Pompallier House

Story

Pompallier House is a nineteenth-century building located in Russell, New Zealand which once served as the headquarters to the French Catholic mission to the Western Pacific. It is named after Jean Baptiste Pompallier, the first vicar apostolic to visit New Zealand, who founded a number of missions in the North Island. Pompallier House is owned and managed by Heritage New Zealand, who open it to the public. It is New Zealand's oldest Roman Catholic building, oldest rammed earth building, and oldest industrial building.HistoryIn 1836, the newly formed French order the Society of Mary (or Marists) received papal approval and were given the mission of Western Oceania. in 1838, three of these brothers arrived in Hokianga, on the West Coast of New Zealand, to begin their work in the country. Joined by other members of the order, they moved to the Bay of Islands to set up their headquarters in Kororareka (now Russell).Bishop Pompallier bought land in Russell in 1839, and the building was constructed in 1841-2 for use a printery, but the building also housed a tannery, for book-binding. In 1842, it produced its first Māori translations of religious texts.