Barry Patterson and Rob Gardiner at the Shotover Jet base.
The original trustees of The Chartwell Trust were its founder Rob Gardiner and Charles Scneiderman. When Charles moved overseas, Rob invited me to join him. I’m sure the invitation was not intended to increase the “art” knowledge of the Trustees, as I had very little experience in that subject. In my time as Trustee, I always abided by a decision when an art-related topic was on the agenda. Rob has been rightly honoured for his massive contribution to art in New Zealand and he was the expert, and I was the novice. The only “art” discussion that I can recall was when the Trust acquired the Hotere Flight of the Godwits panels (Godwit/Kuaka). My recollection is that the panels, which had hung in the Auckland International Airport, became surplus to requirements when the terminal was redeveloped, and there was a possibility that they were to be abandoned or even destroyed. Rob acquired them for the Trust and had them restored at what then seemed to me to be quite a cost. I reflect on Rob’s foresight every time I pass the panels when they have been on the wall at the Auckland Art Gallery.
The foundation of the funding of the Collection came from Rainbow Springs, which the Trust had acquired before I became a trustee. The original Rainbow Springs and Fairy Springs, tourist attractions, were revamped into Rainbow Springs, which became a major Rotorua tourist venue. The addition of the Kiwi house, initiated by Rob, added to the drawing power of the venue. During my time as a trustee, the revenue from Rainbow Springs was a major factor in Chartwell increasing its asset base and being able to fund the acquisition of its Collection.
Many of the Trustees’ meetings were held at the Springs with Max Martin, the manager who played an important role in the Springs development, and The Trust’s financial adviser, Tom Wallace, present.
Another major tourist attraction in Rotorua in the 1970s and 1980s was the Agrodome. In 1990, the Trust opened across the road from the Springs Rainbow Farm, which became an alternative to the Agrodome and a successful tourist attraction.
A major acquisition in 1981 was the Hamilton Hotel, being the hotel the Queen stayed in during her visit in 1953. It was, in 1981, not utilized as a hotel. The purpose of the acquisition was to open a gallery in the hotel and locate the Trust’s Collection there. The façade of the hotel remains today, and a new Waikato Regional Theatre is currently being erected on the site. The hotel also became the site for Brian Anderson to establish a very popular and leading Hamilton restaurant, namely the Left Bank Restaurant.
In 1995, the Trust received approaches from two Queenstown public companies to acquire Rainbow Springs, namely Shotover Jet and Skyline. There were considerable negotiations with Jim Boult (Shotover) and Barry Thomas (Skyline), before a deal was struck with Shotover. A portion of the purchase price was in Shotover shares, which gave Chartwell the right to appoint a director to the Shotover Board. I became that director until my move to Auckland in 1996 required me to give up director and trustee appointments and meant the termination of my role as a trustee of Chartwell.
Although the final move came after I left Hamilton, the prospect of moving the Chartwell Collection to the Auckland Art Gallery was present when I was a trustee. The Hamilton City Council, probably because of financial restrictions, did not appear to appreciate the asset Hamilton had in the Chartwell Collection. While, as an ex-Hamiltonian, I saw the move as a loss to Hamilton, I believe the move was inevitable, and the Collection is now in the right place.
During my time as a trustee, I was Rob’s only co-trustee, although Tom Wallace, who later became a trustee, attended most meetings as a financial adviser. For someone who did not have a background in “art,” my time as a trustee was an interesting and learning experience. The Collection grew immensely during that time. Rob deserves all the accolades he has earned for his initiative in founding the Trust, developing its strategies, acquiring one of New Zealand’s major art collections, and making contributions to many charitable purposes, most of which have been of great benefit to the art world. It must be gratifying to him that his daughter, Sue, is carrying on the good work.
August 2024
Barry Patterson was a Trustee of The Chartwell Collection Trust from the mid 1970s. He was instrumental in establishing the new agreement with the Auckland Art Gallery in 1997.
