Whanganui building is site of NZ’s first Rainbow heritage listing
Published on 01 May 2023
Joint media release
New Zealand’s first Rainbow heritage listing is the site of blackmail, attempted murder and the hidden scandal of a gay Whanganui mayor in 1920 that makes the latest Heritage New Zealand Category 1 listing truly unique.
The heritage values of Duigan’s Building at 23 Ridgway Street, Whanganui, have been officially acknowledged by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga through the addition of Duigan’s Building to the New Zealand Heritage List / Rārangi Kōrero on 11 May as not only New Zealand’s newest Category 1 historic place but also as the first new list entry to result from Heritage New Zealand’s Rainbow List Project, recognising its value as taonga for Aotearoa’s LGBTQI+ communities.
Listing nominator James Barron sees the 103-year-old story of 1920 Whanganui Mayor Mackay’s downfall as very contemporary story. “The Whanganui Incident is a story too good to be lost to history! Starting with Whanganui's best (but gay and deeply closeted) mayor, it journeys through the Prince of Wales’ visit, intrigue, blackmail, attempted murder, scandal, jail, exile and ends with the police shooting of Mackay in Berlin in the Blutmai 1929 riots that helped the Nazi’s gain power.
“It also is current story with Mackay being not only the first self-professed homosexual in New Zealand but also our recorded victim of conversion therapy – quackery only banned in NZ in 2022.”
Historian Paul Diamond, author of 2022 book Downfall: the Destruction of Charles Mackay, says it is remarkable that what was Mackay's office has survived largely unaltered, making it easier to imagine the tragedy that unfolded there in May 1920. “Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is to be commended for its ‘Rainbow List’ initiative, which will help ensure sites such as this endure for future generations to learn about prejudice and resilience.”
Downfall: the Destruction of Charles Mackay is shortlisted for the Ockham NZ Book Awards with the judges saying, “This beautifully produced and generous book is a fascinating account of an extraordinary moment in small-town colonial New Zealand with its vivid line-up of characters, a revenge plot, blackmail and local Pākehā political intrigue. Alongside gripping, skilled and elegant popular historical storytelling, readers will find well-researched and closely observed insights into aspects of our national character, and our struggles with social decency.”
Acting Whanganui mayor, Helen Craig, comments, “Seeing, touching and knowing our history is a basic human need. Whanganui has many heritage stories but this listing is unique and personal, bringing out of the shadows the homophobic prejudice of the time that caused the downfall of someone as talented as Mayor Charles Mackay.
She says, “Whanganui District Council supports our Pride community and welcomes this significant national heritage listing.”
“I don’t know whether I should be terrified or excited that my building will be listed,” remarks building owner Warren Ruscoe of Meteor Print. “However, it brings out the exceptional vision plus growth that Mayor Charles Mackay bought to our city and region whilst he was mayor. I also feel it helps right many wrongs done to him, so supporting the listing adds value to our history.”
Paul Chaplow, Whanganui & Partners’ strategic lead, visitor industries, observes this is not the only recent “first” for Whanganu. “Whanganui has recorded many ‘firsts’ over the past 10 years. Two very notable examples are the extraordinary Te Awa Tupua legislation, achieved by iwi and hapū, and Whanganui’s recent designation as a UNESCO City of Design. Similarly, being Heritage New Zealand’s first Rainbow listing is a modern recognition of Whanganui’s history as a place where innovative thinking, creativity and a desire for authenticity have prevailed.”
Christina Emery, trustee of Pride Whanganui, says, “This is an incredibly momentous occasion for not only the LGBTTQIA+ history of Aotearoa New Zealand, but for Whanganui. For so long our queer history has been glazed over, pushed to the side and in this case eradicated. This listing shows not just that we are here but that we've always been here! Whanganui is a place of vibrancy, innovation, creativity and history – it's no wonder they call us the Pride Capital of New Zealand!”
“We believe it is the first place in this country to be listed as a historic place specifically for its queer history,” says Heritage New Zealand area manager, Kerryn Pollock. “This is a really ground-breaking listing for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. The events that took place there, and the subsequent impact on the lives of the people involved, are emblematic of the threat of incarceration and social shame which was a reality experienced by homosexuals living in New Zealand – a reality that only began to change with the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Act in 1986.
“Criminalisation of male homosexuality and the social stigma attached to queer identity meant that many homosexual lives were lived discreetly, leaving few recorded traces for their historians – Charles Mackay is a tragic exception as the scandal and court case is a record that society could bury but not erase. Duigan’s Building is the place which holds the story.”
To celebrate the listing there will be a special one off performance of One Of Those (a play by David Charteris about the “Wanganui Incident”) at 7.00pm on Monday, 15 May (the date in 1920 that Mackay’s shot his blackmailer, Creswell) in the Porridge Watson bar on Drews Avenue (so within shooting range if the Duigan Building at 23 Ridgway Street). Ticket details are available at: whanganui.link/OneOfThose or call James Barron on 021 123 1750.