenets of Olveston’s marketing objectives, issues, and aspects, we conducted an in depth interview with Mr. Smith. The interview revolved around Olveston’s context within tourism‐marketing dichotomy: the Marketing practices that Olveston undertakes are primarily constructed by Jeremy himself, and key information regarding internal metrics, visitor numbers, sought and historic target markets, and constraints were uncovered through this form of primary research.

Although Olveston has had a positive year in terms of visitors to the house and revenue, Mr. Smith has stated that there is room for improvement overall: “I feel like we’ve had a great year, certainly, but that doesn’t mean things can’t be improved. Compared to historical points in time, you can see that tourism from some sources are down” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). The main issues that Olveston house currently faces stem from its internal weaknesses, and external factors, which result in Olveston’s failure to thrive. In order to categorize these issues in a systematic fashion, the decision was made to organize the research conducted with Mr. Smith around the framework of the SWOT analysis. However, before the SWOT analysis can be conducted, a detailed portrait of the current marketing environment that surrounds Olveston must be described.

CURRENT MARKET INFORMATION

TARGET MARK ET

The Target Market represents the ideal set of visitors for Olveston. This section is designed to categorize these ideal visitors into segments, and to place them within the broader context of Dunedin and New Zealand tourism.

TOURISM IN DUNEDIN

TOURISM TO OLVESTON

In total, 813,753 guest nights were recorded in the year ending October 2012 in Dunedin, down 5.1% from 2011 (Research & Statistics). This can be divided up amongst domestic tourists and international tourists, with 61% of this figure comprising domestics, and 39% representing internationals (Research & Statistics). It is important to note that while domestic tourism was up 5%, international tourism was down 17.8% from 2011 (Research & Statistics), so the aforementioned percentages may not provide an accurate description of past or future trends.

In Regards to Olveston, approximately 33,000 people visit the site each year (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). Numbers of visitor’s fluctuate depending on the season (Simes, 1994). Tourists can roughly be divided into the following three categories: pre‐packaged tour groups, school and special interest groups, and independent visitors (Simes, 1994). Repeat visitors can be quite lucrative, and are a common occurrence. International travellers, who begin their tourism ventures by abiding by pre‐ packaged and planned itineraries, will mature as travellers to revisit destinations they have already experienced, but as independent travellers (Simes, 1994).

MOTIV ATIONS The motivations of tourists can be difficult to fully comprehend, due to the large diversity of the tourist mix (Simes, 1994). One commonality that was noted was an appreciation of heritage in general; this appreciation can manifest itself as a desire to learn more about Dunedin and New Zealand heritage in general (Simes, 1994), which would explain increased visits to Olveston from this group. School tours may be generally non‐ committal, and may not reflect the interest of the tourists themselves; rather, they are likely to be a part of a package for a course, or a feature of the agenda for the paper (Simes, 1994).

MAJOR MARKET SEGMENTS BUS TOURS Bus markets used to represent a major source of incoming tourists to Olveston, and to an extent, still does. “Pretty much every bus company out there, we’ve dealt with” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013).

CRUISE SHIPS Currently, Olveston has a marketing budget of about $15,000 per year, which Mr. Smith expends according to the marketing strategies he plans out (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). The cruise ship market has largely replaced the bus market as the dominant segment. Mr. Smith estimates that about 1 in 10 cruise ship passengers eventually find their way to Olveston. “When you think about it, that’s a great number” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013).

RELATIVES OF STUDENTS The relatives of students, who come down to Dunedin to attend ceremonies such as graduation, often visit Olveston while they are not spending time with their children. Although not a major market currently, Mr. Smith sees the great opportunity this segment poses.

CURRENT MARKETING INITIATIVES BUDGET

Currently, Olveston has a marketing budget of about $15,000 per year, which Mr. Smith expends according to the marketing strategies he plans out (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013).

MARK ET RES EARCH Olveston’s main marketing research strategy utilizes the collection and management of a large email database, with which critical information is gathered about main tourist segments, and through which promotional material is disseminated. However, the extent of the marketing research that Olveston does not go far past this point. In the interview with Mr. Smith, after a prompt about tourist typography, Smith admitted that he had little idea what the motivations of tourists visiting Olveston were.

