John Mair

John Thomas Mair (12 October 1876 – 26 November 1959) was a New Zealand architect. From 1923 until his retirement in 1941 he held the position of Government Architect.

Early life and education Mair was born in Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand, on 12 October 1876 to Catherine (nee Hamilton) and Hugh Mair. Hugh Mair had started as a carpenter before becoming a building contractor in partnership with his brother, Matthew. They built the water tower, and a number of large buildings. Hugh served as a borough councillor from 1892-1897 and then mayor of Invercargill from 1897–1898. Mair was educated at Southland Boys' High School in Invercargill.

Career Mair commenced his architectural training in 1892 with William Sharp, engineer, architect and surveyor to the borough of Invercargill as well as engineer to the Bluff Harbour Board.

In 1900 he moved to Wellington and joined the architectural branch of the New Zealand Railways where he was a member of the staff of the Office Engineer George Troup during the time that he was designing the Dunedin railway station. He remained with Railways for three years, before becoming chief clerk to the architectural firm of William Turnbull and Son in Wellington in Wellington. He also got to know the Australian architect John Hennessy. Mair was one of eight out of the class of 23 to graduate and obtained a special certificate of graduation in architecture (S.C.A).

Upon completion of his studies in 1908 he worked with the prominent firm of architect George B. Post and Sons in New York for 12 months. The church was of Romanesque character, whose design was influenced by the neo-Romanesque work of the American architect Henry Hobson Richardson. He largely carried domestic commissions, but among his clients was the Upper Hutt Town Board. His father represented him in Invercargill.

In 1918 he was appointed Inspector of Military Hospitals by the Defence Department. In 1930 he was elected a member of the Town Planning Institute of New Zealand.

In 1941 Mair served together with the Acting Prime Minister Walter Nash, Horace Massey (president of the New Zealand Institute of Architects) and J. W. Mawson (Government Town Planner) on the jury to select a design for the clifftop mausoleum and memorial gardens for New Zealand Prime Minister, Michael Savage at Bastion Point, Auckland.

Retirement Following his retirement in October 1941 He committed suicide on 26 November 1959 at his home in Khandallah, Wellington.

Honours He became a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1940. He was also made a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, and became a Life Member in 1942.

Personal life On 29 April 1914, at the age of 37, Mair was married at his parents' house in Liddel Street in Invercargill to Ethel Margaret Snow of Wellington by the Rev. R, M. Ryburn, M.A., of First Church. Sadly within months Ethel contracted tuberculosis and died at the age of 33 in September 1915, leaving Mair to raise their eight-month-old son, John. Mair's father had died the previous month at the age of 72. Mair never remarried.

His son John Lindsay Mair also practised as an architect.

Works Among the buildings which Mair personally designed, collaborated on or supervised the design of are: Building Image Completed Location Notes First Church Bank of New Zealand, Otaki 1918 49 Main Street, Otaki Designed by Mair in association with Haughton. It currently houses the Otaki Museum. Dannevirke Post Office 1924 7 Rattray Street Devonport, Auckland Administration Block, Hastings Boys' High School thumb Hastings Boys High School designed by J.T. Mair 1926 Hastings Designed by Mair in association with George Penlington in a Spanish Mission style. 1926 Hanmer Springs Arts and Crafts bungalow styleMarton Post Office Arbitration Court Building 1928 Whitmore Street, Wellington Construction commenced in 1927. Napier Post Office Westport Post Office Hastings Post Office 1932HastingsConstructed after the 1931 Hawke's Bay Earthquake in the Stripped Classical style. NZ Heritage Listed Category II Listed and also a part of the Russell Street Historic Area. The building underwent a conversion in 2022 and is now a Westpac Bank Branch. High St Post and Telegraph Office Putaruru Courthouse Dunedin Art School, King Edward Technical College 1937 Corner of Tennyson Street and York Place, Dunedin This was a purpose-built art school that was an architectural departure from the rest of the College. As the art school building was partially funded by a substantial grant from the government the building was designed by the Public Works Department instead of the college's normal architects. The sketch plans were ready by August 1935 with construction tenders called for in May 1936. The school was officially opened on 22 March 1937. The King Edward Technical College was granted Heritage New Zealand historic place category 2 status in 1987. Dunedin Central Post Office Pahiatua Post Office Ashburton Courthouse Government Life Insurance Office Public Works Department Building Stout St Departmental Building Otorohanga Post Office Wellington Children's Dental Clinic Granted Heritage New Zealand historic place category 2 status in 1985.