History Reveals Dunedin as a City of Readers  

Dunedin’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature reflects the achievements of the many writers who wielded their pens here, but no writer can survive without booksellers. 

As early as 1840 Octavius Harwood was writing from the whaling station at Otakou, asking his brother in London to send more books; and Dunedin’s first book auction was held as early as 1849, when William Cutten offered books from the estate of Otakou farmer, Andrew Rowand. During the 1850s books would appear in auction sales, and many general merchants would import stocks of books to sell alongside their other wares.

But it wasn’t until the 1860s that more specialist booksellers appeared. One was a Spaniard, Joseph Macedo, who graduated from hairdressing to becoming Dunedin’s “Catholic bookseller”, when the influx of Irish gold miners created a demand for literature aimed at the faithful. The boom in Catholic schools boosted Macedo’s business, but one teacher, J J Woods, was taken to court for not paying his bills. (Woods later wrote the music for “God Defend New Zealand” while teaching at Lawrence). Frenchman Philip Mitchell was another early bookseller who made a small fortune from his business; William Hay built up a large business specialising in Bibles and religious works; and Henry Wise established his stationery and printing business with book-selling as a sideline, as did James Wilkie, whose printing business formed part of the early history of Coulls, Somervile, Wilkie - now buried in the modern firm of Whitcoulls. Joseph Mackay was another printer/bookseller/publisher and, as Dunedin boomed in the gold rush years, the town was soon importing more books than Auckland with many firms becoming national institutions such as The New Zealand Bible, Tract, and Book Society, which began in 1873.

James Horsburgh (bought out by Whitcombe and Tombs in 1898) was another giant of the book business, but the biggest name in books was Joseph Braithwaite, whose book arcade spread over several Princes St properties and was famous for its horseshoe-shaped entranceways. The book arcade was a genuine tourist attraction and was sometimes packed out with hundreds of customers. During the 20th century new names emerged: Henry Driver, Alex Sligo and Whitcombe and Tombs who built a grand bookshop in Princes St in 1915. The fire in the shop in the 1950s and the gigantic post-fire sale, will be recalled by many of the older generation. Later came the University Book Shop, Hyndman’s and Bob Stables. The stories of these and many other businesses make bookselling history a fascinating field. Even the railway station bookstall has a past full of drama and characters.

Along the way, many book men became legends. Robert Stark, who was on the Moray Place/Princes St corner before the First World War, earned this eulogy: 

“Every book-lover is quick-to recognise the fact that booksellers are born, not made, and that no amount of training can impart that intuitive sense which divines one’s wants without the need of giving them expression. Needless to say, a book-lover needed no lure to pay Mr Stark a visit; he was never too busy to talk, and he always had something to say of interest.” 

The same description might well be applied to the late George Griffiths of Otago Heritage Books.

Second hand bookselling is a major part of the story, and Newbolds deserves a book of its own. In modern times, the same could be said for the establishment of the headquarters of Hard to Find Books in Dunedin. There have been dozens of smaller second hand book shops and many of their stories are being gathered. Even today Dunedin can claim a fine crop with Scribes, Galaxy Books and others. Dunedin did not become a major centre of book auctions, but during more recent times Pam Plumbly’s auctions attracted a nationwide customer base.

At least until the latter part of the 20th century, every suburb had its bookshop and, while many relied on magazines, comics and stationery to bolster income, they carried a good range of modern fiction. It’s these recent times which are the most difficult to record. Papers Past takes the Otago Daily Times up to 1930, and for the decades after that much of the story is being told through the memories of the book sellers themselves, as well as those of their customers.

Jim Sullivan is currently writing a history of book selling in Dunedin.

There will be readers of this article, who have their bookshop memories and they would be most welcome to contact me. Any recollections, ideas, names or anecdotes sent in will be a major help in filling in the gaps.