BRAND

Olveston’s brand represents a complex product offering to the market in a manner that encourages salience, awareness, and communication of value in a memorable fashion. The brand value can be seen to stem from the inherent value of the collection itself; the Theomins used the collection for purposeful, rather than ornamental value (Simes, 1994), and this influence has dictated the way the collection is used to this day. Performances occur frequently in the house, often using the original piano, the kitchen is functional, and the plumbing is operational (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). This appearance of being frozen in time creates a uniqueness that is not found in other museums or historical houses. As the “experience” of the house, being an active, rather than passive connotation, is pertinent to the value proposition, the Olveston communicates its brand as the “Olveston Experience” (Simes, 1994). (Appendix B)

ADVERTISING

The main forms of advertising conducted are through free or paid listings on travel advisory agencies. These organizations provide tourists with information on top‐ rated destinations, and can greatly encourage or influence visitation to listed sites. “If it’s free, I’m there” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013), declares Smith. Currently, Smith actively pays for the inclusion of Olveston in such sources as the Otago Motel Association, the Yellowpages, and New Zealand Tourim. Olveston also pays for information to be included at the Dunedin i‐Site (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). Advertising in the local newspaper is a major source of free publicity for Olveston. Inclusion of promotions in the Otago Daily Times is actively pursued; further, promotional materials are given by Tourism Dunedin, and high quality brochures can be found at accommodation establishments, such as hotels, motels, and hostels, throughout Otago (Simes, 1994).

SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTH: UNIQU E PRODUCT OFFERING The strengths section refers to the internal structures, systems, and nodes of value that Olveston either actively harnesses, or could potentially harness to imbue their marketing strategy with superiority. According to Mr. Smith, the major strength that Olveston possesses lies within the highly differentiated product offering, which is, in his opinion, unlike anything other historic site. (Appendix C) The essence of Olveston House’s product is inherent to its initial establishment, which shaped the way it evolved into what it is today. Mr. Smith explains that “intention of the gift that Ms. Theomin provided to us was to use it in a way which is described by the deed to the house” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). In the deed, Ms. Theomin stipulates a clause that dictates how she foresees the house being put to use in the future. “The Theomin Gallery is to be used as a public art gallery, museum or premises for the exhibition of: paintings, drawings, other pictures, sculptures, objects of art, vertu, other articles or objects of public or historical interest; for literary and musical gatherings; recitals; exhibitions...” (Deed of Agreement, 1995). The house requires payment of an entrance fee in order to visit it, which can be used as an example to attest to the robustness of the product offering. In a competitive environment where there are many free attractions, Olveston still manages to attract 33,000 people a year, and as many as 40,000 (Burgess, 2007). According to Smith, the main source of product differentiation, and thus uniqueness, not only arises from the collection itself; the maintenance of the collection gives the house an atmosphere of intimacy and liveliness, and “gives the museum the feeling that you could just walk into one of the rooms and start living here” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). This atmosphere is reinforced by the interactive guided tours, which are currently the only way of seeing the interior of Olveston. Olveston also includes a number of specialized product offerings as part of its appeal, including options for weddings, exhibitions, and performances (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013).

WEA KNESS ES

Capacity “I would say our main weakness is capacity; not ability, but capacity” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). Even though Olveston is brimming with a talented set of staff, there is still a need for greater numbers of people in order to fulfill the entire range of product maintenance, and to maximize their product offering. This lack of size is not only apparent in numbers of staff; the building itself is relatively small to similar historic sites in Dunedin, which can limit the logistics for types of events that can take place at Olveston: “We will never do a wedding for more than 200 people, as opposed to the [Larnach] castle” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). Further infrastructural hindrances, such as the lack of a commercial kitchen, similarly limits the kind of events and activities that can occur outside the realm of standard guided tours: “So many of these [kind of events] require food. We don’t have a commercial kitchen, and it’s unlikely ever to happen, as a submitting a development proposal would set the wheels in motion for all kinds of expensive fire protection, safety concerns...” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). During peak times, the number of visitors poses a serious burden on staff and infrastructure (Simes, 1994). Physical Location Within Dunedin, Olveston house is noted as being discouraging to visit due to its location at the top of a series of steep hills. “People start climbing the hill, and they just turn away. I know that from groups that walk up from George St. They’ll say things like ‘oh, we were ten, but now there’s just two of us, the hill was a bit much for our friends’” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). Financial Situation Olveston is largely constrained by the limits of its financial budget, and the high maintenance costs, which have been stated as being up to $500,000 per year (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). Further, Olveston’s finances are agendized, which can make spontaneous spending expensive: “We don’t have a bank account, so our financial processing is done through them. Money goes into their bank account, and then comes to us. We’re an agenda, a line item on their ledger” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). It can be seen how issues such as this are linked to the political economy of Dunedin, and how the production and distribution of wealth gets distributed to sites such as Olveston.

