Community Contributed

James Bennie

Kete Horowhenua2020-03-23T16:51:41+00:00
Early Wellington architect who designed many churches, picture theatres, churches and a library.
Date of birth1873
Date of death1945

James Bennie was born in Scotland, emmigrating to New Zealand with his family. His father settled in Brunnerton on the West Coast where he was a mine supervisor.

James Bennie studied architecture in Melbourne then returned to New Zealand to practice firstly in Greymouth, then moving to Wellington in 1903 and setting up a practice.

He designed several public buildings in Levin including:

In 2006 Tony Froude, a Kapiti-based historian, published a book on James Bennie.