Convicted arsonist’s historic home goes up for sale

Convicted arsonist’s historic home goes up for sale

An historic home once owned by an arsonist whose incendiary activities burned down almost half a town has been place on the market for sale.

The stone-walled cottage in central Queenstown once owned by infamous grocery and candy merchant Philip Waldmann is regarded as one of the town’s most historic residences… albeit because of a dubious past.

Central Otago historians refer to Waldmann as “The man who tried to burn down Queenstown.” The home where Waldmann lived before embarking on his arson foray retains many of the original features it was built with in 1877.

The ‘Great Fire of Queenstown’ took place in January 1882, and destroyed a sizeable chunk of what then the town’s central retail and commercial area.

The local newspaper at the time, the Lake Wakatipu Mail, recorded: “The fire-engine was out of order. Many of the buildings were wooden. The efforts of owners and townspeople, including women and children, who brought water by bucket chain, could not hold back the flames.”

An investigation by police and fire authorities traced the source of the fire to a small room at the back of Waldman’s home on the edge of town – where a candle was found surrounded by a mass of what crown prosecutors later termed “plenty of combustible material.”

Amid rowdy scenes involving angry members of the town’s community, Waldmann was arrested and duly committed to trial in the Dunedin Supreme Court, where he was found guilty of trying to burn down his house. He was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Waldmann’s destitute wife sold the dwelling to support her five children while he served the jail sentence. A plaque produced by the Queenstown and District Historical Society on the building’s exterior acknowledges its importance in the town’s archives.

Now some 131 years later, and after a million-dollar-plus refurbishment, the stylish 250 square metre abode has been placed on the market for sale through Bayleys Queenstown. The expanded four bedroom/two bathroom home sits on 1369 square metres of landscaped lawn and gardens.

Bayleys Queenstown salesperson Buzz Scown said the painstaking refurbishment of Waldmann Cottage had been undertaken over the past year – with special care taken to preserve as much of the heritage dwelling as possible.

“As a consequence much of the original cottage interior has been utilised – with the schist walls and exposed timber beams becoming architectural features. Even the cottages two original chimneys have been strengthened and retained,” Mr Scown said.

“It’s a project which has been undertaken with considerable integrity and with no cost spared.

“Over the year, the site has been regularly visited by members of the Queenstown Historical Society – partly out of curiosity and partly to ensure that the legacy of Waldmann Cottage remains intact. All of them have commented favourably on what outstanding jobs both the architect and builder have done in retaining the character of the residence, and in capturing the ambience of the surrounding environment.”

Mr Scown believed that now complete, the modern home was to be entered into various New Zealand building and design awards competitions.

“The rebuilding and expansion of what was Waldmann Cottage into its current persona has been a labour of love for all involved. But now, with the project complete, the owner has had a change of heart and is looking for a new challenge,” he said.

“It has all new mod’ con’s throughout – an irrigation system, security lighting, highly spec’d communications cabling for internet and TV, a state-of-the-art kitchen, a huge decking and BBQ area, and exquisite interior furnishings,” Mr Scown said.

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