OPPORTUNITIES The opportunities and threats section refers to features of the external operating environment. Opportunities are aspects that Olveston could actively take advantage of and capitalize on, and threats are imposed challenges that can be difficult to overcome. Word Of Mouth Currently, there is a huge potential for positive word of mouth (WOM) to attract more visitors and tourists. “I believe positive WOM is something very achievable, something we currently lack, and is possibly our greatest opportunity right now” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). However, WOM marketing initiatives are currently not undertaken to a great degree. Social Media, one of the most critical components of driving WOM (Fanning, 2013), is not pursued heavily by Olveston. According to Smith: “I’m not the best guy for Social Media, and we don’t do much of it because it would need to be me doing most of it. We did recently set up a Facebook page, I don’t use Twitter so we don’t do Twitter at all. I can see the value in Social Media, though” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). Local Tourism If WOM is the instigator to drive tourism, then the market that is most opportunistic for this type of affect is the local tourism industry. Although Olveston is internationally renowned, and is visited frequently by these international tourists, amongst domestic tourists it is not visited very frequently (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). However, there are many different opportunistic avenues through which increased domestic tourism could be catalyzed. Recently, economic downturns have occurred in New Zealand, affecting citizens of Dunedin (Gibb, 2008). However, these circumstances could actually bolster local visitation to Olveston, as residents of Dunedin search for more economical forms of tourism (Gibb, 2008). Amongst residents, novel market segments have been prospected as lucrative new target markets. WOM could be used in tandem with the targeting of these new segments, to systematically strengthen a marketing approach. These new segments include the family members of students, who often travel to Dunedin for school events such as graduations, and possibly, at some point, the students themselves: “The student market is very difficult to crack. Maybe one day they’d be interesting to us, but more immediately, the aunts, uncles, parents and relatives‐ all those people that come down to Dunedin for graduations and the like‐ would be a great market for us. They’re always looking for something to do while they’re taking a break from visiting their kid” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013).

THR EA TS The Competitive Environment Olveston is in competition with a number of tourism sites. While the main direct competition was noted to be Larnach Castle and the Otago Museum, indirect competition, in the form of Cadbury’s, Speights, and the Public Library can be just as detrimental to visitor numbers, because of the free or inexpensive nature of the specific attraction. Industry Landscape Although the market is growing overall, it is being absorbed by tourist destinations outside Dunedin (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013). “People are just going other places, mainly to Queenstown. Australia is a huge market for New Zealand, and this market is shifting to China. A lot of this mass Chinese visitation is going to Auckland, Rotorua...it’s coming down to Queenstown, but not quite making it to Dunedin” (J. Smith, personal communication, May 26th, 2013).

RECOMMENDATIONS The purpose of the above information was provided deep‐seated insight into the issues that underlie tourism and visitation to Olveston, from a marketing perspective. The following recommendations consider these pieces of evidence, and help to provide Olveston with the means to increase the number of visitors to the site.

