John Alfred Duffill
Date of birth / Date established
1883
Date of death / Date closed
1967
Person/Corporate type
Individual
Biography
John Alfred Duffill was born in Hawera in 1883. His father was a carpenter and cabinet maker and the family moved with his business; first to Inglewood and later to Wellington. Here, Duffill completed high school and his studies in architecture. In those days, a university course on the subject was not offered, so Duffill learned by taking night school classes and apprenticing with a local architect. He was soon teaching at the night school, although he was only a few classes ahead of his students.
Duffill moved back to Taranaki in 1910 and joined the Eltham based firm of J.W. Rough. Duffill quickly made his mark on the town by assisting in the design of the Eltham Town Hall and neighbouring municipal building. After one year Rough decided to return home to England. Duffill moved the practice to Hawera and carried on alone until he was joined by Stephen Gibson in 1916. Gibson took over the responsibility for residential design and created many of the popular Californian bungalows in the area. This left Duffill free to focus on his passion for designing technically difficult buildings like hospitals and dairy factories. The partnership was successful and lasted 29 years until Gibson’s death in 1945. Duffill continued working for two more years, at first alone and later with Graeme Laurenson and S. Townsend. Duffill retired in 1947 after completing his last major project, a lactose factory in Kapuni. John Alfred Duffill died on 7 August 1967 at the age of 84. His legacy lives on through his buildings and through the Hawera architectural firm which 95 years later, is now known as Cowie, Rockell and Chong.
Duffill moved back to Taranaki in 1910 and joined the Eltham based firm of J.W. Rough. Duffill quickly made his mark on the town by assisting in the design of the Eltham Town Hall and neighbouring municipal building. After one year Rough decided to return home to England. Duffill moved the practice to Hawera and carried on alone until he was joined by Stephen Gibson in 1916. Gibson took over the responsibility for residential design and created many of the popular Californian bungalows in the area. This left Duffill free to focus on his passion for designing technically difficult buildings like hospitals and dairy factories. The partnership was successful and lasted 29 years until Gibson’s death in 1945. Duffill continued working for two more years, at first alone and later with Graeme Laurenson and S. Townsend. Duffill retired in 1947 after completing his last major project, a lactose factory in Kapuni. John Alfred Duffill died on 7 August 1967 at the age of 84. His legacy lives on through his buildings and through the Hawera architectural firm which 95 years later, is now known as Cowie, Rockell and Chong.
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John Alfred Duffill
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Name/Title:
Hotel at Whangamomona for Robert J. Campbell [plan]
Production date:
11 Nov 1911
Accession number:
ARC2003-690
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Name/Title:
Plan of Cottage at Te Ngutu-O-Te-Manu Domain [plan]
Production date:
1914
Accession number:
ARC2003-700
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Name/Title:
Band Room Manaia for Band Committee [plan]
Production date:
22 Mar 1912
Accession number:
ARC2003-660
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Name/Title:
Residence at Kaponga for P.W. Allen [plan]
Production date:
21 Apr 1914
Accession number:
ARC2003-703
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Name/Title:
Allhusen Residence and Milking Shed [plans]
Production date:
1917
Accession number:
ARC2003-1098
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Name/Title:
Residence at Eltham for W.T. Bailey [plan]
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[Unknown]
Accession number:
ARC2003-1103
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Name/Title:
Residence at Hawera for Jas. Baker [plan]
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30 May 1914
Accession number:
ARC2003-704
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Residence for Mr L.G. Beamish, Hawera [plan]
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[Unknown]
Accession number:
ARC2003-1105
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Residence at Okaiawa for Mr A.L. Bremer [plan]
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[Unknown]
Accession number:
ARC2003-1117
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Name/Title:
Residence at Hawera for Mr Brodie [plan]
Production date:
18 Nov 1912
Accession number:
ARC2003-661
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Subject of
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Name/Title:
Duffill, Mary
Production date:
1998
Accession number:
ARC2002-292
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Name/Title:
Mr. J.A. Duffill House Argyle Street [plan]
Production date:
[Unknown]
Accession number:
ARC2003-1146
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Name/Title:
Residence at Eltham for W. Lewin Esq. [plan]
Production date:
[Unknown]
Accession number:
ARC2004-1104
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Name/Title:
Duffill, Mary
Production date:
2005
Accession number:
ARC2005-212
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Name/Title:
Fryer, Arthur
Production date:
2005
Accession number:
ARC2005-213
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Name/Title:
Duffill family
Accession number:
ARC2007-22
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Name/Title:
John Duffill, Taranaki Buildings
Production date:
2013
Accession number:
PHO2015-0207
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Name/Title:
John Alfred Duffill
Production date:
Circa 1890
Accession number:
PHO2007-037
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Name/Title:
Suggestion plan of combined butter and cheese factory suitable for Kaupokonui Cooperative Dairy Factory
Production date:
1911
Accession number:
ARC2011-085
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Name/Title:
Residence at Eltham for W.T. Bailey [plan]
Production date:
[Unknown]
Accession number:
ARC2003-1103
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