Wikipedia

Isaac Richardson Vialou

Isaac Richardson Vialou (1816 – 31 October 1884) was a builder, architect and the first Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand. He was born in England and emigrated to New Zealand in 1858.

Isaac Richardson Vialou
1st Mayor of Hamilton
In office
5 February 1878 – 18 December 1878
Succeeded byJohn Blair Whyte
Personal details
Born1816
Died31 October 1884
Ohinemutu
Spouse
Elizabeth Wood
​
(m. 1838)​

Early life and family

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Isaac Richardson Vialou in 1878
 
Isaac's house, shop and factories covered 2 acres on Victoria St, between Hood and Collingwood Streets from 1872 to 1886.[1] The other building in the photo is the National Bank of New Zealand, opened in 1873[2] and transferred to this building in 1874[3]

Isaac was born in 1816,[4] married Elizabeth Wood on 28 January 1838[5] and was recorded as a bankrupt[6] builder and decorator at 37 Fish Street Hill, London in 1856.[7] He described himself as an architect for the London Armoury Company,[8] presumably when they built their factory in 1856.

Their family consisted of at least two daughters, Emily[9] and Louise,[10] and a son.[11]

Auckland

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He emigrated to Wairoa in 1858[12] and by 1859 he was selling a farm near Ōtāhuhu[13] and a J R Vialou ('J' was often used for his first initial, even including his probate)[14] was advertising as an architect at Smale's Point.[15] He built several prominent buildings, including the Auckland courthouse on Chancery St in 1860.[16] An 1863 advert for his Sanitary Depot in Victoria Street was for ‘‘importers of stone, cement and building materials, manufacturers of bricks pipes etc, stockists of closets, lavatories, hand basins etc’’.[17] The brickworks was at Point Chevalier.[18] Isaac must have returned to London, as he returned from there in 1863.[19] By 1864 Isaac was running the Auckland Hotel.[20] He also took on the Greyhound Hotel in 1867,[21] but transferred it to I Vialou later that year[22] and then, largely due to the recession, went bankrupt,[23] though his family still owned property.[11] His pig farm at Point Chevalier was sold under a court order in 1868[24] and he was in the Debtors' Prison that year.[25]

Hamilton

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Isaac's fortunes must have improved quickly, for he sold a Panmure hotel in 1872[26] and was architect for Alfred Cox, to build the now listed, Lake House,[27] at Hamilton the same year.[28] Another of his houses on the NZ Historic Places Register is Maungawhare in Otumoetai, built in 1878.[29] In 1872,[30] he built his house and carriage works on Victoria St, between Hood and Collingwood Streets.[31] In 1873 that Hamilton builder, wheelwright and blacksmith partnership with Thomasson & Co came to an end and became Vialou & Co,[32] which made agricultural implements, mattresses, cabinets and picture frames, as well as being a builder, timber merchant, millwright, wheelwright, painter, surveyor and architect.[33] He had one of his apprentices sentenced to 48 hours in the lock-up, with bread and water.[34] However, he also hosted an annual dinner for his staff.[35]

Mayor of Hamilton

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He was elected to Hamilton Town Board in 1876,[36] the same year that his architectural work was criticised in court.[37] Voting was 90 : 72 : 8 when Isaac was elected as Hamilton's first mayor in 1878.[38] The main issues during his term as mayor were a bridge over the Waikato[39] and extension of the railway towards Thames.[40] During the ceremony marking the end of his term as mayor, he started driving the first pile of the Union Bridge.[41]

Retirement and death

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After leaving office he remained on the council,[42] until he resigned in 1882.[43] He also continued with his business, such as building the Waikato Hotel[44] in Hamilton East in 1879.[45] An 1880 guide said, "whatever he does is done in such a first-class style as cannot be excelled in Hamilton, or Auckland. . . his establishment, taking it as a whole, is the most complete one of the kind in the colony."[46] In 1881 he retired, passing his business on to others.[47][48][49] The premises were put up for sale in 1885[50] and sold in 1886.[1]

Isaac became ill and returned to Auckland,[12] before moving to Ohinemutu in 1884,[51] to manage Lake House Hotel. He died later that year, on Friday 31 October, after suffering, "delicate health, and apoplexy",[52] aged 68.[53]

Vialou Street

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Vialou Street in Hamilton was named after their first mayor[54] in 1913.[55] The street was formed in 1917.[56]