INCREA SE SOCIAL MEDIA One of the strongest opportunities that Olveston possesses is the potential for increased WOM to promote, advertise, and inevitably attract more visitors is the Social Media presence that it could install into its regular promotions. Social Media has the power to connect individuals on a personal level, and can inspire emotions that other forms of advertising cannot. WOM is especially important in this case because of the need to attract more local visitors, which should become one of the main target markets. Social media is the perfect outlet for integrating local residents into the activities, events, and news that surrounds Olveston. It has the power to bind communities together, and to instill feelings of kinship; these emotions will undoubtedly attach themselves to the value of the “Olveston Experience” brand, and will become an important brand attribute in the future. Potential campaigns can support the overall Olveston experience wherein users can share their own experiences either through the Facebook page or a Pinterest account. Geo‐location tagging can allow the campaigns to be localized thereby generating WOM. Improvements to the website i.e. online booking can also update the website to competitors’ current standards.

INCREA SE MARK ET RES EARCH INITIATIV ES

Unfortunately, valuable data that could have been used to make effective marketing suggestions was not available to us. Information like Tourist Typography (the level of cognitive, purposive determination to visit a site, or lack thereof) could have been used to further assess gaps in the current target market, flaws in current marketing activities, and potential opportunities. In the future, it is recommended that Olveston actively pursue the collection of this type of evidence. This could be done through surveys, either given on‐site, or that make use of the large email database that has been collected under the structure of presently instituted marketing activities. Information on demographics, reasons for visiting (which should help understand tourist typography more accurately, depending on the type of questions used), and areas of individual interest could be collected and studied to further contextualize Olveston’s marketing environment.

CONCLUSION

Via the thorough marketing analysis conducted, using many types of primary and secondary sources as research, including in‐depth personal interviews with the current Manager of Olveston, a better picture of how Olveston fits in to the tourism environment of Dunedin, and the even broader tourism industry of New Zealand can be uncovered. Through this study, a firm grasp of the success and failures of current marketing activities, of major target markets and potential lucrative markets, and of the contextual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were entrenched. From this platform, two recommendations in order to help bolster future tourism to Olveston were summarized: to target the potentially prosperous local visitor market using social media activities to emphasize WOM, and to enhance and add to market research initiatives. Dunedin is a jewel of a city, with rich cultural, social, political, and economic heritage, and Olveston is perhaps the perfect setting for this multi‐faceted gemstone. The house has a unique product offering, possibly unlike any other in New Zealand. It keeps the Theomin’s alive in this respect, and is truly able to offer a heartily respectable “Olveston Experience”.

REFERENCES Borrie, J. (1976). Olveston. Dunedin: Management Committee, Theomin Gallery. Burgess, Linda. Historic houses : a visitor's guide to 65 early New Zealand houses. Auckland, N.Z: Random HOuse, 2007. Print. Collections, H. (2010). Architects and Architecture. Friends of the Hocken Collections, 60, 6‐7. Deed of agreement, Page 2 (1995). Fanning, S. (2013). The relationship between word of mouth & social media. Retrieved 5/22, 2013, from http://www.womma.org/blog/2013/04/the‐ relationship‐between‐word‐of‐mouth‐social‐media Gibb, J. (2008, ). More kiwi visitors hoped for. Otago Daily Times, pp. 1. John, B. (1993). The Olveston experience : Dunedin's historic home, New Zealand. Dunedin: Theomin Gallery Management Committee. Manins, R. (2012, ). Olveston's manager leaves property in good shape. Otago Daily Times, pp. 1 Simes, D. (1994). Olveston: an assessment of the heritage significance of Olveston as an historic site and structure. Dunedin: Simes. Tourism Dunedin Statistics. (n.d.). Tourism Dunedin. Retrieved May 14, 2013, from www.dunedinnz.com/visit/corporate/research‐statistics‐reporting

APPENDIX A O LVESTON H OME

Source: The Olveston Experience Tour (www.olveston.co.nz)

