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
Maker of
![Hotel at Whangamomona for Robert J. Campbell [plan]; 11 Nov 1911; ARC2003-690](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/535/6b257987a5483d8e3bd5d84f2cd9c0389577bc45.jpg)
![Plan of Cottage at Te Ngutu-O-Te-Manu Domain [plan]; 1914; ARC2003-700](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/539/feb92c3b9e35cd4c1a45dbff7389a6cfce019934.jpg)
![Band Room Manaia for Band Committee [plan]; 22 Mar 1912; ARC2003-660](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83011/267980e50f398a469d30826e4a2d3430c0a6de3c.jpg)
![Residence at Kaponga for P.W. Allen [plan]; 21 Apr 1914; ARC2003-703](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83025/8f55bb9e7bc72cadeeeeccdc365fb07bc40a0e0e.jpg)
![Allhusen Residence and Milking Shed [plans]; 1917; ARC2003-1098](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83026/acb9dae3db3783d8bb1d653048efcdf6b061bca2.jpg)
![Residence at Eltham for W.T. Bailey [plan]; [Unknown]; ARC2003-1103](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83046/01077274d30dc24d19537e41c1a6a7ad5c5ad557.jpg)
![Residence at Hawera for Jas. Baker [plan]; 30 May 1914; ARC2003-704](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83047/0cb760907f1250dd3659220941836d1dbe725916.jpg)
![Residence for Mr L.G. Beamish, Hawera [plan]; [Unknown]; ARC2003-1105](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83049/4d4cbbd0086a2e883394261744201b71c32b6fb4.jpg)
![Residence at Okaiawa for Mr A.L. Bremer [plan]; [Unknown]; ARC2003-1117](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83064/bad60d2ce16b0be57723ac3ca22d645da7a81399.jpg)
![Residence at Hawera for Mr Brodie [plan]; 18 Nov 1912; ARC2003-661](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83067/b20fc39da113f175ca8473be4f0e4b09ac6d2635.jpg)
Subject of
Name/Title:
Duffill, Mary
Production date:
1998
Accession number:
ARC2002-292
See full details
![Mr. J.A. Duffill House Argyle Street [plan]; [Unknown]; ARC2003-1146](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83404/6bb80192579557229d8ced915a3394e06f652be9.jpg)
![Residence at Eltham for W. Lewin Esq. [plan]; [Unknown]; ARC2004-1104](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83910/1ee6a971f1352ed182e8ee6c24ea38cfbddc4354.jpg)
Name/Title:
Duffill, Mary
Production date:
2005
Accession number:
ARC2005-212
See full details
Name/Title:
Fryer, Arthur
Production date:
2005
Accession number:
ARC2005-213
See full details
Name/Title:
Duffill family
Accession number:
ARC2007-22
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![Residence at Eltham for W.T. Bailey [plan]; [Unknown]; ARC2003-1103](https://collection.pukeariki.com/records/images/medium/83046/01077274d30dc24d19537e41c1a6a7ad5c5ad557.jpg)