References

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  1. ^ a b "The Waikato Times and Thames Valley Gazette". 6 November 1886. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Page 3 Advertisements Column 3". Waikato Times. 11 September 1873. p. 3. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Page 3 Advertisements". Waikato Times. 6 August 1874. p. 3. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Records Available For Isaac Richardson VIALOU". www.myheritage.com. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Isaac Vialou". search.ancestry.com.au. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  6. ^ "London Standard, Jan 16, 1858, p. 4". NewspaperArchive.com. 16 January 1858. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Fish street hill, London bridge in 1856". pubshistory.com. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  8. ^ "Page 3 Advertisements Column 2". Waikato Times. 15 June 1872. p. 3. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  9. ^ "Marriages". New Zealand Herald. 19 October 1872. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Married". New Zealand Herald. 28 December 1865. p. 4. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Meeting of I. R. Vialou's Creditors". New Zealand Herald. 1 October 1867. p. 4. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Death of Mr I. R. Vialou". Waikato Times. 1 November 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  13. ^ "Page 2 Advertisements Column 4". New Zealander. 12 October 1859. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  14. ^ "Law and Police". New Zealand Herald. 20 December 1884. p. 3. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Page 2 Advertisements Column 1". New Zealander. 16 November 1859. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  16. ^ "New Zealander". 13 June 1860. p. 3. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  17. ^ "Page 5 Advertisements". Daily Southern Cross. 30 October 1863. p. 5. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  18. ^ "Provincial Council". Daily Southern Cross. 1 March 1865. p. 4. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  19. ^ "Police Court.—Tuesday". New Zealander. 10 June 1863. p. 4. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  20. ^ "Arrival of the S.s. 'claud Hamilton' from Sydney, with the English Mail". New Zealander. 25 March 1864. p. 3. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  21. ^ "The Daily Southern Cross". 4 March 1867. p. 4. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  22. ^ "Licensing Meeting". Daily Southern Cross. 4 September 1867. p. 4. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  23. ^ "Page 1 Advertisements Column 5". Daily Southern Cross. 4 October 1867. p. 1. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  24. ^ "Pt Chevalier Times No. 12 - History". DocGo.Net. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  25. ^ "Coroner's Inqqest". New Zealand Herald. 21 February 1868. p. 3. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  26. ^ "Page 1 Advertisements Column 6". Daily Southern Cross. 4 June 1872. p. 1. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  27. ^ "Lake House". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  28. ^ "Lake House". Hamilton. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  29. ^ "Tauranga's hidden gem". www.theweekendsun.co.nz. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  30. ^ https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/waikato-times/20140526/282321088047715. Retrieved 14 June 2018 – via PressReader. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  31. ^ "Vialou's carriage factory". Hamilton. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  32. ^ "Page 3 Advertisements Column 2". Waikato Times. 27 February 1873. p. 3. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  33. ^ "Vialou's and Co.'s Agricultural Implement and General Manufactory". Waikato Times. 24 June 1875. p. 3. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  34. ^ "Police Court Hamilton. Before W N Searancke, Esq, R M. Monday, Dec 11th". Waikato Times. 12 December 1876. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  35. ^ "Waikato Times". 1877. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  36. ^ "Hamilton Town Board District Meeting". Waikato Times. 1 August 1876. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  37. ^ "District Court. [before His Honor Judge Fenton.] September 6th, 1876". Waikato Times. 12 September 1876. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  38. ^ "Waikato Times". 7 February 1878. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  39. ^ "Hamilton Borough Council". Waikato Times. 7 March 1878. p. 2. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  40. ^ "Thames and Waikato Railway". Thames Advertiser. 27 April 1878. p. 3. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  41. ^ "Installation of Mayor". Waikato Times. 19 December 1878. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  42. ^ "Borough of Hamilton. Installation of Mayor". Waikato Times. 22 December 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  43. ^ "Hamilton Borough Council. Nomination of Candidates". Waikato Times. 27 June 1882. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  44. ^ "Waikato Hotel". Hamilton. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  45. ^ "The Waikato Hotel Building, Hamilton". Waikato Times. 5 July 1879. p. 3. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  46. ^ "Descriptive handbook to the Waikato : its condition and resources, to which is added A short guide to the Hot Lakes, Province of Auckland, New Zealand". Hamilton. 1880. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  47. ^ "Waikato Times and Thames Valley Gazette". 17 February 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  48. ^ "Page 3 Advertisements Column 1". Waikato Times. 17 February 1881. p. 3. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  49. ^ "Page 3 Advertisements Column 5". Waikato Times. 17 February 1881. p. 3. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  50. ^ "Page 3 Advertisements Column 6". Waikato Times. 28 May 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  51. ^ "Ohinemutu". Bay of Plenty Times. 10 June 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  52. ^ "Obituary". New Zealand Herald. 10 November 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  53. ^ "Deaths". New Zealand Herald. 1 November 1884. p. 4. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  54. ^ Lanum, John. "Vialou Street". ketehamilton.peoplesnetworknz.info. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  55. ^ "Hamilton Borough Council". Waikato Argus. 2 October 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  56. ^ "Hamilton Borough Council". Waikato Times. 10 March 1917. p. 4. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
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