S C U L L E R Y

E D W A R D

B A T H R O O M

B U T L E R S

M A S T E R

L I B R A R Y

B I L L I A R D S

T H E H A L L

HISTO RIC PLA CES TRUST: O LVESTO N

“Built with every modern convenience, Olveston was fitted with central heating, a shower, a heated towel rail, an internal telephone system, a service lift, a food mixer, and even an electric toaster. The house had 35 rooms (including a vestibule, hall, drawing room, bedrooms, billiard room, card room (or Persian room), kitchen, scullery, butler’s pantry, library and dining room) with a total floor area of 1276 m². A galleried atrium rose through the ground and upper floors and served as a ball room. A mezzanine balcony was an eyrie from which to watch the dancing. The London firm of Green & Abbott were responsible for much of the interior design, including the English oak joinery. The original wallpapers mere manufactured in Buffalo, New York and selected by the Theomins on one of their trips to America. The house was grandly furnished with expensive art, textiles, furniture, ornaments and other treasures from all over the world. The exterior walls of Olveston are constructed of brick and plaster with a Moeraki gravel finish and faced with Oamaru stone. It has mullioned windows, Dutch gables, and impressive chimneys. There are crenellations over the bays, and a tower. The roof is Marseilles tiles. Olveston became the centre for arts and culture ‐ business meetings, affairs of the Jewish community, as well as arts and philanthropic gatherings,. In 1907 Marie became deeply involved with the Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children (later the Plunket Society) and Dorothy took over the running of Olveston. A friend, observed that under her supervision Olveston 'ran on oiled wheels' ‐ and with the help of seven servants. Olveston’s architectural distinction and its collections record the Theomin’s sumptuous life in Edwardian New Zealand give Olveston special significance. The house reflects the lifestyle enjoyed by the colonial elite, one of the most outstanding records of this period in New Zealand. It contains over 240 original paintings, Jacobean design styl This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. The following text is the original citation considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. This grand residence built between 1904 and 1906 for D E Theomin a wealthy Dunedin businessman, was designed by Sir Ernest George one of the most distinguished British domestic architects of the time. . The house is built in brick, rendered with Moeraki pebble dash finish and has facings in Oamaru stone. The picturesque composition and massing of Dutch gables and towers, derive from English Jacobean houses, notably Holland House in London. The house is also reminiscent of the Elizabethan mansion, Kirby Hall, in Northhamptonshire. . Olveston shows great attention to form, harmony and proportions. The architectural details are an eclectic combination of tall mullioned bay windows, classical portico, prominent chimneys, crenellations, battlements and turrets. . The house was modern for its time and included the latest domestic equipment. Many fine possessions, including furniture, china, silverware and paintings are on display in the gracious interior. The house was bequeathed to the Dunedin City Council in 1966 by D E Theomin's daughter, Dorothy. It has been preserved as a house museum” (Historic Places Trust). . Olveston is quite unrelated to the development of New Zealand domestic architecture. It is an outstanding illustration of Jacobean design and one of New Zealand's grandest urban houses.

APPENDIX B O LVESTON E XPERIENCE

APPENDIX C D EEDS

TO THE

H OUSE

the course of the ongoing care of the property.

MA INTENAC E A ND CA RE “The trust deed prepared in 1967 and revised in 1996, is the governing document which establishes the manner in which Olveston is to be operated as an historic house open to the public. The deed provides, and indeed charges, the trustees to maintain the gift in a sound, efficient and responsible manner. The ingredients of this role are encompassed in The Theomin Gallery's statement of purpose prepared in 1992, prior to the commencement of the significant programmes carried out over the past decade. Some of the programmes are highlighted in this section. Mr David Theomin's personal book plate quotes "Let things be done shipshape and Bristol fashion." This quotation is ever present in the minds of the management committee. Maintenance programmes are researched and carried out in a manner that conforms and complements the overall original style, design and way of life that the Theomin family enjoyed at Olveston, while taking account of the historical classification and significance of the asset. The trust is grateful for the detailed and invaluable assistance it receives from many sources through the course of the ongoing care of the property. The collections are under constant scrutiny and where appropriate rectification work is carried out. Olveston has over 240 original pictures on display in the house. The works are maintained with the assistance of a professional conservator. Some of the background care provided is painstaking in its detail and this site offers a glimpse of the work accomplished. Original rugs and carpets are cared for either while on display or in storage. Visitors do not walk on original pieces but careful replication of some items has enabled the ambience of the original design, colour and atmosphere to be appreciated while original items are preserved. Visitors often remark that Olveston feels very much "lived in" and this is a special quality nurtured by the management committee.” (Olveston Experience website, www.olveston.co.nz)